On July 17 to 21, we celebrated the National  Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis, Indiana. I was able to go with my husband and a friend. It was an amazing time, filled with learning, prayer, music, excellent talks, and seeing friends. We picked a track ahead of time and it was the Ministry track, for those who work in service to the Church in some way or another. Since my husband is a deacon and I am a spiritual director, this seemed like a good fit.

standing outside our hotel, when all of a sudden, the people I know from CatholicMom.com are walking by and Allison Gingras, calls out, “Deanna, is that you?’

Praying in Adoration every night in a stadium with 50,000 Catholics and the only sound was the hum of the air conditioner running.

Also, the priests who led us in Adoration were amazing. The reverence and awe for Jesus was present on their faces.

Hearing Fr. Boniface Hicks pray the Litany of Healing and Repentance in the Eucharist. 

Matt Maher leading us in worship on Saturday night.

And the closing Mass with Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle

All of this was amazing and gave me a renewed sense of mission and purpose.

Each day we went to Mass at Lucas Oil Stadium. Then we went to a specific track for 3 days. John and I went to the Renewal sessions geared toward those in ministry. And those are the takeaways I want to discuss today.

Instead of working in ministry, first pray, fast, and be purified.

Activities in ministry can become false idols.

Ministry not nailed to the cross will be blown away at the first storm.

God reveals things to us that are delightful and painful.

No one likes healing, but we like to be healed.

Holiness is being fully human.

Work with God, not for him.

Find God in the quiet and stillness

Bread that does not rest does not rise and neither can you.

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