In the days leading up to the diocesan-wide Eucharistic Consecration this past June, parishioners of St. Joseph, Coopersburg decided to journey through “33 Days to Eucharistic Glory” by Matthew Kelly as a community of pilgrims, forming discussion groups to dive deeper into the mysteries of the Holy Eucharist.
Parishioner and organizer Diane Ward said that the discussion groups arose from an analysis of the Catholic Leadership Institute Survey, taken in the spring of 2024. This survey showed that St. Joseph had an opportunity for spiritual growth, and members of the Discipleship, Spirituality, and Evangelization (DSE) committee saw the Eucharistic Consecration as a way to promote that growth.
Committee member Thomas Yaeger added: “The hope of the DSE committee is that the Eucharistic Glory program becomes just one of the ongoing efforts of the parish to assist Catholics in their spiritual growth.”
Ward said that the benefits of discussing the Consecration as a group were evident. “What was beautiful to see and hear was the passion, fervor, and joy of the participants as they shared their faith,” she said. “And to realize that we all struggle at one time or another to live our faith completely.”
Yaeger said that the small group discussions deepened his understanding of community. “One of the participants revealed his struggle with his wife’s chronic pain, and he asked that we pray for her,” he recalled. “It struck me: We are a community, a communion of aspiring saints. We are saved in a community. We worship as a community. The Church is the body — community — of Christ. When we suffer, we are suffering with and for the community.”
Ray Viohl, who heard about the small group discussions while attending a Knights of Columbus breakfast, said: “Keeping an open heart, I believed [the group] to be a way to strengthen and renew my faith. So, I signed up.
“I came to realize the importance of interaction with other parishioners. Turns out, the need was there for us to openly share in this journey — and perhaps none of us realized it at the time.”
Discussing “33 Days” made a lasting impression on the participants. Weeks after the group finished the book, Ward, Yaeger, and Viohl could identify key insights that transformed their way of thinking about their faith.
“The readings for Day 30 introduced the concepts of holy moments and collaboration with God,” Ward said. “I had never thought about how the Eucharist makes me a collaborator with God and empowers me to engage in holy moments.”
“Chapter Six was eye-opening for me,” said Yaeger. “The idea of ‘Carefree timelessness’ struck a chord. I spend more time listening now to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. He is doing the heavy lifting.”
Viohl said he was moved by Day Four, titled “The Purposeful Pilgrim.”
“Praying for purpose is a common theme in my time with the Holy Spirit, especially since I retired,” he said. “Sometimes, I wonder if I am trying too hard and focusing on purpose too much. That's when the closing words of the chapter — trust, surrender, believe, and receive — really sunk in. The journey is not a sprint. It's a marathon.”
AD Today will be featuring a series of articles on people who completed the Eucharistic Consecration and are seeking to live out its commitment to “live justly, love tenderly, and walk humbly” with God. If you are interested in sharing your own testimony, contact Genevieve Anatalio at goconnor@allentowndiocese.org.
Those who missed the Diocesan Consecration can still make a consecration on their own. Ask your parish if they have extra copies of “33 Days to Eucharistic Glory.”
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