Eucharist aids faithful in becoming saints, says pilgrim priest

“They’re coming!”

The joyful declaration sprang from the lips of those standing outside St. Augustine of Canterbury Church as they spotted the group of pilgrims following behind a monstrance held high as it processed along Henderson Road the afternoon of May 28. The group, though weary, thirsty and sunburned after their 15-mile walk, nonetheless shared their joy with jubilant smiles as they entered the Kendall Park church for a program of prayer, Benediction and a talk by Father Roger Landry on the third of three stops in the Diocese of Metuchen.

The pilgrims traveling along the St. Elizabeth Ann Seton route of the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage had begun their visit to the Diocese with a stop at the Cathedral of St. Francis of Assisi in bucolic Metuchen, then a six-mile walk to the city of New Brunswick for a stop at St. Peter’s University and Community Parish, the oldest church in the Diocese.

“If you receive Holy Communion more and better, you can become saints,” asserted Father Landry in his talk entitled “The Eucharistic Path of Holiness.” The priest, who serves as chaplain of New York’s Columbia University, advised the congregation to follow the four pillars of the Church and ask for the intercession of saints who can help us to live them well to reinvigorate worship with the help of St. John Paul II; have a personal encounter with Jesus with the help of St. Manuel Gonzalez Garcia, one of the two co-patrons of the National Eucharistic Revival; show charity with the help of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, the patron of the eastern route of the pilgrimage, and embrace mission to spread Eucharistic knowledge and faith with the help of soon-to-be-canonized Blessed Carlo Acutis, the other Revival co-patron.

“There is a Eucharistic path to holiness which encompasses these four pillars,” said Father Landry. “We can be a sacrament of love in the midst of the world… Ask these saints to pray for us to be a catalyst, a leaven, to lift up the whole Church in Eucharistic knowledge, faith, amazement, gratitude, love and life.”

Father Jay Toborowsky, Metuchen Diocese Vicar General and Moderator of the Curia, issued a challenge to the pilgrims who were on the liturgical walk of their lives.

“So many times in the Gospel we read about Jesus entering villages where he heals and teaches, then he moves on,” said the priest. “We never quite think about how the village is after Jesus left. What is that village like after the presence of God? They would remember what they had experienced and [issued] the challenge to make it a part of their lives.”

Father Toborowsky then introduced Msgr. Thomas Gervasio, Trenton Diocese Vicar General, who accepted the golden monstrance, saying, “We are unworthy to have you under our roof, but say only the word and our souls will be here. May Christ be carried to the Diocese of Trenton. Touch, transform and heal our hearts.”