I wish my parish was doing this...

On Sunday, June 10, Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M., Cap. will lead nearly 1,000 faithful Catholics in a Eucharistic procession through the streets of Capitol Hill, carrying the Eucharist for public adoration. Sunday marks the Catholic Church’s universal celebration of the Feast of Corpus Christi. Eucharistic processions publicly witness to Catholics’ belief in the actual presence of the body and blood of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist. read more...

What a wonderful way to acknowledge before the whole world that Jesus is King of Heaven and Earth, by praising Him publicly and carrying Him through the streets, giving Him the honour that He deserves.

My parish usually has a very small procession on our feast day, the Feast of the Sacred Heart, but all we ever do is process from the parish hall across the parking lot to the Church. Even this is a struggle to get participation from the people. Sometimes I wonder if there is an element of embarrassment to be seen publicly processing through the streets singing hymns of praise to Our Lord. It brings to mind the words of Our Lord:

Matthew 10
32 Every one therefore that shall confess me before men, I will also confess him before my Father who is in heaven 33 But he that shall deny me before men, I will also deny him before my Father who is in heaven.

When God is Passing By

Here's an amazing story from Zenit News (scroll down to God in the Streets) about a Eucharistic procession through the streets of Rome that reduced everyone to silence every time the Sacred Host was elevated. It was the brainstorm of the Michigan-based Sisters of Mercy, and the inspiration for the procession came after they viewed a similar procession through the streets of New York on a vocations video called Fishers of Men.

"As if by sheer coincidence, the Eucharistic procession followed Family Day and converged with the feasts of Our Lady of Fatima and Our Lady of the Eucharist, and then proceeded along a route taken by gay and lesbian rights activists protesting the Church and family the day before.
Each time the sacred Host was elevated, there was a palpable hush. In one instance, a waitress about to serve beer paused and dropped to her knees. On another side street, a group of men playing poker and drinking whiskey fell silent, while some made the sign of the cross."