By Elena Macias
On June 5, the University of California, Riverside’s St. Andrew Newman Center held its first Eucharistic Procession on campus. The procession was organized by the center’s Catholic Student Fellowship, a student-led group. The procession consisted of roughly 60 students, families and other local community members.
“I saw there was Mass today and I just felt like I needed to come,” said sophomore student Gabby. “I even texted my roommates to bring my Rosary just in case I wanted to stay for the procession. I just like seeing it open on campus, having the opportunity to experience God in a situation that is sometimes frowned upon our faith but seeing that present here, it made me very joyous and walking in the procession even, seeing students admire and persevere because of the heat. It’s really hot.”
The Eucharistic Procession started on the westside of campus at the flagpole near Hinderaker Hall on West Campus Drive, then moved south around Sproul Hall and the Bell Tower, then moved east toward Webber Hall. From Webber Hall, the dedicated walkers processed west back toward the Bell Tower, then north to the bookstore. The last leg of the procession route went east on Big Springs Road. The Knights of Columbus assisted with setting up the Mass and helped make sure the paths were clear while processing throughout the campus as well as setting up the Benediction area at the end of the procession.
“I came out to the procession, my friend invited me, I knew about it last minute. I thought it was really cool that it was going on campus,” said sophomore David Chavez. “It was very enjoyable, hopefully something like this happens next year. It was a very good experience, I saw other students, other young Catholics, I haven’t seen others on campus, other than my friends.”
The procession proved to be an event that drew the Catholic students and community together. Joaquin, a sophomore at UCR, read about the procession from the weekly St. Andrew Newman Center bulletin and decided to attend to connect with other Catholics.
“I really enjoyed it. Walking through campus, it helped me realize how many fellow Catholics there are as well. I really found that to be cool,” Joaquin said.
Along with bringing the Catholic community together, the first Eucharistic Procession on the UCR campus served as a reminder to the community of the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist.
“Being able to walk in this procession with God and feel the presence all around me… It felt very beautiful and nice,” Gabby said. “It [the Eucharist] gives me a love that I can’t explain, it’s always there. I just feel, coming and seeing the Eucharist, tells me ‘I’m here for you, I’m present, don’t worry,’ I don’t know how to explain it, it’s something unexplainable. Everyone feels it in their own unique ways.”
This historic procession occurred during one the last months of the National Eucharistic Revival, a movement that is the joyful, expectant, grassroots response of the Church in the United States to the divine invitation to be united once again around the source and summit of the Catholic faith in the celebration of the Eucharist.
“The Eucharist strengthens me, mostly in my mind, it always brings me light when I’m in a place of darkness,” Joaquin said. “It always guides me to make the right choice.”
Elena Macias is the Managing Editor of the Inland Catholic BYTE and El Compás Católico.