The Chrism Mass at the Cathedral on Wednesday evening was celebrated by Bishop Smith with priests from the Diocese of Meath, involved volunteers who will be taking an active part at the Congress.
Reflecting on the centrality of the Eucharist in the life of the Church, Bishop Smith said:
"The readings for this liturgy are chosen with the theme of the forthcoming International Eucharistic Congress in mind. In St Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians – one of his earliest letters - he highlights two teachings that he received from Peter and the other apostles, teachings which became central to his proclamation of the faith. One affirmed the resurrection of Jesus and the other spoke of the Eucharist. Within a very short space of time, following the resurrection of Jesus, these central teachings of the faith had been formulated. Our second reading from Paul gives us the teaching on the Eucharist that he received from Peter. It has been central to the life and faith of the Church from its very beginning.
"The Eucharistic Congress aims to reaffirm the centrality of the Eucharist to the life of faith and the mission of the Church. I hope many of you can experience at least part of that Congress. Over the past twenty years all parishes have sought to offer the opportunity of spending time in silence prayer before the Blessed Sacrament. In that silence we seek to strengthen and deepen our own faith. It is only a faith planted and built on Christ that is able to give true witness, a theme St Paul emphasised time and time again in his letters and his preaching."