A National religious group brought hundreds of people together in Cambria County this evening
Baylee Wojcik was there…and tells us what they were doing that led to the large crowd
Several hundred people gathered at Saint John Gualbert Cathedral this evening alongside the National Eucharistic Revival Group for a procession through Downtown Johnstown.
The National Eucharistic Revival Group is working its way across the country to meet in time for the first National Eucharistic Congress held in 83 years, according to officials. They say four teams from the organization are traveling from different parts of the country towards Indiana, where the congress takes place.
Monday Evening, Revival Group members stopped in Johnstown and held a Eucharistic Procession at the Saint John Gualbert Cathedral.
“I believe that participation in the sacraments, particularly the eucharist, is the source and summit of our lives, truly. It allows us to be able to recharge in our own personal lives and to be able to spread that faith and spread that presence of god to the world around us.”
Hundreds of clergy leaders, church members, and National Eucharistic Revival officials proceeded from the Cathedral to Central Park, where special prayers and speeches were delivered.
Minister Geoffrey Stumpo says having an event like this in Johnstown is a great way to bring Catholics together.
“At one point in time, the city of Johnstown and Cambria County at large was largely Catholic, I think 75 or 80% Catholic. Since then a lot of the population and a lot of the faithful have passed away or moved, so its great to have something back here in Johnstown at St. John Gualbert Cathedral.”
He says the procession is important not just for the church, but for Johnstown.
“It’s just great to be a part of this because as Catholics we believe that in the Sacrament of the most Holy Eucharist, the Lord as he told us is truly present and its great to have this great honor processing through the city so that people can have the actual presence of Jesus here in the city of Johnstown.”
Officials with the revival group say they have several more stops across the country before the Eucharist Congress in July.