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Archives Taking faith to the streets for Corpus Christi Sunday

June 20, 2018

By Darcy Fargo
Editor

NORWOOD – Around 150 area faithful, including priests, deacons, Knights of Columbus and altar servers, took Corpus Christitheir faith to the streets on June 3 in a Eucharistic procession celebrating the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, also known as Corpus Christi.

Hosted by St. Andrew’s Church, the event included Mass, a Eucharistic procession and Benediction, as well as a reception. In the procession, the Eucharist, housed in a Monstrance, was carried by Bishop Terry R. LaValley, escorted by Knights of Columbus, priests and deacons from around the area, as well as a team of altar servers. Hymns were sung as the procession moved through the streets of Norwood.

The Mass preceding the procession was celebrated by Bishop LaValley, who reminded those in attendance of the significance of the Eucharist.

“It is the very core of our faith that the bread and wine we take up the aisle and put on the altar will become for us the actual Body and Blood of Christ,” Bishop LaValley said. “It is no mere symbol. It is real.”

Bishop LaValley also indicated how powerful bringing the Eucharist to the streets could be.

“May the visit of the Eucharistic Christ on the streets here be a source of renewed vigor and deepened faith in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist,” he said. “Let us pray to our holy Mother, so that she may help us to open our entire being to Christ’s presence; so that she may help us to follow Him faithfully, day after day, on the streets of our life, giving generously of ourselves for others.”

Msgr. John R. Murphy, pastor at St. Andrew’s church, said the tradition of a Corpus Christi procession was revived in the community in 2015, at the urging of the Msgr. Francis Maguire Council of the Knights of Columbus.

After a successful first event in Norwood, Msgr. Murphy said the procession was held at St. Mary’s in Potsdam in 2016 and at Sacred Heart in Massena in 2017.

Msgr. Murphy said the Knights of Columbus continue to be an integral part of the celebration, with the Msgr. Francis Maguire Council (Norwood) serving in the procession and at the Mass, and members of the Sarto Council (Canton), along with seminarians from the diocese, providing music.

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