100 local parishes make Eucharistic Consecration in small groups
By William Van de Planque | On Mission
ALLOUEZ — About 100 parishes from across the Diocese of Green Bay consecrated themselves to Jesus in the Eucharist on the Solemnity of the Ascension of Jesus Christ celebrated this past weekend in the Diocese of Green Bay.
The consecration, a simple yet profound prayer recommitting oneself to the Lord, came after preparation using Matthew Kelly’s book “33 Days to Eucharistic Glory,” of which thousands of copies were distributed to local parishes in early April.
The parishes formed small groups at the start of Easter to embark on the 33-day preparation for the Eucharistic Consecration.
During his video announcement of the initiative for the diocese, Bishop David Ricken said, “As your bishop, I am convinced that this will deepen our life as a church and is preparing our diocese, our parishes, households and our hearts for true revival.”
Small groups were provided study guides for the sessions and met weekly across the diocese.
Angela Packard, faith formation and funeral coordinator at Stella Maris Parish, Egg Harbor, led the group for her parish.
“I’ve actually gone to one of the other groups as well as (was) a participant for one of the sessions just to see what their group was doing, and the groups are very dynamic,” she said. “There’s a lot of sharing going on.”
Each day of the preparation, there is a reflection written by Matthew Kelly, a summarizing lesson, a virtue of the day and an act of spiritual communion readers are encouraged to make.
Kelly is an internationally known author and speaker, and is the founder of The Dynamic Catholic Institute, a Cincinnati-based nonprofit organization that Kelly describes on his website “as redefining the way Catholics are inspired and educated.”
“(We) have been growing in our faith and doing some of the suggestions in the book and taking on a virtue of the day, and it’s been fruitful,” Packard said.
Deacon Dan Wagnitz, who serves the Quad Parishes in Green Bay, said he remembers a powerful experience with Jesus in the Eucharist and encountering pilgrims from across the country when he attended the National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis in July 2024.
“The excitement and the enthusiasm that (the pilgrims) had was all contagious,” he said. “You want to share that with other people. When the opportunity came to share it through Matthew Kelly’s book, I was grateful for the opportunity.”
The important thing for me is, unlike other sessions that I’ve led, this one seems to evoke a lot of participation from the people,” Deacon Wagnitz said. “I’ve been impressed with how involved they are with the discussions.”
In Bishop Ricken’s column on the On Mission website, he explained the significance of consecrating oneself to Jesus truly present in the Eucharist during the Jubilee Year of Hope.
“Jesus Christ’s body, blood, soul and divinity fully present in the Eucharist is the sign and reason for our hope,” Bishop Ricken wrote. “Jesus in the Eucharist inspires me every day to follow him more closely and to listen to the inspirations of the Holy Spirit throughout the day.”
According to the Catholic News Agency, a study from the Catholic market research firm Vinea Research found that “69% of Mass-going Catholics believe in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist.”
Dixie Van Vorous, a parishioner at Stella Maris Parish, Sister Bay, who led a small group through the 33-day Eucharistic Consecration preparation, said that everyone in her group believes in the Real Presence.
She said, however, that the consecration provided helpful insights and “(went) deeper than what you’re actually thinking a lot of times.”
Some parishes have opted to complete the consecration on a different feast day, such as Pentecost or Corpus Christi.
“It’s never too late to consecrate yourself to Jesus in the Eucharist,” Bishop Ricken said in a video published on June 5, 2025.
“If ‘Eucharistic Consecration’ sounds unfamiliar or intimidating, don’t worry,” wrote Fr. Jerry Pastors, pastor of Most Blessed Sacrament Parish, Oshkosh, to his parishioners. “This isn’t about having it all figured out. It’s about opening your heart to Jesus and letting him draw you closer to his love, step by step. ”For more information on the Eucharistic Consecration and Matthew Kelly’s book, visit: https://www.dynamiccatholic.com/33-days-to-eucharistic-glory.html?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22351302855&gbraid=0AAAAACgYqehSrTcnPIVnwmHAOcn6hNTDM&gclid=CjwKCAjwruXBBhArEiwACBRtHSSzmXK-QyIqqcOKMdq2IejIs2K361sXTrdfsIwKje5dEJIiOGVBIBoCesEQAvD_BwE