The dream of the 10th National Eucharistic Congress is becoming a reality.
With only a few months remaining before this historic gathering, registration projections tell an inspiring story about the Church in the US coming together in a radical way. Catholics from all over the country—of all ages, vocations, and backgrounds—have booked their passes for this incredible moment in the life of our Church.
As of today, 80% of the passes are already sold, and the Congress is poised to fill Lucas Oil Stadium from July 17–21!
Throughout the course of the planning process, projected attendance has been high—and rightfully so! When the rebirth of this legacy was announced, the outpouring of interest from Catholics all across the country was inspiring, and over 200 apostolates stepped up to help make the 10th National Eucharistic Congress happen. Momentum continues to grow as the National Eucharistic Revival movement blossoms in parishes throughout the nation. And the announcement of the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage last year only added fuel to this flame.
Initial aspirations were as high as 80,000 participants throughout the five days of the Congress, assuming the event extended to fill additional venues beyond Lucas Oil Stadium and the Indiana Convention Center. Hoping to make space for even more, we looked at additional overflow space, such as the Gainbridge Fieldhouse. However, the cost proved to be prohibitive. With the team already trying to be as budget-conscious as possible in order to keep ticket costs down, the added production, security, staffing, and other logistic costs made providing an experience in a space like Gainbridge Fieldhouse impossible.
Today, strategic plans have evolved to offer participants the safest, most cost-effective, and most integrated experience possible. This means capping the event at the two original venues, Lucas Oil Stadium and the Indiana Convention Center, and lowering the number of passes available to around 50,000 in order to accommodate the best possible experience for pilgrims.
National Eucharistic Congress CEO Tim Glemkowski said, “While the desire was always to welcome as many Catholics as possible to Indianapolis for this historic moment, we have to balance that with the capacity restrictions of the stadium and convention center.
“But the Congress was never just about the people in the stadium. It’s a gathering, in proxy, on behalf of the whole Church! With the addition of the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage, we have a chance to go out to the whole Church and gather them in intercession and witness, all heading to Indianapolis.
“This is the Church’s moment to come together in unity before our Eucharistic Lord, receive the abundant grace he desires to lavish upon his people, and be sent out ‘for the life of the world.’ We will be anointed and commissioned for a new chapter of Eucharistic mission, not just as individuals but as the Body of Christ. Those at the Congress will return home overflowing with grace to share. This was always the vision.”
The total occupancy of Lucas Oil Stadium (while creating room to accommodate the staging and production requirements for this incredible experience) is around 47,000. When you factor in the number of attendees with Day Passes, total attendance could reach 50,000—more than twice the size of any other Catholic gathering in the United States in years.
The impact of this event will extend far beyond the pilgrims who gather for this milestone moment. It is difficult to imagine the magnitude of the event in Lucas Oil Stadium since most Catholics have not participated in a gathering of this size before. Imagine 50,000 Catholics on fire with Eucharistic zeal and ready to spread the Gospel message throughout the nation with the vigor of the early Church! This beautiful outpouring of grace will mark the beginning of the Year of Mission and a new chapter of faith in America.
This new occupancy limit reduces the number of passes that are available, so if you were hoping to attend the Congress, register while you still can!
In order for the Congress to be a true reflection of the whole Church, it needs to be accessible to Catholics of all walks of life. That means accommodating for both financial and temporal constraints.
While the bishops' Solidarity Fund is a beautiful way to fill in the financial gaps for many aspiring Congress-goers, limiting the budget of the overall event is also key, as it translates directly into the cost of each Congress Pass. It is important that the average Congress Pass is not completely out of reach for the average Catholic. By limiting capacity to only the original venues, we believe we can appropriately balance the pomp and circumstance Our Heavenly King deserves with the realistic means of the average Catholic.
Historically, National Eucharistic Congresses have been about five days. But not every Catholic is going to be able to take that full length of time away from work, summer school, and other commitments. In order to accommodate busy Catholics, we are happy to be able to offer Day Passes! These allow passholders to register for the combination of days they will be at the Congress without paying for the full event. It also allows more Catholics to fill the seats that would otherwise be empty if a passholder had a full event pass but was only planning to attend for the weekend. That way Jesus gets a full stadium even on Wednesday!
The 10th National Eucharistic Congress will be a profound microcosm of the Catholic Church in America.
Not only will the Congress reflect the unity of the Church in her people, this event is also a witness to the unity of mission and the impact of the National Eucharistic Revival in America. We’ve seen an unprecedented collaboration of over 200 apostolates who were inspired by the vision for the Congress and are instrumental in making it happen.
Because this event is for the entire Church, not just those with a particular calling or state in life, each passholder has the ability to customize their experience in the way that best fits their unique interests, charisms, and vocation. Check out the full schedule here, or read on for some highlights.
The Congress will be historic from the very first moments, beginning with the triumphant conclusion of the longest Eucharistic procession in history. Starting from the North, South, East, and West edges of the continental United States, pilgrims will accompany Jesus for over 6,000 miles on his way to the Congress.
The Vatican has announced that anyone who participates in the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage or attends the Congress will be granted a plenary indulgence (under the usual conditions). Wednesday night at the Congress, the four routes will converge, and Jesus will enter Lucas Oil Stadium, ready to bless his people.
Each full day of the Congress will have Mass available in various languages, rites, and styles. Participants will also have daily opportunities for the Sacrament of Confession and enjoy beautiful Eucharistic adoration, praise & worship, and more.
Each morning, participants will attend the morning impact session they chose at registration. Here is a simple breakdown of the options:
Seats are limited for each of these experiences, so make your choice now!
There will be so much to do in the afternoons at the Congress! Dive deeper into topics and experiences that interest you, connect with Catholics from all over the country who share your interests and passions, experience the National Shroud of Turin Exhibit, explore the Expo Hall, and more.
Seats are limited in each session, so if you have your eye on a particular topic and speaker—hurry! A few of these sessions are already full. Click here to explore the detailed schedule, and register today so you don’t miss out.
The entire assembly will gather at the end of each day in Lucas Oil Stadium for a powerful experience of encounter with Our Eucharistic Lord. We will enjoy inspiring keynotes and dive into the theme for each day. Sunday morning, we will receive a special Apostolic Blessing and be anointed and commissioned for the Year of Mission ahead.
Despite the seating limitations of our venues, the 2024 National Eucharistic Congress is still expecting a HUGE number of Catholics to gather in a way the Church in the United States hasn’t seen in the better part of a century. We look forward to an absolutely massive outpouring of grace that will propel the Revival movement into its exciting third year.
We hope to see you in Indianapolis July 17–21 for this historic moment! If you are planning on coming, don't wait to reserve your pass. Less than 20% of the seats are still available. Register today!
