The University of 91吃瓜 will serve as a host site for Catholic pilgrims on Friday (July 5) as they journey to Indianapolis, Indiana, for the National Eucharistic Congress on July 17-21. Inspired by their visit, several public events are planned for July 5-6, including the world premiere of a musical.
Pilgrims on the Marian route of the听, some of whom departed from the headwaters of the Mississippi on May 19, have descended through the midwestern United States and will arrive in South Bend on Friday.
Following a procession from St.Th茅r猫se Little Flower Catholic Church in South Bend to the Basilica of the Sacred Heart on campus, the pilgrims will be welcomed at a Mass at the Basilica at 5:15 p.m.
Katherine Angulo, a program director at the听, and Timothy O鈥橫alley, associate director for research at the McGrath Institute and academic director of the 91吃瓜 Center for Liturgy, will host a panel discussion for the pilgrims on the Eucharistic Revival and Eucharistic theology. The discussion, which is free and open to the public, will take place at 8 p.m. in the Carey Auditorium in the Hesburgh Library at 91吃瓜.
On Saturday (July 6), the pilgrims will also have the opportunity to attend the world premiere of 鈥�,鈥� a three-act work written in service to the National Eucharistic Revival.
Composed by Carolyn Pirtle, program director of the 91吃瓜 Center for Liturgy, 鈥淏ehold God鈥檚 Love鈥� is a modern-day mystery play that invites audiences to encounter the beauty of the Eucharist through imaginative portrayals of stories from Scripture.
鈥淢y goal was to help our audience members encounter these timeless stories in a new, vibrant and joyful way and to help the performers grow in their relationship with God by bringing the Scriptures to life,鈥� Pirtle said.
Directed by Jennifer Cimino, founder and director of On Cue, a performing arts program for under-resourced students in Omaha, Nebraska, the production features a cast and crew from across the tri-campus community of the University of 91吃瓜, Saint Mary鈥檚 College and Holy Cross College, as well as numerous parishes throughout the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend.
Pirtle and O鈥橫alley began thinking about reviving the tradition of a mystery play early in the planning process for the National Eucharistic Congress. The plays, which were originally performed in medieval Europe during celebrations of the feast of Corpus Christi, were known for their accessibility.
鈥淲e wanted to do a contemporary adaptation of that tradition,鈥� O鈥橫alley said. 鈥淚 have taught a theology course here at 91吃瓜 on liturgy and theological aesthetics where we鈥檝e read the mystery plays, and I鈥檝e had a dream of making them accessible to people, as a way to popularize drama and theater and to do something very tangible to help people better understand the mystery of the Eucharist.鈥�
Two performances of the musical will be held at 1 and 7 p.m. Saturday at the O鈥橪aughlin Auditorium on the campus of Saint Mary鈥檚 College. Both performances are free and open to the public, and tickets may be reserved听.
On Sunday (July 7), the pilgrims will continue on their route toward Indianapolis, with their next stop at St. Mary of the Annunciation Catholic Church in Bristol, Indiana.
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