(May 10, 2010) Pope Benedict has urged Brazilians to rediscover the Eucharist saying
it is their heart. The Pope made the exhortation after the Sunday’s midday ‘Regina
Coeli’ prayer, ahead of the 16th National Eucharistic Congress, to be held from Thursday
through Sunday in the capital, Brasilia. The Holy Father expressed his spiritual
closeness with the Brazilian people for the spiritual event to which he has delegated
Cardinal Cláudio Hummes at his special envoy. "May you all, pastors and faithful
people, rediscover that the heart of Brazil is the Eucharist," he said, speaking in
Portuguese. The theme of the May 13-16 National Eucharistic Congress is 'Stay with
us, Lord' - the words of the disciples of Emmaus. The Pope said it is the “expression
of the desire that beats in the heart of every human being." "It is in the Most Holy
Sacrament of the altar where Jesus shows his will to be with us, to live with us,
to give himself to us," the Pontiff added. Pope Benedict also recalled the closing
of the Year for Priests, next month, and invited all priests to "cultivate a profoundly
Eucharistic spirituality,” in the footsteps of the Curé d’Ars, St. John Mary Vianney,
who while seeking to unite his personal sacrifice with that of Christ on the altar,
marvelled at the great good a priest accomplishes by sacrificing himself to God every
morning.