CNA Staff, Jul 17, 2024 / 06:00 am
More than 50,000 people will gather in Indianapolis this week for the National Eucharistic Congress, the culmination of the multiyear National Eucharistic Revival. The goal of the revival has been to “renew the Church by enkindling a living relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ in the holy Eucharist.”
As part of the celebrations, participants will take part in large-scale Revival Sessions, the capstone of each day of the congress. These sessions, held in Lucas Oil Stadium, will feature dynamic speakers as well as praise and worship. The different tracks of the congress, which feature speakers and workshops that are tailored for Catholics of various walks of life, will also include musical performances.
Meet and preview the music of just a few of the talented musicians who will perform at the Congress. The full list of musicians can be found on the “Speakers” page of the Congress website.
Saturday worship leader: Matt Maher
Matt Maher, a Canadian musician best known for his contemporary worship hits such as “Lord I Need You” and “Your Grace Is Enough,” will lead a massive worship session in Lucas Oil Stadium on Saturday, July 20.
The Grammy Award-nominated Catholic musician recently told “EWTN News in Depth” that Eucharistic adoration has “been part of my journey of faith, I think, in a very unique way.”
“I’ve witnessed that so many times throughout the years — people of all ages coming to a deeper awareness of God’s love for them in their life, but I think in a specific way, God’s love for them in the Eucharist,” Maher said.
“[And] if we could be more available to the grace present in it, and allow it to transform our lives, it should spill out into society … the biggest thing that I’m excited about is just knowing the seeds that God is going to plant that night and how hopefully it will spill out into all our smaller parishes and communities.”
Revival Sessions: Dave and Lauren Moore
Other than Saturday evening, the music for each of the massive Revival Sessions will be provided by Dave and Lauren Moore.
The Moores are Catholic musicians from Texas who co-founded the Catholic Music Initiative, a nonprofit apostolate that aims to create beautiful and singable music for Mass. They say their work strives to build a bridge between contemporary and traditional. Dave is a singer-songwriter, producer, and liturgist, while Lauren is vocalist in a variety of styles, recently focusing on sacred chant.
‘Cultivate’ sessions
Steve Angrisano and Francesca LaRosa will provide music for the “Cultivate” sessions, which are geared toward families.
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Angrisano is a well-known Catholic composer, presenter, and music minister. In addition to leading worship for many Catholic events, especially youth events, he has composed music for Oregon Catholic Press for the past 25 years.
Joining him is LaRosa, an Indianapolis-based Catholic composer best known for her settings of the Psalms and prayers set to music. She told CNA in 2020 that she is a “firm believer that music can offer healing and music can give comfort, and that music can lead us back to God.”
‘Empower’ sessions
The Empower sessions are “for anyone who wants practical tools to become a ‘Eucharistic missionary’ evangelizing their community and taking on a deeper role in spreading the Gospel to those around them.”
Josh Blakesley, a musician from Houston, is one of the music leaders for these sessions. Blakesley has led music for 20-plus years at various events, churches, festivals, and conferences including Steubenville Conferences.
Joining also is The Vigil Project, a collective of musicians formed in 2016 with a common mission to make Catholic music for Catholic prayer. TVP says it maintains a seasonal touring schedule between producing new music and film projects.
‘Encuentro’ sessions
The Encuentro sessions are designed for all those Spanish-speakers who desire a more profound faith and comprehension of Jesus and the holy Eucharist.
Nico Cabrera, a bilingual worship leader born and raised in Colombia, has traveled the world teaching and leading worship. In 2019 he played on the main stage in World Youth Day Panama.
Kairy Márquez, a Latina worship leader who was born in the Dominican Republic and raised in New York City, now lives in a suburb of Atlanta. She has recorded two Spanish worship albums and has traveled to many Latin American and European countries to share the Gospel and lead people to encounter and adore Jesus in the Eucharist.
‘Encounter’ sessions
Sarah Kroger, a well-known Catholic singer and songwriter, will provide music for the Encounter sessions, which are designed for “everyone who desires a deeper renewal of their faith, a richer understanding of Jesus Christ in the Blessed Sacrament, and clarity on what the next step in their faith journey will be after the National Eucharistic Congress.”
Dave and Lauren Moore will also be providing music for the Encounter sessions.
‘Awaken’ sessions
The Awaken sessions are designed for high school youth — incoming freshmen through just-graduated seniors.
Andrew Laubacher, who goes by “ALOB,” is a revert to the Catholic faith who returned after attending a Steubenville Youth Conference. He is on the road full time, traveling and evangelizing around the world.
Joining for the Awaken sessions is Ricky Vazquez, a bilingual worship leader and songwriter and recording artist of Puerto Rican descent. Vazquez is a part of the worship collective called “Village Lights,” which was nominated for a GMA Dove Award. He is also a part of Anchor Hymns, a collective of artists writing new hymns for the Church.
Details on additional musicians are available here.
