The life-changing power of encountering Jesus Christ in the Eucharist is a reality that is often difficult to grasp. The Archdiocese of Detroit and Hallow App have launched the I AM HERE campaign to assist anyone looking for Jesus’ presence.
Individuals and parishes alike can participate with the effort. I AM HERE aspires to encourage real devotion to the Real Presence through the teachings of the National Eucharistic Revival, a grassroots effort coordinated by the United States bishops aimed at inspiring and teaching about the Eucharist.
On June 14, the I AM HERE campaign was launched. The campaign features a website, social media, and testimony from actual people whose lives have been transformed by Christ’s presence in the Eucharist. The Hallow app is also aiding the charity by providing a series of free audio prayer meditations to aid listeners in their prayers.
“Something that I think is really unique to the way we do evangelization and mission is direct communication in the Archdiocese of Detroit. We’ve always highlighted and seen the power of personal testimony and personal stories.” Emily Mentock, associate director of strategy for the Detroit Archdiocese, told CNA.
I AM HERE and the National Eucharistic Revival are responses to the small percentage of Catholics who believe in the True Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. According to a 2019 Pew Research Center poll, 69 percent of Catholics regard bread and wine as symbolic, whereas only 31% regard them as Jesus’ flesh and blood.
Because of this statistic, Mentock told CNA that they want to focus on the 31% who do believe and have them share their stories. She tells all people to, “open your heart and mind to what might be possible.”
“We hope to see our parishes transformed by people growing in love for Jesus Christ and in their zeal to communicate this love with others,” said Edmundo Reyes, director of communications for the Archdiocese of Detroit.
The I AM HERE website includes compelling photo stories of real people’s life-changing encounters, Hallow materials for purposeful prayer, and inspirational messages encouraging their audience to give Jesus’ Presence a chance..
“You are never alone. In your brokenness, sorrows and frustrations, Jesus wants to say to you, ‘I am here,’” says the main message on the I AM HERE page.
The campaign will showcase personal stories of eucharistic encounters through a growing social media presence on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. According to the campaign’s press release, campaign organizers will work with churches to collect parishioner stories in order to encourage people to find Jesus in the Eucharist.
Contact iamhere@aod.org if your parish is interested in participating.
Individuals from all walks of life are included in the I AM HERE website’s stories. Everyone has a unique experience to tell, from youth to the elderly. The range of testimonies is intended to convince the audience that finding Jesus’ Real Presence is not necessary; all you have to do is “sit in his presence and open yourself up to his voice.”
“Mass is an obligation, you know, whether you believe in the real presence or not. But adoration only makes sense, really, when you’re going to go and look at and put yourself in front of this host if you think that Jesus is present there: body, blood, soul, and divinity,” Mentock told CNA.
“So we really want people to see the I AM HERE message. What’s sort of underlying it all is that it’s not just a devotion. It really is Jesus being here with us and breaking through the brokenness of our world to meet us and transform us in the gift that is the Eucharist.”