A Eucharistic Congress is an international gathering of people which aims to:

• promote an awareness of the central place of the Eucharist in the life and mission of the Catholic Church;
• improve our understanding and celebration of the liturgy draw attention to the social dimension of the Eucharist (i.e., the responsibility which we have to live in the spirit of communion and self-gift that we celebrate).

The Congress normally takes place every four years. The daily celebration of the Eucharist is at the very heart of the Congress. The wider programme of the Congress includes other liturgical events, cultural events, catechesis and testimonies, and workshops during the week of the Congress.

The work of International Eucharistic Congresses began in France in 1881 as a fruit of the Eucharistic apostolate of Saint Peter-Julian Eymard. The idea of the Eucharistic Congress (originally called Eucharistic pilgrimages) came from the insight and commitment of Miss E?milie-Marie Tamisier (1834-1910).

In the aftermath of the Second Vatican Council, the Eucharistic Congresses, in addition to promoting a deeper understanding of and participation in the celebration of the Eucharist (the Mass), sought to focus attention on the essential link between the Eucharist and the service of those who are poor and oppressed. The Synod of Bishops (2005) expressed this responsibility as follows: Before the Lord of history and the future of the world, the suffering of the poor, the ever more numerous victims of injustice and all the forgotten people of the earth, cannot be alien to the celebration of the Eucharistic mystery, which commits baptised persons to work for justice and the transformation of the world in an active and conscious way.

Dublin last hosted the International Eucharistic Congress in 1932, and it is widely accepted that the 1932 Congress contributed significantly to the beginning of a healing process following the extremely divisive civil war. The most recent Congresses were held in Quebec in 2008 and Guadaljara (Mexico) in 2004.

The 50th International Eucharistic Congress is a week long programme of events, linking faith and culture, with a particular focus on the gathering of people of every nation, language and way of life around the table of the Lord. We are busy preparing a programme which will offer a wide range of possibilities.

The opening ceremony of the Congress will be celebrated in the afternoon of Sunday 10th June 2012 (The Solemnity of the Body and Blood of the Lord).

The key events of the IEC2012 programme will include the daily sessions of catechesis given by Bishops from different parts of the world, as well as testimonies offered by Christians who have a story of faith to share.

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