Archbishop shares key themes of upcoming International Eucharistic Congress in Ecuador 

By Kate Quiñones

CNA Staff, May 22, 2024 / 14:23 pm

Following the announcement that EWTN will be the designated channel for the 2024 International Eucharistic Congress in Quito, Ecuador, Sept. 8–15, the archbishop of Quito shared that the congress will emphasize commitment to “life” and “fraternity.”   

“I hope that it will be a congress that commits and leads to life, that it will not be a congress that remains in theoretical formulas but a congress that starts from reality, from the vision of the speakers that they have of reality, and that it carries their commitment of fraternity,” Archbishop Alfredo José Espinoza Mateus, SDB, told EWTN Rome reporter Benjamin Crockett in a segment on “EWTN News Nightly” on Tuesday. 

During a Vatican press conference, Espinoza noted that the Eucharistic congress coincides with a historical consecration 150 years ago, when Ecuador became the first nation to be consecrated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus in 1874. 

The 53rd International Eucharistic Congress’ theme is “fraternity to heal the world.” 

“The theme also evokes the title of the encyclical Fratelli Tutti and is inspired by the biblical text ‘You are all brothers and sisters,’” said Father Juan Carlos Garzón, secretary-general of the congress. “Therefore we are in ecclesial and universal harmony with the Holy Father and with Latin America.”

Pope Francis has appointed Cardinal Kevin Joseph Farrell, prefect of the Dicastery for the Laity, the Family, and Life, as his special envoy for the congress. Although the Holy Father will himself not attend — he will be in Asia for his apostolic journey — thousands of faithful and pilgrims are expected to gather in Ecuador’s capital city.

“We are expecting 5,500 people, which is the capacity of the convention center in terms of the congress itself,” Espinoza noted. “As for the big celebrations, we expect thousands of people to participate — possibly 30,000 or 40,000 people.”

Kate Quiñones is a staff writer for Catholic News Agency and a fellow of the College Fix. She has been published by the Wall Street Journal, the Denver Catholic Register, and CatholicVote, and she graduated from Hillsdale College. She lives in Colorado with her husband.