TAMPA, Fla. (OSV News) — In the darkened arena, the chorus of 12,000 voices prayerfully sang “How Great thou Art.”
And then it was as if a rock star stepped on the stage as thunderous applause broke out and the entire arena stood up.
That’s because Father Mike Schmitz came on stage. To many, he is a rock star of the Eucharist whose name became known worldwide during COVID when he offered the Mass through his YouTube channel.
Then his voice was the only one heard as he opened his presentation at the Eucharistic Encounter in Tampa Sept. 20 with a prayer. After a hearty “Amen,” the speaker, author and podcaster who serves as director of youth and young adult ministry in the Diocese of Duluth and Newman Center chaplain at the University of Minnesota Duluth remarked on the theme of hope.
St. Peter’s words about hope
He borrowed the words of 1 Peter 3:15, which reads, “Always be ready to give a reason for the hope that is within you.”
Father Schmitz asked the audience of all ages, “As a Christian do we have hope?”
In today’s world, filled with pain and violence, it can be difficult to believe there is hope. How can Christians believe that hope can exist in today’s world?
“The first step towards hope is acceptance,” Father Schmitz replied. No one will be able to “walk home” to the heavenly Father until we accept this is the world in which we live. But with hope and faith in Jesus, who can unite heaven and earth, “we can get home.”
‘We find ourselves hurting’
“We find ourselves in a world that is broken. We find ourselves in places that are broken. We find ourselves hurting,” he told the crowd of thousands. “Tragedy has struck; now let’s move on. Suffering is real; let’s move on. … God is good. He made you and you are good. … We broke the world with our sin, but we’re not done.”
Sister of Life Bethany Madonna, who ministers to pregnant women in need, wasted no time in her presentation to tell those gathered, “You matter to Jesus. He loves you and he’s certainly not ashamed of you. Being a disciple of Jesus is so much more than being a student to the master.”
It’s not about success and failure or making the grade or being judged, she said. It is about “entering an intimate relationship with him. He shares his heart and his very life with us.” Jesus calls us his friend.
‘He willed you into being’
“We do not have to be intimidated or overwhelmed by our littleness or our seemingly incapacity to be instruments for Jesus. Not in this world. He is pleased with our littleness,” Sister Bethany said. “Before you were conceived in your mother’s womb, you were conceived in the heart of God. He chose you. He willed you into being.”
Mass was celebrated by Bishop Gregory L. Parkes of St. Petersburg and Bishop David L. Toups of Beaumont, Texas.
In his homily, Bishop Parkes focused on how during this Jubilee Year of Hope, the faithful long for renewal, peace and a stronger relationship with God. He said we are all invited to “walk under the banner of hope, not as an abstract concept or an empty wish,” but in reality “grounded” in the promises of Jesus Christ.
“And where is this hope most visible? Where can we truly taste it? Touch it? And be nourished by it? What is the source of our hope?” the bishop asked. “The answer lies in the very heart of our faith — the Eucharist. … Hope is not simply optimism about the future or a vague belief that things will get better. Christian hope is found in a person, and that person is Jesus Christ, crucified and risen. He is our hope because he is alive. He is with us.”
Gathering uplifting for life of the church
In an interview with Florida Catholic Media, Bishop Parkes explained how the gathering of 12,000 people is uplifting for both individual faith lives and for the life of the church as a whole.
“People are looking for a firm foundation in their lives and a reason for them to hope in the midst of a lot of adversity, uncertainty and tragedy that they witness in the world,” Bishop Parkes said. “Our hope is to lead others close to the Eucharist.”
Bishop Toups is no stranger to Florida, having been ordained a priest of the Diocese of St. Petersburg and formerly served as rector of St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary in Boynton Beach. The Mass also included dozens of area priests and deacons.
‘The hope for us is Jesus’
“The encounter was meant to uplift the Eucharist as the ultimate source of hope,” Bishop Parkes said. “For us as Catholics, the hope for us is Jesus, who is most present among us in the Eucharist.”
Attendees came from around the Diocese of St. Petersburg, which includes 79 parishes and missions, and from across Florida. Some even came from out of state.
And people of all ages were there. While images of retirees and snowbirds are ubiquitous to Florida, young families and teens sit in the pews among older Catholics in Florida parishes. That was the case at Benchmark International Arena. Teens were seen helping older attendees with canes get to their seats.
‘Amazing to see so many young people’
“It is amazing to see so many young people here,” Bishop Parkes said. “Whenever I confirm our young people I tell them they are not only the future of the church, but they are the church today. And that we need them to be witnesses to God’s love to the world. To have them present today gives us great hope for the future and also for today.”
Now that the event is over, Bishop Parkes was asked what would be the next step. Would they repeat this celebration of hope?
“I always say you have to make room for the Holy Spirit,” the bishop said with a smile. “What the next event is, we will have to wait and see where God might lead us, but we want to fulfill our call to spread the Good News and lead others closer to Jesus Christ.”
Jean Gonzalez is projects editor for Florida Catholic Media, the news outlet for the Miami Archdiocese and six Florida dioceses. This story was originally published by Florida Catholic Media and distributed through a partnership with OSV News.
