Tens of thousands, including delegations from Northwest Georgia, due at this weekend's Catholic Eucharistic Congress in Atlanta

Media release: Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory welcomes the public and the media to the Archdiocese of Atlanta's Eucharistic Congress. The event will take place on Friday and Saturday May 31^st and June 1^st at the Georgia International Convention Center, 2000 Convention Center Concourse, College Park. Admission is free.

 

With multi-cultural tracks, including English, Spanish, American Sign Language, Vietnamese, and activities for kids and young adults, the Eucharistic Congress provides international speakers, inspirational music, and the opportunity to gather with family and friends.

 

"Mary and the Year of Faith - Do Whatever He Tells You" is the theme from John 2:5, the story Jesus' first public miracle at the wedding in Cana.

30,000 Catholics are expected to come to the Georgia International Convention Center to celebrate their faith and to listen to a variety of presentations. 

 

The Friday evening session begins with Mass celebrated at 6:30 p.m. by Bishop Luis R. Zarama, Auxiliary Bishop of Atlanta, followed by a healing service with Fr. Timothy Hepburn and Fr. Jacques Fabre, C.S. at 7:45 p.m. Parallel to the healing service will be "Revive" for young adults featuring live music. "Revive" will be located at the Marriott Gateway Hotel on the GICC campus. Adults, single or married, from the ages of 18 to 40, are invited to listen to Dr. Elizabeth Lev and music by Jon Ferguson.

On Saturday, June1, solemn procession of the Blessed Sacrament begins at 8:30 a.m. The colorful procession brings together priests, seminarians, first communicants, altar servers, and representatives from schools, parishes and ministries followed by adoration and exposition of the Blessed Sacrament at 10 a.m. Archbishop Gregory will welcome participants and introduce Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, Apostolic Nuncio to the United States.  The presentations begin at 11:00 a.m.

English speakers include Scott Hahn, Ph.D., Marcellino D'Ambrosio, Ph. D., Frank Hanna III, Collin Raye, Elizabeth Lev, Ph.D. and Doug Barry with Eric Genius.  Emcee for the English track is Russ Spencer, FOX 5 News Atlanta.

Scott Hahn is currently a Professor of Theology and Scripture at Franciscan University of Steubenville and founder of the Saint Paul Center for Biblical Theology. He was appointed as the Pope Benedict XVI Chair of Biblical Theology and Liturgical Proclamation at St. Vincent Seminary in Latrobe, PA. Dr. Hahn is also the bestselling author of numerous books including The Lamb's Supper, Reasons to Believe, and Rome Sweet Home.

 

Marcellino D'Ambrosio has devoted himself to sharing the riches of the Catholic faith through teaching at the university level and through writing, speaking, and every type of media, from television and radio to web and social media. He developed the Crossroads Initiatives, an apostolate of Catholic renewal and evangelization. He is an author, columnist, speaker on Eternal Word Television Network, and teacher with a practical, down-to-earth perspective that makes his words easy to understand and to put into practice.

 

Frank J. Hanna III is CEO of Hanna Capital in Atlanta, an investment banker and philanthropist. Involved in education for the last 28 years, he was instrumental in the founding of three independent Catholic schools in the Atlanta area.  He is the founder of the Solidarity Association, which serves as trustee of the Mater Verbi/Hanna Papyrus Trust, which safeguards in the Vatican Apostolic Library the oldest copy of the Gospel of Luke and the oldest copy of the Lord's Prayer in the world.

Collin Raye made his debut on the American country music scene in 1991 with the release of his debut album All I Can Be, which produced his first Number One hit and now signature song, "Love, Me". He has since charted 16 #1 hits through the 1990's and his career also includes 24 top ten hits. Raye has sold over eight million albums and has been nominated ten times as country music's Male Vocalist of the Year.  In 2001, he was presented with the Humanitarian of the Year award by country music legend Clint Black.

Elizabeth Lev has lived in Italy for over 20 years and is currently teaching art history at Duquesne University's Italian campus and also at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas. Dr. Lev is a regular contributor to ZENIT news service and her articles have also appeared in First Things, Inside the Vatican, Magnificat and The College Art Association.  She has appeared as an art history analyst on ABC Nightline, the Today Show and the History Channel.

 

With a dynamic and explosive style, Doug Barry has spoken to thousands, young and old alike, through television, radio and live appearances. He is probably best known for his powerful one-man performance of the Passion of Christ, seen regularly on EWTN and other Christian television channels around the world.

The American Sign Language presentation also takes place on Saturday with Msgr. Glenn Nelson. Before he became a priest, Msgr. Glenn Nelson was a teacher and interpreter for the deaf for two years. He has served the Deaf Catholic Community as a priest for over 18 years and is vicar general, moderator of the curia, and director of deaf/campus ministry for the Rockford Diocese.

The Spanish track will include a diverse group of speakers well known in the Hispanic community including Bishop Eusebio Elizondo, M.Sp.S, Auxiliary Bishop of Seattle; Fr. David H. Garcia, Archdiocesan Director of the Old Spanish Missions in San Antonio, TX; Msgr. Eduardo Chávez, Msgr. Daniel Stack; and Emcee Germán Medina, Radio host of the Archdiocesan Radio program "Nuestra Fe."

The Vietnamese community will welcome Fr. Matthew Hy K. Nguyen, teacher at Oblate School of Theology, Assumption Seminary, San Antonio, TX, and Fr. Martino Thong Nguyen, pastor at St. Mary's Church in Americus and St. Michael Church in Montezuma.

For more information regarding speakers, go to our website: www.archatl.com/congress