Welcome to Star of the Sea’s blog!! This blog will have information about past and upcoming Eucharistic Revival events, resources and opportunities that we can all participate in. Please check back regularly and email Nancy in the parish office with any ideas or suggestions you may have.

The National Eucharistic Revival is to help us restore devotion and understanding of Jesus in the Eucharist. Star of the Sea began offering events in preparation for the National Eucharistic Revival last November. Each event begins with 20 minutes of Adoration in the worship space followed by dinner and discussion in Crawford Hall.

The Mass: Preparation, Participation, and Profession was our first Eucharistic event in November. If you missed it, please use this information to participant on your own. If you came, how are you doing? Review this information and evaluate what changes you’ve made or need to make.

First topic: preparing for and improving your experience in the Mass. In the first video, Fr Mark May outlines 5 ways to improve our participation in the Mass and how we can better prepare ourselves. Please watch this video: 

Discussion question: What do you do beforehand, if anything, to prepare for Mass? What can you do to improve your experience and strengthen your friendship with Jesus Christ? Responses from participants:

  • Talk to Jesus
  • Arrive earlier (10-15 min) to get a good seat and have quiet time before Mass
  • Slow down before coming; pause to center myself before entering the worship space
  • Listen to sacred music on the way
  • Reflect and meditate
  • Utilize Hallow app

Second topic: How to enhance your understanding of the Liturgy of the Word. The second video of the evening was Fr. Mike Schmitz: How to prepare for the readings. In this video, Fr Mike outlines strategies for preparing with the readings: 

Discussion question: How do you connect the readings to a theme and utilize it in your life? Responses from participants:

  • Create a Mass journal to take notes in from the homily
  • Discuss the homily on the way home
  • Notice the connections. Being cognizant of some point the Lord is making that relates to things going on in your life.
  • Let it marinate!
  • Lector workbook is rich in detail – become a Lector!
  • If I don’t understand something, that is on me. I need to find the answers.

Third topic: The True Presence of the Christ in the Liturgy of the Eucharist. The third video Fr Mike Schmitz explains and quotes Jesus’ teaching of the Eucharist:

Discussion question: Do you fully believe that Jesus is really true and present upon the transubstantiation of the bread and wine? How would you communicate the true presence of Jesus in the Eucharist? Responses:

  • This is a reason people are leaving the Church, they don’t believe this
  • God made everything – why couldn’t he do this?
  • When we receive, we receive the body, blood, soul and divinity of Christ.
  • “The body of Christ” “Amen” = we believe
  • We need to be more reverent in Church.

Other general responses received on the night’s evaluations:

  • I like how I was reminded of the importance of the offertory.
  • Utilize the websites, daily readings and reflections to enhance our lives.
  • Opened my eyes!
  • So glad we came out and said it plainly.
  • Tonight’s presentation caused me to want to strive to be better prepared for mass.
  • Reconfirmed my belief in the Eucharist


Please mark your calendars for our next event: May 24th! Corpus Christi – the Eucharist as a meal.