By KATIE LEFEBVRE, Globe staff reporter
October 28, 2004

HAWARDEN - A priest from the Diocese of Sioux City attended the 48th International Eucharistic Congress in Guadalajara, Mexico.

Father LeRoy Seuntjens, pastor at St. Mary Church in Hawarden, traveled with a group from Chicago to the eucharistic congress during the week of Oct. 10 through 17. His group consisted of nine people.

"I was invited by Father Jesus Ordaz Valencia. I thought it was close, and I thought it would be neat to get into Jalisco and Mexico where most of our people in Hawarden are from," said Father Seuntjens. "It was the grace of God that I decided to go. It was a real grace to participate and celebrate with the universal church."

The congress assembled cardinals, bishops, priests and lay people from 87 countries for the week of prayer and discussion about devotion to the Eucharist. The theme of the congress was "Eucharistic Light and Life of the New Millenium."

The large group meetings were held in Guadalajara's Jalisco Stadium, the soccer stadium. Each day started with Mass and a specific theme of the day. The themes of the days included "We want to see your face Lord" on Monday, "Eucharist: Food for the Journey" on Tuesday, "Eucharist: Mystery of Communion and of Mission" on Wednesday, "Eucharist: Center of the Life of the Church" on Thursday, "Eucharist: Need and Model of Sharing" on Friday and "Eucharist: Fountain and Source of Evangelization" on Saturday.

"They stressed the Eucharist as a sacrifice in the Mass, Eucharist as a sacrament that we receive and Eucharist as a presence for adoration. They really stressed eucharistic adoration a great deal," said Father Seuntjens.

The delegates also participated in catechesis each day. On some of the evenings, participants would go to a church assigned to their language and discuss and make practical applications to the presentations that day in their particular country.

During his time in Guadalajara, Father Seuntjens met many people and experienced new and different things. He commented that this experience was like nothing he had ever been through. The Masses, processions and people of Guadalajara all had an impact on him.

He commented that the people he experienced have a faith and devotion that other people do not have. Father Seuntjens noted that his hands had never been kissed as much in his life as they were that week.

"That is an expression of faith," he said. "These are the hands that consecrate the body and blood of Christ."

The first day he was there he met a nun, Sister Maria Teresa, a missionary, Carmelite nun, that had been working with youth and as a parish minister in Arkansas. They made a connection and plan to keep in touch, commented Father Seuntjens.

Another person that he encountered was Father Jesus who had made him aware of the congress. Father Jesus took Father Seuntjens to the barrio where he is pastor and has four worship centers. The worship centers consist of four posts and a tarp.

Father Seuntjen's roommate, Richard Guzior, a lay man from Chicago, made an impression on him. Guzior spoke at the congress after Cardinal George, from Chicago, spoke. Guzior spoke about the work with the Real Presence Association promoting and fostering adoration in Chicago.

"He is a dedicated guy, a spiritual man," said Father Seuntjens.

The Masses within the city also made an impression on Father Seuntjens. The Masses began with processions through Guadalajara and Zapopan.

"In October they have a festival in the state of Jalisco honoring Our Lady of Zapopan, a little statue made of sugar cane paste. That is a tremendously popular virgin," explained Father Seuntjens. "This was an experience for me. The people are going to keep up with the virgin. You can feel electricity in the air."

In Guadalajara, there are six million people, 400 parishes, 500 churches, 1,000 priests, and 1,000 seminarians in that diocese.

Another Mass was celebrated at the square of the arches in Guadalajara, the gateway of the city. The Eucharist was then taken to the Cathedral in a procession for benediction. The Blessed Sacrament was exposed in a large monstrance on a float to transport it to the Cathedral. Priests, cardinals and bishops preceded the float and other participants and people of the city filled in behind.

The avenue was filled with people. Father Seuntjens noted that the walk was about two or three miles and people were carrying balloons and flags, blowing bubbles and chanting, "I see, I sense, that Jesus is really present."

"A marvelous expression of faith," said Father Seuntjens. "When you have 20,000 or 30,000 people chanting, it is seen and felt that Jesus is really present."

During the procession, Father Seuntjens went into the crowd of people and seeing that he was a priest they all wanted him to bless things for them such as rosaries and pictures.

Cardinal Jozef Tomko, a delegate of the pope, led the opening and closing Masses.

At the final Mass of the congress, Pope John Paul II gave a televised message to those attending. According to Father Seuntjens, the Holy Father read about a page and a half and a cardinal read the rest.

"It was a contact and a connection to the Holy Father," said Father Seuntjens. "The people gave a rousing applause."

The pope announced in his message that the next International Eucharistic Congress will be held in Quebec, Canada in 2008.

"I have been a priest 43 years," said Father Seuntjens. "I have been at papal ceremonies at St. Peter's in Rome during my seminary years. I have been to a lot of papal ceremonies, canonizations, Christmas, Easter and holy week ceremonies. I have been on retreats and conversion experiences. I have never spent a week like this. This is number one for me."

Father Seutjens concluded that he has been challenged to implement and "to preach the Eucharist, celebrate the Eucharist and to lead the people to grow in their faith and devotion for the Eucharist. It has renewed my interest in coming to the Eucharist myself, adoration and prayer, and hopefully being able to lead people to that."