As the Blessed Sacrament was brought forth after Corpus Christi Mass at St. Mary’s Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Portland, Oregon, this marked the first time in decades that Portland authorities permitted a public Catholic procession to pass through the heart of downtown.
Thousands of Catholics filled the city’s streets for the landmark Eucharistic procession led by Archbishop Alexander Sample.
In his homily at the Mass preceding the procession, Archbishop Sample described the event as a pivotal moment for the local Church.
“The Eucharist has to be at the forefront and center of evangelization and mission renewal. To see you all here today fills my heart with hope for the future,” he said.
Noting the Pacific Northwest’s reputation for secularism, he added,
“So many people see the Pacific Northwest as a center of darkness. I wish they could see this. I wish the Church across the United States could see this. I wish Pope Leo could see this. God is on the move here in Western Oregon. The Holy Spirit is igniting a fire, and you’re all part of that. I predict that today is a turning point for the renewal of Christ’s mission in Western Oregon.”
The crowd’s size and diversity were striking: more than half of those present hailed from Latino, Asian, and African communities. Hymns rose in Latin, English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Tagalog, and other languages. Onlookers stopped to watch, many visibly moved; some knelt in prayer along the sidewalks, a powerful testament to the presence of faith in a city often labeled as secular or indifferent.
Archbishop Sample was joined by over 20 priests, eight deacons, more than 100 altar servers and seminarians, 50 religious brothers and sisters, the Knights of Columbus, and the Knights and Ladies of the Holy Sepulcher. The event concluded with solemn Benediction on the Cathedral steps and the surrounding blocks, which were filled with worshippers.
Visibly moved, Archbishop Sample addressed the crowd, exclaiming, “¡Viva!”—to which more than a thousand Latino Catholics responded with a resounding, “¡Viva Cristo Rey!”
On the other side of the continental United States, a procession was held at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., where Archbishop Timothy Broglio, the archbishop for the Military Services, USA, and the president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, was the principal celebrant and homilist.
Hundreds turned out and thousands watched online as the faithful, including EWTN intern Arty Cantu, witnessed the beauty of Christ alive in the national shrine. Cantu said:
"Witnessing our Eucharistic Lord being processed at the National Basilica of the Immaculate Conception reminded me that we are always on a pilgrimage to peace and hope. Seeing religious sisters, so many priests and laity gathered together affirmed that we are all on our own pilgrimage with our Lord as our peace to lead us to paradise. "
