Oneys to emcee 10th National Eucharistic Congress

by Macie Capote

By Macie Capote
Clarion Herald

When founders of Hope and Purpose Ministries, Deacon Larry and Andi Oney, were invited to host as emcees at the 10th National Eucharistic Congress, Deacon Oney found Esther 4:14 particularly meaningful.

“God has raised us up for such a time as this,” said Deacon Oney, who has served as a permanent deacon in the Archdiocese of New Orleans for the past 15 years. “This is a new opportunity for the refreshing of the Holy Spirit to flow through the church.”

The congress, aimed to ignite a spark in those who attend to share the Good News of Christ with the world “that so desperately needs it,” will be held in Indianapolis July 17-21.

Faith testimonies

While the couple was asked to be emcees for the event, Deacon Oney said that during the transitions between speakers, they will be giving their own exhortations on what they believe the Lord is doing.

What is especially interesting about this year’s event, said Deacon Oney, is that this is the first time he’s noticed the church use the word “revival” in conjunction with the congress.

The mission of this year's congress is perfectly aligned with the three fundamental pillars of Hope and Purpose Ministries, said Deacon Oney, which has always been to expand the kingdom of God (Matthew 10:7), help others to see the purpose and plan God has for their lives (Jeremiah 29:11) and help heal the broken-hearted (John 10:10).

“This eucharistic revival is the crying out of the whole Catholic Church of America,” he said. “We’ve been preaching this for a long time; we need a revival.”

The word revival means to bring back to life, said author and evangelist Andi Oney, and that’s exactly what she believes will happen at this year’s congress.

“We’re so honored to be a part of this; this eucharistic revival is not just to bring back to life a greater devotion to our eucharistic Lord, but it’s for us to cry out for new life to be given to us by the power of the Holy Spirit,” she said. “I’m excited to see what God will do because the Lord will surpass what we are expecting.”

The five-day event will be jam-packed with breakout sessions, an expo hall, a eucharistic procession and adoration, Mass celebrated in a variety of languages, sessions catered to registrants’ individual life missions and much more.

They are waiting and expectant, Oney said, that Jesus, and his mother, will be present in a supernatural way, and will lead them to understand who the eucharistic Lord is.

Oney compared the likes of the congress to a quote from St. Ephrem: “(Christ) called the bread his living body and he filled it with himself and his Spirit. … He who eats it with faith, eats fire and spirit…”

“I just think that’s so exciting,” Oney said. “We're going to return to our first love, we will return to Pentecost; we will, by the power of the Holy Spirit, be able to see Jesus face to face, because the Holy Spirit will give us new eyes to see him for who he is.”

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