On the Solemnity of Corpus Christi, 2022, the I AM HERE campaign launched. This campaign by the Archdiocese of Detroit and Hallow App in support of the National Eucharistic Revival set out with the goal of renewing devotion to Jesus in the Eucharist.
Now, two years later, we look at the impact these efforts have had on the awareness of the power of Jesus' real presence in the Eucharist in the Archdiocese of Detroit and beyond. Read about the effects of the campaign in the 2024 impact report.
The National Eucharistic Revival launched in 2022. This work, initiated by the bishops of the United States, is “a movement to restore understanding and devotion to [the Eucharist] here in the United States by helping us renew our worship of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist.”
Dioceses and parishes were invited to respond to the disheartening statistic that, at present, two-thirds of Catholics do not actually believe in the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. In the Archdiocese of Detroit, we answered with urgency. In addition to Eucharistic processions and diocesan and parish events to educate the faithful and promote devotion to the Blessed Sacrament, we also decided to share the stories of the one-third of Catholics who do believe.
I AM HERE is a campaign by the Archdiocese of Detroit and Hallow App in support of the National Eucharistic Revival to tell the stories of how Jesus in the Eucharist makes an extraordinary difference in the lives of ordinary people. Over two years, we collected and shared stories from people who have been transformed by an encounter with Jesus in the Eucharist, to inspire readers and listeners to “come and see” — to seek Jesus in the Eucharist and allow him to transform their lives as well.
What we accomplished:
We collected authentic stories from people of diverse backgrounds—men, women, married, single, religious, and priests—throughout the Archdiocese of Detroit and beyond. These individuals recounted their stories of encounter and transformation, which we shared online, on social media, and in a podcast.
Stories collected/shared
More than 230 written stories published on iamhere.org
32 podcast episodes recorded and shared
22 dioceses represented
109 parishes represented
Digital reach
Website
73,636 lifetime unique users
245,304 page views
Podcast
32,642 all-time downloads
Social media
Facebook followers: 596, in addition to 26,864 followers of the AOD Facebook account, where stories were also shared
Instagram followers: 1,065, in addition to 8,502 followers of the AOD account, where stories were also shared
Billboard:
During Advent 2023, we invited those within our local reach to “come and see” by hosting a billboard on a busy street in downtown Detroit. During this time, we saw a notable increase in traffic on iamhere.org.
Adoration:
Using these stories as a source of inspiration for their parishioners, we invited parishes to host unique “I AM HERE” holy hours during Advent and Lent. Advent holy hours in the Archdiocese of Detroit
2022: 26 parishes hosted additional “I AM HERE” holy hours
2023: 15 parishes hosted additional “I AM HERE” holy hours
Lent holy hours in the Archdiocese of Detroit
2023: 16 parishes hosted additional “I AM HERE” holy hours
Advent Challenge Participants signed up to receive daily content about the Incarnation and the Eucharist in anticipation of Christmas
3,922 sign-ups on Flocknote to receive daily text messages
13k users on iamhere.org from November 18 to December 25, 2023 (an increase of 199% from the same period in the previous year)
Lent Challenge Participants were invited to play a daily trivia about the Mass to grow in their understanding of the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist in anticipation of Easter
5,768 sign-ups on Flocknote to receive daily text messages
26k users on iamhere.org from February 1 to March 31, 2024 (an increase of 356% from the same period in the previous year)
21,128 lifetime views on iamhere.org/lent
114,735 lifetime views on iamhere.org/trivia
What did we learn?
Places and circumstances of encounters While the I AM HERE testimonials feature a variety of circumstances in which people experienced life-changing encounters with Jesus, there are some similar encounters worth noting. Many stories submitted by self-identifying “cradle Catholics” highlight the role of parents and families in their foundational understanding of Jesus’ real presence in the Eucharist.
“I share my parents’ faith about the real presence, so I was habituated from a young age to be reverent in church and to know that God is present and really important.” —Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron
Several people from families with strong faith backgrounds also note the power of youth ministry conferences and events.
“The summer between my high school sophomore and junior years, my girlfriend and I found ourselves attending a Franciscan University of Steubenville Summer Youth Conference… I can remember thinking, ‘God, I believe you are here, I believe that is you. Do something.’” —Mike Chamberland
There is another notable trend in stories submitted by people who either fell away from the faith entirely or didn’t grow up with exposure to Catholicism. Many of these individuals personally sensed the presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament at unexpected moments in a Catholic church, chapel, or during Mass. These experiences didn’t take place when these individuals had already made a commitment to the faith but rather when they were still very much in the “seeking” phase. These unexpected moments of encounter helped these individuals make a commitment to the Catholic faith.
“I realized I wasn’t just gazing at the host anymore, but Jesus was lovingly gazing back at me. This was the answer I was seeking for so long.” —Max Cormier
Throughout the campaign, people shared about ways the Eucharist sustained them through periods of pain and grief. Some also shared how the Eucharist brought them comfort during seasons of infertility, a reminder of the ways the God of life seeks to draw close to those carrying this cross.
“While in the midst of infertility, coming to Mass and receiving the Eucharist were two things that I found so important. When I felt angry with God, when I felt lost, forgotten, and not worthy enough — each time I would repeat the words, ‘Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.’” —Serenity Quesnelle
Finally, it is profoundly important that we recognize the impact that a relationship with the Eucharist can have on vocations. Of the featured stories collected in the campaign, more than 13 percent came from priests, deacons, or seminarians.
“My continued discernment of, and desire for, the priesthood is born out of prayer and Eucharistic adoration.” —Jim Musgrave, seminarian for the Archdiocese of Detroit
An encouragement to parishes:
Prioritize the sacraments
Many who submitted stories highlighted the link between an experience in Confession and their transformative experience with Jesus in the Eucharist.
“I was the only one left in the chapel and I had to make a decision. Like a child I walked towards the confessional, cringing in fear…
Fr. Albert said in a gentle voice, ‘Just tell the Lord your sins. How have you offended God?’ And on that day I unloaded the great weight I had been carrying for so long. One by one, I named my sins! I cried cleansing tears that soon turned into healing sobs…
Father then encouraged me to go to a Eucharistic adoration Chapel. I had no idea what it was, but I went anyway.” —Alejandra Correa Miller
Several others also noted their parish’s RCIA/OCIA programs' role in helping them recognize Jesus in the Eucharist.
“As soon as they started talking about what the Eucharist was in RCIA, how it's Jesus's true Body, it made perfect sense to me. I was like, ‘Absolutely. I totally accept it.’ And then I could not wait to receive Communion.” —Bethane Cabrera
Make Eucharistic adoration available
Finally, a significant number of stories came from people whose lives were changed during an ordinary moment in adoration at their parish. Of the featured stories alone, approximately 25 percent were written by people who were able to encounter Christ simply because the Blessed Sacrament was available to them.
As Fr. John Riccardo shared in his testimony, the Lord reminds us, “They don't need you. They need Me.” Your parishioners need Jesus in the Eucharist; helping them encounter him can have an immediate and eternal impact on their lives.
When he was at a parish, Fr. John heeded this word from the Lord, which ultimately changed the life of one of the first testimonies ever submitted to the I AM HERE campaign: Brian Batko’s. When the Lord is available, and the faithful show up to him with their questions, doubts, pain, and joy, he responds. He says to us, “I am here.” Help the faithful respond to this reality by making access to Eucharistic adoration more readily available in your parish so that hearts might be transformed for God’s glory.
