LITURGY MATTERS: Bearing Christ through our streets on the road to Sydney 2028
By Michael McKenna, Archdiocesan Master of Ceremonies
Each year, on the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, the Church steps beyond her walls and into the streets, bearing the Blessed Sacrament with reverence and hope. We walk together behind the Eucharistic Lord, giving public witness to a belief held deeply in the heart of the Church: that Jesus Christ is truly present among us in the Eucharist, the “source and summit of the Christian life.”
As a simple act of faith and love, we walk not to make a statement, but to stay close to the Lord who first chose to remain close to us. Processing prayerfully, and with song, as we carry Christ through our streets and neighbourhoods, we witness to His desire to dwell at the centre of our daily lives—and our mission to carry Him into the ordinary moments of life.
For those who observe the procession, it can be an unexpected moment of grace: an invitation to pause, to reflect, and perhaps to wonder anew about God’s presence in the world. For those who walk, it is a moment of deepening trust—a reminder that we do not journey alone, but always with the Lord who goes before us.
As the Church in Australia prepares to welcome Catholics from across the globe for the 54th International Eucharistic Congress in Sydney in 2028 to deepen our understanding of the Eucharist, to reflect on its mystery, and to consider its implications for mission, renewal, and discipleship—our local celebrations of Corpus Christi become moments of preparation and renewal, inviting us to reconnect with our faith not only with words, but through shared, embodied prayer.
Carrying Christ through our streets reminds us that nourished by the Eucharist, we are sent to walk alongside those in need, to serve the poor, to seek reconciliation, and to offer hope. In this simple yet powerful act of walking together with the Lord, we see beautifully expressed the call to synodality that has marked the Church in our time—a pilgrim people: clergy and laity, young and old, families and individuals, united not by uniformity but by communion, participation, and mission. Walking together, listening to one another, supporting one another, our eyes fixed on Christ who leads us.
While public expressions of faith can feel challenging in our time, Pope Saint John Paul II encouraged us not to be afraid to take Christ to the streets. This Corpus Christi, let us not be afraid to take a walk with Christ, rather let us walk confidently in His presence, and grateful for His nearness, as committed Eucharistic witnesses for our time.