By Bishop Gerald Vincke
Someone recently asked me about the importance of adoration and why I encourage people, especially young people, to spend time before the Blessed Sacrament.
I think that every bishop would say that he loves his people, and I certainly do. I love being bishop of the Diocese of Salina, and I love the people of our diocese. When you love someone, you really want what is best for them. More than anything, I want our people to experience the greatest lover, the greatest of loves, Jesus and His presence in the Eucharist.
That’s really why we started our Eucharistic Conference several years ago. We really want what’s best for our people. We want to provide opportunities for people to encounter the love of Christ in a special way.
This year I’m particularly excited about the conference because my friend from Michigan, Fr. Matthias Thelen, will be our keynote speaker on Friday evening, July 31. Fr. Matthias has experienced a great deal of suffering in his life, and he speaks from the heart about how Jesus meets us in our struggles and reveals His love to us.
I’m excited for you to hear the many wonderful speakers throughout the conference, but the most important thing is the opportunity to encounter Jesus and His love.
So often our lives are filled with distractions. We’re running around very busy. We have so many things that we turn to and we get distracted. Whether it’s social media, our phones, or countless other activities, these things can easily consume our attention. While they may have their place, they ultimately fail to satisfy us.
Jesus is saying, “Come to me, come to me. I want to give you my peace, my joy.”
When it comes down to it, we are all longing for more in the midst of all the running around. We are searching for more, but then we realize that Jesus is searching for us.
I want to invite everyone to attend this year’s Eucharistic Conference on July 31 and August 1 in Hays on the campus of Fort Hays State. It’s a wonderful opportunity to meet others, grow in faith, and most importantly, encounter the saving love of Jesus Christ.