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 | By Elizabeth Martin Solsburg, President & CEO

Momentum

As I write this, the Church in the United States is gearing up for the Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis. My colleagues at FAITH Catholic are gearing up to attend and staff our booth in the convention center. In Catholic circles, the hope for this Revival is palpable, and the conversation is rapidly focusing on how it might shape the future. How will we sustain its momentum?

As I write this, I am gearing up for a different revival in my own life β€” retirement. While that word implies an ending and a leaving behind, I see it as a step into an exciting new stage of life. I am looking forward to writing more, to camping and biking more, to spending more time in nature and, most importantly, with my husband and family. I look forward to reading or rereading works of literature, and to continuing my Duolingo journeys in Spanish and German. I want to spend some time giving back to my community. I feel energized and optimistic about the future, while recognizing the sorrows and losses that will inevitably come. With faith, those too can be transformed into hope and joy.

I have spent more than 25 years working for the Church, and 20 of those at FAITH Catholic β€” helping to tell the stories of everyday people who live out their faith in extraordinary ways. These are the stories of people who bring Christ into the lives of others without fanfare or accolades. They preach the Gospel message through their charity, their love, their very lives. They inspire me; they have inspired countless others. These are the people who move the Church forward, they are the people who will charge the Eucharistic Revival with the momentum needed to carry on the work of Jesus in our world β€” to make his presence known and his Word followed. 

As I wrap up my own work here at FAITH Catholic, I am privileged to witness the momentum carrying us into a new era β€” young people who are stepping up with faith and joy to take on the mantle of servant leadership, who are passionate about walking with Christ into the future. I see the stories they are telling with their own lives β€” their commitment to compassion and truth; and I see their investment in continuing to preach the Gospel through telling others’ personal witness stories. 

In a time when we are so often confronted with negativity, malaise and a weariness with the world, I look at these disciples and I see hope. I believe this is the momentum that will carry us onward. To quote a priest I admire β€”β€œand so our journey in FAITH continues.”