The Eucharist stands at the center of Catholic life. For those who have drifted away, it may be what is missing — the answer to the emptiness many try to fill in other ways.

That truth was evident throughout the Diocese of St. Augustine’s 2026 Eucharistic Encounter, a two-day gathering of prayer, reflection and witness.

Each day began with Mass celebrated by Bishop Erik Pohlmeier, who reflected on the Eucharist as the fulfillment of God’s new covenant.

“As powerful as the sign of the blood of the cross is, God decided to do even more,” Bishop Pohlmeier said. “He makes blood into the very thing that becomes our food, and he nourishes us.”

He emphasized that receiving the Eucharist calls for both belief and response.

“To receive well, we must believe and love,” he said. “We must believe in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist, but we must respond … by the love that we extend to others.”

That call to witness was visible during a Eucharistic procession, as participants prayed and sang, offering a public expression of faith.

“We are in the midst of a spiritual awakening throughout the world,” said Julianne Stanz, keynote speaker and director of evangelization and formation for Loyola Press.

“The gaze goes both ways during adoration,” she said. “What does God see in you?”

“With the help of the Holy Spirit … you have all it takes to evangelize,” she said.

Recordings of the event are available at YouTube.com/dosacatholics.