Hundreds of parishioners and families gathered throughout the diocese June 19 for Corpus Christi processions held at various parishes. At Christ the Redeemer Church in Sterling, more than 400 parishioners, non-parishioners and families participated in the parish’s annual procession. The event commenced after the 2 p.m. Spanish Mass, and red T-shirts bearing the words “Corpus Christi Procession 2022″ in Spanish and English were available for purchase just before the procession.
“This Corpus Christi procession unites our whole community in one act of praise and adoration as we sanctify the surrounding neighborhoods with Christ’s presence,” pastor Father J.D. Jaffe said. “This procession exemplifies all that our church has been for 50 years. Christ the Redeemer is a beacon of the presence of Christ to the community of Sterling, Virginia.”
The procession stretched over 1.7 miles through local neighborhoods, stopping at four altars constructed by the parish along the way and ending inside the church. At each stop, the monstrance was placed upon the altar, and Father Jaffe led the crowd in a bilingual decade of the glorious mysteries. Throughout the procession, the combined Spanish and English music ministries accompanied with multilingual songs, including “Ubi Caritas,” “What a Beautiful Name,” and “Yo Te Adoro Christo Rey.”
“For me and the parish, (Corpus Christi) is one of the most important feasts that shows Christ around the community,” guitarist and cantor Mario Orellana said.
“It is something that comes from tradition,” organizer Daisy Portillo said. “We live in a time, since we come from a young adult group, that not a lot of young adults believe in God or want to know about God. So, we feel very strongly that this is a way that we can give back to the community and have them be blessed by Jesus, walking next to their houses or by their cars.”
The Loudoun County Sheriff’s department escorted the procession throughout the neighborhoods, and dozens of volunteers assisted in guiding the crowd. Along the route, volunteers at hydration stations handed out water bottles.
“It is important to bring Christ out into our community, to let him walk the streets and to be seen. Our faith is not a secret to be hidden away, but the light that illuminates the dark,” Father Jaffe said. “The procession invites people to stop, to look and to see Our Lord. Every encounter of the Lord is transformative and so it is an invitation to be transformed.”
The 2022 Corpus Christi procession at Christ the Redeemer was unique in that it coincided with the parish’s 50th anniversary. During the month prior to the parish’s anniversary June 1, the parish community launched a series of events, starting with . On May 1, the parish held a bilingual 50th anniversary Mass celebrated by Bishop Burbidge, and Father Jaffe added that the parish will continue to host events and community projects to celebrate the parish’s milestone.
“We have had 40 hours of Eucharistic adoration that led up to the anniversary itself on June 1,” Father Jaffe said. “The parish will have a parish wide day of service on Sept. 10 and a parish celebration of the works of mercy on Oct. 15.”
Other Eucharistic processions were held throughout the diocese as well. Bishop Michael F. Burbidge led a procession following the celebration of the Mass at St. Joseph Church in Alexandria. At a Eucharistic procession at Church of the Nativity in Burke, the crowd noticed a distinct cloud formation of a cross.
“Corpus Christi processions remind me of the words of Pope St. John Paul II at World Youth Day in Denver,” Father Jaffe said. “He said, ‘Do not be afraid to go out on the streets and into public places, like the first apostles who preached Christ and the Good News of salvation in the squares of cities, towns and villages … The Gospel must not be kept hidden because of fear or indifference. It was never meant to be hidden away in private. It has to be put on a stand so that people may see its light and give praise to our heavenly Father.’ ”
