Final report from 50th International Eucharistic Congress

Over the past three months, those who attended the 50th International Eucharistic Congress were unanimous in their praise of the 2,000 volunteers who assisted pilgrims throughout the week and contributed so much to the smooth running of the Congress. Last Saturday, almost 1,000 of those volunteers gathered for a post-Congress reunion and Mass was celebrated by Archbishop Diarmuid Martin. The spirit of enthusiasm was palpable and many volunteers expressed the hope that, as a group, they would continue to have a role in the Irish Church into the future.

During the period of preparation for the Congress, many people expressed concern that the Congress would result in a substantial debt for the Irish Church. While the accounts are still subject to audit and will become a matter of public record in due course, it is now clear that the final cost of the Congress was something in the region of €9.3 million (as against the budget of €11.8 million). Speaking at a meeting of diocesan delegates yesterday (Wednesday 26th) Fr Kevin Doran, Secretary General, paid tribute to the careful financial management of Anne Griffin, General Manager of the Congress and the hard work of all of the Congress team in delivering the Congress under budget, without any reduction in quality.

Fr Doran also noted that almost 50% of the total cost of the Congress was raised through the generous contributions of parishioners in four annual national collections since 2008. "This is quite remarkable given the present economic climate," he said. "I am personally very grateful to the Catholics of Ireland for this very practical expression of their support and encouragement for what we were trying to do, at a time when some would have questioned whether it was the right time for a Congress." Fund-raising for the Congress was carried out by a separate committee headed by Bishop John Fleming.

In the next few months a selection of DVDs will be produced, beginning with a twin pack of the Opening and Closing events of the Congress, and followed by a DVD featuring the highlights of each day of the Congress. The texts of the various talks and workshops presented at the Congress and at the pre-Congress Symposium of Theology will also be published before Christmas by Veritas Publications.

For the past three months, the remaining staff members at the 50th International Eucharistic Congress have been carrying out the "wrap up" operation which follows any large international event. This has involved settling accounts with suppliers and clients, the archiving of materials and the writing of reports and of letters of thanks. The Congress Office at Simmonscourt Road will close this weekend.

"There is a very real sense of sadness as we prepare to leave the RDS" said Fr Kevin Doran. "We have worked at the RDS for the past eighteen months and have experienced a great sense of warmth and welcome from the management and the entire staff here. They could not have been more helpful to us."

The 50th International Eucharistic Congress 2012 took place in Dublin from 10 - 17 June 2012, with daily attendances at the RDS of between 10,000 and 16,000 and with 65,000 participants in the closing liturgy at Croke Park. Total attendance over the course of the week was approximately 150,000. Seven thousand overseas pilgrims participated, representing more than 114 different countries.

The Congress website www.iec2012.ie will remain live until the next International Eucharistic Congress in 2016 and many of the addresses and liturgies can be found there.