FAQ

The bishops of the State of New York, in order to make it accessible to everyone, have determined that there will be no cost to attend, but donations to defer the cost will be gratefully accepted onsite or thorugh the donate portal on this website. The collection at Saturday Mass will go to the Shrine of Our Lady of Martyrs to offset many of its expenses in hosting the Congress. The collection at Sunday Mass will go to defray the costs of the Congress. 

The Shrine of Our Lady of the Martyrs is one of the foremost Eucharistic sites in the country, where three of the North American Martyrs — SS. Isaac Jogues, Rene Goupil, and Jean Lalande — died trying to bring the Gospel and the Eucharistic Lord — to the Mohawks of the region, and where, a decade after their martyrdoms, St. Kateri Tekakwitha, one of the greatest witnesses to Eucharistic Adoration, was born. 

It is one of the most sacred spots not just in the State of New York but in the United States. 

The Coliseum of the Shrine, built after the canonization of the North American Martyrs in 1930, is the largest Church in North America, fitting close to 10,000. It is therefore a fitting spot to bring thousands from across the State of New York to worship and grow in love of the Eucharistic Lord Jesus together.  

Yes. To ensure we have enough room and provisions, registration is necessary for everyone intending to attend as well as to ensure that everyone gets a proper pass for entry. Registration began in June and lasted until one week before the beginning of the Congress, October 13. For those who did not register in time, or who were not able to register for Saturday's session after it reached maximal capacity, there will be videos of the talks, Masses and procession uploaded to this website after the Congress is over. 

The Eucharistic Congress is taking place over "40 hours" from Friday night through Sunday morning, following the tradition of 40 hour devotions that were popularized centuries ago to strengthen Eucharistic faith, amazement, love and life. So there will be an opportunity to adore the Lord throughout the entire Congress. Throughout Friday night into Saturday morning and Saturday night into Sunday morning, there will be adoration in the Coliseum, together with confessions. There will also be times for praise and worship Eucharistic holy hours in the Coliseum on Saturday. While the keynote speeches are occurring, there will be adoration in a smaller chapel on the grounds of the Shrine. So there will be plenty of time for a heart-to-heart conversation with the Eucharistic Lord! 

Yes, food and beverages will be on sale from vendors on-site. There will be meals available for Friday dinner, Saturday breakfast, lunch and dinner, and Sunday breakfast and lunch. Snacks will be available at other times. The vendor is making every effort to keep costs affordable, especially for large families. Those who would like to purchase food are encouraged to pre-order their food and pay online to prevent their needing to wait in line to get their found. 

There is a large area of covered picnic tables as well as ample grounds where people can eat. 

Yes, it is possible to bring your own food. Large families looking to save on costs or anyone interested in doing-it-themselves may bring bring their own food. There are many picnic tables at the Shrine and plenty of outdoor grounds to lay a blanket and have a nice family picnic. It is not possible, however, to bring cooking equipment with you to use on the grounds because of fire safety. Families that would like to bring a cooler full of food may do so and leave it in a secure area in the Visitors' Center. There will be no food or drinks (except water) allowed in the Coliseum. 

There is some parking at the Shrine, but not to host 10,000 people. During the Congress, parking on the Shrine grounds will be restricted to those who are disabled, to speakers, musicians, vendors, and organizers. They will be given a special parking pass to drive onto the Shrine grounds. Without that pass, cars will not be permitted at the Shrine. 

There will be much larger parking areas close by and free shuttles will bring people to and from those parking areas continuously. At peak times buses will be leaving every four minutes. 

When attendees exit the New York State Thruway, they should watch for special signs leading them toward the appropriate parking facilities. Charter buses, which should exit at Exit 27 of the New York Thruway, will be led directly to the Shrine campus to discharge passengers. Other vehicles should exit at Exit 28 and follow the signs for "Event Parking"  to the special parking lots where shuttle buses will be waiting to transport them to and from the Shrine campus. The Shuttle buses wil be available from 6 am to 11 pm should attendees need to return to their vehicle for any reason. At peak times, the Shuttles will be running every four minutes.

Yes, priests will generously be hearing confessions for all 40 hours of the Congress. Confessions will be heard in multiple confessions inside the Coliseum during all of the talks, praise and worship sessions and throughout the adoration at night. During Saturday lunch (12:30-2:15 pm) and Saturday dinner (5:00 pm to 6:15 pm), there will be a large Confessions Tent just outside the Coliseum where several dozen priests will generously be hearing confessions at the same time to keep the lines quick. Please take advantage of the presence of nearly 200 priests to have the Lord Jesus cleanse you of your sins through the same priests in the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation through whom he gives you his Body and Blood in the Holy Eucharist. 

The Shrine of Our Lady of the Martyrs and the other buildings on the side are handicap accessible. In the parking areas for those arriving by means other than Charter Buses, there will be special vehicles to transport those in need to and from the Shrine Grounds.  

Children and infants are certainly welcome to attend the Eucharistic Congress, but we regret that we cannot provide childcare for reasons of insurance costs. Children need to remain with their family. They will bring joy to all attendees! 

There will be simultaneous translation from English to Spanish and Spanish to English. We will be using a service through LiveVoice, which is a digital service that other major conferences, including Eucharistic Congresses, have used to positive reviews. 

The service works through your mobile phone. You need to download an app — or use your phone's or tablet's web browser — to access the special channel for the NY State Eucharistic Congress. We'd urge you to download the app today, so that you're all set to go this weekend. 

Once the app (or the website on your browser) is opened, then you can select either the English channel (to hear translations from Spanish into English) or the Spanish channel (to hear translations from English into Spanish). 

In addition to downloading and setting up the app, it is also important that you bring two things with you to the Congress: 

1. A set of headphones or AirPods so that you can listen to the translation in a way that will not disturb or distract others around you. 
2. A backup battery for your cell phone or a cell phone charger. There will not be outlets for several thousand people to charge their phones in Auriesville, so we urge you to have a battery backup. 

For more information and specifics, including the password necessary to hear the translations, please click here for English instructions and here for Spanish instructions. 

Parish and Group leaders are asked to share this information today with everyone traveling with them so that they will be able to arrive at the Congress with the app, headphones and chargers. 

During the Congress, there will be three keynotes in Spanish, and nine keynotes and two homilies in English, and so a translation service is obviously necessary so that all the attendees can profit from all of the talks. We have four excellent bilingual translators who will volunteering their time to do the simultaneous translations. 

The translation service is free to use for all attendees to the Congress. It's not free for the Congress, however, and costs an average of about $2 per attendee. So if you are able to defer the cost by donating to the Congress below, we would be grateful for your generosity. (The average cost to the Congress per attendee is about $50.)

We worked very hard over several months to provide a livestream, but unfortunately we were not able to make it work within the budget of the conference. So unfortunately, there will be no livestream. The two Masses, Twelve great talks and incredible Eucharistic Procession will all be recorded and posted on demand after the Conference concludes on this website. 

Yes. Registration will be open until we reach capacity for each given session or close on October 13 at 11:59 pm. Those interested are urged to reserve their spot early. (UPDATE: Registration for Saturday, Oct 21, closed on Oct 2 when it reached 7,500 registrants, the recommended maximal capacity for the Shrine of Our Lady of Martyrs). 

Individuals will not be allowed to sleep overnight in the Coliseum or anywhere on the Shrine campus in a tent, RV, etc. They must make arrangements to stay either at a hotel in the area or at another appropriate location. There will be Eucharistic adoration and confessions available at the Coliseum throughout the evening for those who would want to spent part of their evening in prayer. 

All participants will be required to wear a lanyard with a special identification badge on them during their time at the Congress.  Ground Passes were emailed to all registered attendees on October 14-15. Those who registered as individuals, priests and deacons, members of the media and volunteers, all received their passes directly. Those who registered as members of parishes, chaplaincies, families and groups should check with the responsible for the group. That person has received the passes to distribute. 

No. It is not possible to bring alcohol, marijuana or illegal drugs onto the property of the shrine or to engage in their use. 

No, it is not possible to use a drone on the property of the Shrine to film any of the events without the expressed written consent of the organizers, who will consider it only for accredited film media. 

Because of fire safety, it is not possible to smoke anywhere on the grounds of Our Lady of Martyrs, inside or outside. 

Those who do not get around easily will be encouraged to participate in the beginning and end of the Eucharistic Procession in the Coliseum but not to accompany throughout the grounds. Since part of the procession will take place on paths that are not paved, including small upward and downward slopes, they will be encouraged to share in the spiritual fruits of the procession but not the physical exertion. Those who choose to come will be encouraged to ask for the support of those near them should they need it. 

No. Your parish coordinator (or school or university point person) will provide all of the names for those in the group reservation. That way, we will not have people registered twice, which may prevent others from people able to attend the life-changing Congress. 

Priests and deacons are asked to sign up only on the priest/deacon registration page. Deacons are asked to volunteer to help distribute Holy Communion at the Masses on Saturday and Sunday. Priests are asked to volunteer to hear confessions. Some in both groups will be asked to help transport the Monstrance from the Coliseum to the adoration chapel and back, at different times during the Congress. 

Here is some other important information for priests and deacons: 

• Priests and Deacons in good standing from one of the eight Roman Catholic dioceses of New York will have their testimony of suitability is being handled directly through their chanceries. 
• Religious priests/deacons or priests/deacons incardinated in a diocese outside the State of New York will, you need a testimony of suitability to participate as clergy in the Mass (and for priests confessions). They are asked to have one emailed ASAP to Anne Frame of the Diocese of Albany as well as to us, so that everything will be set for them to participate fully. Many of you have already done. 
• For the Masses on Saturday and Sunday, bishops will have matching chasubles provided. All priests are asked to bring an alb and white chasuble (preferably their diocesan chasuble). All deacons are asked to bring an alb and white stole. Deacons will be needed for the distribution of Holy Communion. To participate as clergy in the Eucharistic Procession, clergy may be vested in alb and stole or in cassock and surplice. You are asked to be seated in the sanctuary where you were seated for Mass and then join the procession in sections. Non-vested clergy are asked to join the procession with the lay faithful.