The hit faith film of 2022, ALIVE: Who Is There?, will return to U.S. theaters for a one-day encore screening on June 21. The date coincides with the launch of the upcoming three-year National Eucharistic Revival by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops on June 19.
ALIVE
ALIVE: Who Is There?, is a Spanish-made documentary that follows the compelling testimonies of five men and women whose lives were changed by the True Presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist. These true stories, told by the subjects themselves, have captivated audiences, spurring them to reflect on the power of God contained in the small, fragile host.
The film was initially released for a one-day screening on April 25, 2022, where it became a crowd favorite and was the #1 movie of the day. The film was created in order to help drive a worldwide Eucharistic revival, and now the folks at Hakuna Films and Bosco Films are bringing it back to theaters for the launch of the upcoming three-year National Eucharistic Revival, beginning on June 21. The film will also come on the heels of the feast of Corpus Christi.
In a press release, Father Jose Pedro Manglano, founder of the Hakuna movement, commented on the encore screening:
“Catholics everywhere responded to the message of this film and now we have another opportunity to bring ALIVE to the United States. ALIVE always creates a movement and the movement we hope to create is one around renewed Eucharistic devotion. It’s no coincidence with God that the encore showing of ALIVE will take place exactly as the United States Catholic bishops begin their initiative for Eucharistic revival.”
Bonus content
Those who attend this second showing are sure to get their money’s worth as ALIVE is almost like a double feature. After the documentary, filmmakers take the faithful on a deeper conversation about the Eucharist, in their bonus content, “A Conversation About the Power of the Eucharist.”
In this bonus content, viewers will learn more about the true Presence of Jesus Christ and the transforming power of God made present in the Eucharist at Catholic Masses and on altars around the world. This section includes interviews with Bishop Andrew Cozzens, chairman for evangelization and catechesis at the U.S.C.C.B; Sr. Nancy Usselmann, FSP, Director of the Pauline Center for Media Studies; and more.
The makers of ALIVE hope the film serves Catholic communities as a tool to share the message of Jesus Christ present in the Eucharist. They note that this documentary is especially relevant to the world today, which they say is “in great need of the light, hope and power of Jesus Christ.”
National Eucharistic Revival
The USCCB approved the launch of the three-year Eucharistic Revival in the United States on November 17, in response to polls that showed as many as two-thirds of Catholics do not believe that Christ is truly present in the Eucharist. On the new website for the revival, the bishops wrote:
“In the midst of these roaring waves, Jesus is present, reminding us that he is more powerful than the storm. He desires to heal, renew, and unify the Church and the world.” The bishops continued, “How will he do it? By uniting us once again around the source and summit of our faith—the Holy Eucharist. The National Eucharistic Revival is the joyful, expectant, grassroots response of the entire Catholic Church in the U.S. to this divine invitation.”
Each of the three years will focus on a different aspect of the Church in America. June 2022 to June 2023, the Year of Diocesan Revival, will equip diocesan staff, bishops, and priests to respond to the Lord’s personal invitation and share this love with the faithful through Eucharistic congress.
The Year of Parish Revival will begin in June 2023 and last until July 2024. This year of the Eucharistic Revival will foster Eucharistic devotion at the parish level. The goal is to strengthen our liturgical life through faithful celebration of the Mass, Eucharistic Adoration, missions, resources, preaching, and organic movements of the Holy Spirit.
Finally, the National Eucharistic Revival will conclude with a five-day Eucharistic Congress, in Indianapolis, at Lucas Oil Stadium. The event, the first such gathering since 1976, is expected to draw upwards of 80,000 faithful. At the gathering Catholics of all ages will reconsecrate their lives to the source and summit of our faith.
Visit the National Eucharistic Congress website to learn more.
And today we celebrate...