National Eucharistic Congress
July 2024
Indianapolis, IN
After Action Report
By: Denise Montagnino
The adventure began early Tuesday morning. Our family of six (two of our children were visiting their grandparents and thus absent from the event) downstairs at the Fairfield Inn for breakfast. We were greeted by a few of our fellow SAGE members and we proceeded to head over to the convention center. The anticipation for the week to come hung in the air. The convention center was just beginning to bustle to life. The loading dock was busy with a kaleidoscope of people dragging, carrying, and pushing supplies to their exhibit or table. The enormous ballroom was still a skeleton of what will be a lively marketplace later in the week.
The team began prepping the room. Our people were iron, cutting fabric, setting up chairs, meeting AV support team members, setting up exhibit panels. It was quite the workroom. The exhibit hall was divided into three sections laid out as such.
Front section:
The first section where visitors entered, had a table which housed pamphlets, information on the postgrad course, and the Othonia booklets for sale. Mary Botham, Martha May, and Nora Creech greeted visitors with much enthusiasm. The first section also had seating for about 50 people where the introductory video was shown. One of the exhibit volunteers gave a brief talk
before the video was shown.
Middle section:
The middle section housed the Othonia informational panels that are owned by Pam McCue. There were about 25 panels total. In the center of the panels, the torture tools were displayed. This allowed for visitors to get close up to the displays. The middle section also housed the 1978 pre-restoration shroud replica photographed by Barrie Schwortz. Additionally, on a long, black-clothed table, the bronze statue (designed by Matt Collins) depicting the buried Lord was
displayed. The statue station allowed for touch and smell! The samples of anointing oil developed by Abba Oil were displayed in bottles and sprinkled on a fabric swathe sending the scent wafting through the air.
Tucked to the side of the shroud replica and statue was a room with a marvelous collection of Sacred art provided by historian Cheryl White. This walk through exhibit allowed for a quiet meditation of art depicting the buried Lord through history. An overlay of the Shroud image on the Divine Mercy image bid you farewell as you left this part of the exhibit.
Rear section:
The back of the exhibit was a mini (much too mini) lecture hall. This is where the talks by Father Andrew and others were given. There was also another replica of the Shroud (post-restoration)that also belonged to Pam. Next to the shroud replica was the back-lit, Sudarium of Oviedo replica. Finally, there was a tribute to our Shroud hero, Barrie Schwortz.
The Exhibition Experience
Now that the exhibit is opened to visitors, the floodgates have opened. The line for entry is hundreds of eager visitors long.
As you walk the long hall of the convention center, you see a huge panel with the Man of the Shroud. New to the Shroud, you decide to wait the line out. Jesse Montagnino walks up and down the line spreading the good news. Both of the Shroud and that the line moves quicker than it seems.
You are greeted by Dennis Creech and Marty Botham before you enter the exhibit. As you enter the exhibit, you sit down to hear the introduction by Nora Creech. You watch the expertly-made video describing the Shroud’s journey through time and place. You are amazed at the details of the Shroud that the video describes.
Walking through the exhibit, you hear voices murmuring in disbelief. “How could this be? How have I never heard of any of this before?” They say. An occasional gasp in shock or horror fills the quiet room. It is a stillness in the exhibit hall that only the Holy Spirit brings. You peer into the miniature replica of the garden tomb and touch the sharp, thorny tip on the crown of thorns. The scriptures come alive in so many new ways.
Next, you walk slowly through the historical artwork displayed by art historian, Cheryl White. A life-sized poster of the Divine Mercy image is at the back of the room. You see that the Shroud image is perfectly overlaid. You had no idea that could be possible. The Shroud image is the same as the face seen in Saint Faustina’s vision?
You see Pam McCue standing in front of the life-sized replica. She is holding her phone up to the replica. The image on the shroud replica becomes the photonegative version of the image on the cloth! It shows up so much more clearly!
You hear the quiet murmur of exhibit volunteers explaining, teaching, and describing the panels. Bill Lauto gives a lively, impromptu talk near the Passion replicas. A reporter scurries by seeking out a volunteer to interview.
You see the back of the exhibit is staffed with two cheerful and excited children. They are giving out informational pamphlets and holding Othonia booklets that summarize the exhibit. You decide to donate the $10 for the booklet as it serves as a great keepsake.
You pause at the replica of the Sudarium of Oviedo. You wonder if that was the face cloth that was “rolled up in a separate place.”As you sit down to hear Father Andrew’s lecture, you again are in awe of all he teaches. He speaks of the Holy Face and how the image of the Shroud relates to scripture.
As you leave, you think about this fire in your heart and feel ready to spread the good news far and wide.
