Bishop Thomas Daly’s Homily at the closing Mass of the 2025 Serra US Rally, Miami, FL
Those of us who attended the Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis experienced something profound—we were unified in our belief in Jesus Christ. It was a true expression of what St. Paul described in his letter to the Corinthians: we are the body of Christ.
There was some hesitation about the event at first. Large Church gatherings in the U.S. can sometimes become The Tower of Babel—where music, performance, and ethnicity take precedence over Jesus Christ. But this time, it was different. This gathering was not about competing voices but about a single focus: Christ in the Eucharist.
During COVID, I was selected to represent the Church in an interfaith dialogue. We were pressing for the reopening of churches. Now, as you know, Washington state has a wide range of perspectives—Seattle, for example, is vastly different from Eastern Washington, which I like to call the kinder, gentler America. In one of these meetings, a young Muslim woman took the floor and lectured us, claiming that religious groups were too obsessed with buildings. She dismissed our Church’s work, saying, “We’re not about hospitals and schools. We’re about helping people.”
I sat there, thinking: Does she not realize that without the Catholic Church, there would be no healthcare in Washington, Alaska, or Montana? If it weren’t for the Catholic Church and the Providence Sisters, entire regions of our country would lack access to basic medical care. This attitude reflects a modern misunderstanding of the Church. Some think faith should be something private, detached from the real world. But Christ established His Church to be a visible sign in the world, not just a private club for spirituality.
Paul’s image of the body of Christ is essential for us to understand today. The Church, even with its human imperfections, remains a sacramental Church—one that reveals God’s presence in the world. Unlike other Christian traditions that stripped away art, incense, statues, and sacred spaces, Catholicism has always taught that creation reveals God’s grandeur, as Gerard Manley Hopkins wrote. The world is a gift from God, as St. Francis of Assisi proclaimed. Beauty draws the heart toward heaven.
Yes, we need sacred places—but we also recognize that God is not confined to buildings. He is present in His people, His sacraments, and His Church’s mission. When I became Bishop of Spokane, I asked to see the cathedra (the bishop’s chair) in our cathedral. To my surprise, I was shown a white plastic chair with gold velvet. It was an embarrassing sight—especially knowing my dad had been a furniture buyer, and my family would surely make fun of it at Thanksgiving! Eventually, we found the original wooden cathedra that had belonged to Bishop Shiner. It was restored, and in 2019, the Cathedral of Our Lady of Lourdes was renewed to reflect the beauty of Catholic worship.
Yes, sacred spaces matter. But we must also prepare for a world that is often indifferent—or even hostile—to our faith. I’ve had many students ask me, “Why do I have to go to Mass?” My answer is always this: “We go to Mass because we join Catholic Christians throughout the world. We seek to be refocused, renewed, nourished, and fed—so that we can be the body of Christ when we go out into the world.” At Mass, we are reminded that we are not just individuals—we are the people of God.
Our faith is not about us alone, but about Christ’s mission in the world. Another reason why we need the Eucharist? It frees us from self-delusion. We all have a tendency to think we are the center of the universe. My Uncle Phil from Butte, Montana, used to say: “I’d like to buy you for what you’re worth and sell you for what you think you’re worth.” It’s a funny way of saying we all need humility.
The Eucharist keeps us grounded. It reminds us hat we are part of something greater than ourselves. Christ is the center—not us. This is why Serra International is so vital. It brings together people from different places, united by one mission in Christ.
Today, many people say: “I’m spiritual but not religious.” Studies show that young men tend to still identify as religious. Young women are more likely to describe themselves as spiritual. This presents a challenge—especially for vocations. Being “spiritual” sounds freeing—no rules, no commitments, no accountability. But real faith requires more than feelings. It requires commitment, community, and truth. As Pope Benedict XVI warned, our culture is plagued by relativism—the idea that truth is just whatever you want it to be. But we don’t follow a self-made faith. We follow Jesus Christ. Our faith won’t always be popular.
During COVID, I planned to reopen churches by Memorial Day. I soon received a call saying, “The governor doesn’t like your plan.” I replied, “Well, I didn’t send my plan to the governor—I sent it to the Archdiocese.” Meanwhile, Catholics were crossing into Idaho and Montana just to attend Mass. We opened the churches. And eventually, the governor backed off. With charity and courage, we must proclaim: we are the body of Christ.
Paul reminds us that we are baptized into the Church—a community with memory, Tradition, Communal worship. Faith cannot be lived in isolation. No one travels to God alone. As we prepare for the Eucharist, we will hear these words: “Go in peace, glorifying the Lord by your life.” That is our mission—to go out and be the body of Christ in the world.
I thank you for your work in supporting vocations, and I pray that the Lord blesses each of our dioceses with generous men and women who answer His call.
