Thousands of Catholics queued patiently in the rain to walk through the doors of the Liverpool Echo Arena for the Adoremus Symposium.

Archbishop Malcolm McMahon and Bishop Robert Byrne, Auxiliary Bishop of Birmingham opened proceedings with a prayer before the speakers began.

c. Mazur/catholicnews.org.uk

Our own Canon Mervyn Tower, Corpus Christi Headington, gave the scriptural context for Adoremus: "The Eucharist brings together some of the most important and significant elements of our humanity and shared Christian faith: gathering together in the presence of the Lord, worshipping him in the Holy Spirit, proclaiming and responding to the Scriptures, remembering the life, teaching, death, Resurrection and glorification of Jesus, thanksgiving, sacrifice, petition, eating and drinking the life-giving force of God himself, strengthening resolve and purpose in life, outreach to the poor and vulnerable and awaiting the glorious end of time."

It is all embracing

c. Mazur/catholicnews.org.uk

Canon David Oakley, Rector of St Mary's College Oscott spoke vividly on the Eucharist in the life of the Church:

"Offering up our sufferings, fasting and prayer, are the three most powerful forms of joining ourselves to Jesus in his eucharistic presence.

"We can use these means: to strengthen ourselves against temptation, to grow in holiness, to find perspective in our lives, to win others to Christ, to achieve what we seek for the communities we live in, to become the ecclesial sacrament of Christ presented to us in the Second Vatican Council’s Dogmatic Constitution on the Church. "