VENI
A Monthly Faith Event for Young Adults
If you wish to attend or invite others to Veni, it will be hosted on the second Friday of every month, 7:30-9 pm at St. Cecilia Cathedral, with a social gathering afterward. All young adults (single, married or consecrated) who are 22-39 are welcome to attend Veni, as the meaning in Latin simply bids: “Come!”
Read the Story from Catholic Voice
What is Veni?
Veni is an evening of coming together for adoration of the Blessed Sacrament with music, confession, and fellowship for young adults in the city of Omaha.
Other dioceses around the country have something similar, and it is a life-giving, life-changing event, so we wanted to present the same opportunity in our own Archdiocese.
Who is Helping with It?
Fr. Eliot Schwer and a talented team of people from around the Omaha metro area who want to be a part of this.
A few of them have positions with the Archdiocese and others have experience with ministries like FOCUS and NET who want to be a part of the New Evangelization in the Church and realize that Eucharistic Adoration is a key component of the movement. God brought us together in a wonderful way with this desire in all our hearts to see greater community and connection within the young adult population of Omaha. We all have had impactful moments with the Eucharist shaping our Catholic identity, and we want every Catholic to be able to experience the same.
Why Did You Choose to Host Veni at Cathedral?
The Cathedral is the Mother Church of the diocese. I am blessed to be able to serve here now. I felt that this is something that the Cathedral and the Archdiocese should have as it would fill a great need. We can worship God anywhere of course. But there is something special about being able to come into the Eucharistic Presence of Jesus in a place that seems, by its own majesty and splendor, to be a fitting place to worship Him. It can more greatly affect our imaginations in a way that touches our hearts and gives us a sense of the transcendent nature of God. It helps foster those attitudes of devotion, reverence, and stillness before the Lord.
What Do You Hope This Will Bring to Cathedral?
I hope it can be the start of a greater interest in Eucharistic adoration among our community. It would be wonderful if more of our parishioners came to understand the profound impact the Eucharist can have on their lives in coming to Mass but also in making visits to the Cathedral for times of prayer, even holy hours. I think a lot of Catholics are missing out on all that the Lord wants to give them because maybe they feel like they don’t have time to pray or don’t understand what the Lord can do for them if they are willing to just sit in His presence simply directing their attention to Him as He ministers to them in silence and a loving solitude. Eucharistic adoration is something that can help a person’s faith, hope, and love grow to great depths if he/she is faithful to its practice.
Hopefully, Veni can be the start of more regular times of Eucharistic exposition at the Cathedral. Who knows, maybe someday we can be a perpetual adoration parish! I think it will foster more vocations to the priesthood and religious life which is great not just for the Cathedral but for the entire Archdiocese.
How Can We Help With Veni?
We would appreciate prayers for this endeavor.
We are also looking for financial patrons. We would like to have a monstrance to hold a large host like the ones the priest consecrates for Sunday Masses. It would be nice to have a fund to provide for gatherings after the prayer time.
Spread the word! If you are a young adult, invite your friends and let them know about this great enterprise. Please tell those you know who are between the ages of 20-39 that there is a wonderful opportunity to grow closer to God and their brothers and sisters in Christ here at Saint Cecilia Cathedral.