“We are not Eucharistic miracles experts,” Miros insisted. “We’re learning just like everybody else.” Theresa nodded fervently, adding: “I used to be a hairdresser. We’re just ordinary people.” But this ordinary couple did something truly extraordinary. They brought awareness of the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist to hundreds of people, encouraging them to encounter that Presence regularly in Mass and at Adoration.
By Dr. Veronica Szczygiel
On July 12 and 13, the National Shrine of The Divine Mercy will host an extraordinary Eucharistic Miracles exhibit in the St. Faustina Center. The exhibit is inspired by the work of Blessed Carlo Acutis (1991-2006), who will be canonized by Pope Leo XIV on Sept. 7. The exhibit is open from 10 a.m. (after the 9:00 a.m. Mass in the Shrine) until 4 p.m., and admission is free.
This presentation is made possible by the hard work of a remarkable couple, Theresa and Miros Maszczak of Canfield, Ohio.
Called to action
When the 2019 Pew Research Center survey reported that 69% of Catholics did not believe in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist, Theresa and Miros were alarmed. Their Catholic faith was central to their lives. They were active parishioners, Marian Helpers, and members of the Confraternity of the Immaculate Conception. They frequently participated in and led pilgrimages, visiting the Holy Land, Poland, Shrines in Fatima and Lourdes, Ireland, Medjugorje, and Mexico, among other holy sites.
Most importantly, they lived out their faith in their own home, raising their children in the faith tradition and selflessly taking care of their elderly parents. Theresa’s mother, who passed away in 2021, had introduced the couple to Divine Mercy years ago, adding another special devotion to their lives. Clearly, their spiritual plate was full. But after reading the Pew Research report and Bishop Barron’s response to it, they felt called to do more.
True encounter
Theresa and Miros attended the National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis in 2024. Each night during the conference, Eucharistic Adoration took place at Lucas Oil Stadium. Surrounded by thousands of fellow Catholics, the Maszczaks were deeply moved by this nightly practice.
“It really changed us,” Theresa recalled. “That was a true encounter. And once you’re encountered Jesus Christ, and you know that He’s truly present in the Eucharist, we want to live out Eucharistic lives.” And they set out to do just that.
Having attended once the Vatican-approved Eucharistic Miracles Exhibit, Theresa and Miros felt it was the perfect way to spread awareness of the Real Presence of Christ’s Body and Blood. They decided to organize the same exhibit for their own local parishes.
Comprehensive collection
The exhibit consists of 155 colorful panels that provide a comprehensive collection of the history of Eucharistic miracles. The first 126 panels are “Eucharistic Miracles of the World,” featuring incredible stories from twenty countries, including Italy (34 miracles), Spain (24), France (13), Germany (8), Poland (8), and more. These stories date from the 8th century to today and include historical documentation and verification from the Vatican.
“Some stories are pretty wild,” Miros said. “In one of them, a priest crosses a little river and trips, spilling Communion out of the ciborium. The fish in the river bring the Hosts back in their mouths!”
The next section of the exhibit is called “Saints, Mystics, and the Eucharist.” This portion of 17 panels explains how various saints and mystics resolved the complicated question of the nature of the Eucharist. It includes figures such as St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Francis of Assisi, St. Catherine of Siena, and St. Faustina Kowalska, to name a few.
The third section has seven panels on “Our Lady and the Eucharist,” focusing on Mary’s apparitions in Portugal, France, Mexico, and other countries. It highlights Our Lady’s special role in Eucharistic devotion. The exhibit includes videos and sacred music.
Additionally, the Maszczak’s provide pamphlets on the Mass and Adoration from Marian Press and other Catholic publishers to participants.
“Saint in jeans”
This unique collection of Eucharistic encounters was made possible by Blessed Carlo Acutis, the soon-to-be “saint in jeans.” Born in London in 1991 and raised in Italy, Carlos was a holy child from an early age, attending daily Mass with his Polish nanny, Beata, and becoming a catechist for his church at the age of 12.
Around that time, to express his genuine devotion to the Eucharist, Carlo created a digital archive of historical and modern-day Eucharistic miracles around the world, which became the foundation for this exhibit. He was so enamored with the Body and Blood of Christ that it became his motto: “The Eucharist is my highway to heaven.” Carlo, the “Cyber Apostle of the Eucharist,” died at the age of 15 from leukemia.
Highway to Heaven
Theresa and Miros Maszczak want to invite others to take this highway, too. So far, they have organized four Eucharistic Miracles exhibitions and are planning more to come, expanding throughout other dioceses in Ohio and even in West Virginia. They invite everyone to the National Shrine on July 12 and 13.
“We are not Eucharistic miracles experts,” Miros insisted. “We’re learning just like everybody else.” Theresa nodded fervently, adding: “I used to be a hairdresser. We’re just ordinary people.” But this ordinary couple did something truly extraordinary. They brought awareness of the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist to hundreds of people, encouraging them to encounter that Presence regularly in Mass and at Adoration.
Putting together this impressive exhibit helped the married couple grow deeper in their own faith lives. “We’ve come to realize even more strongly how amazing our Catholic faith is,” Theresa said. “A true Eucharistic Miracle occurs at every Holy Mass celebrated throughout the world each and every day.” So, with the help of the Holy Spirit and the extraordinary example of Carlos Acutis, Miros insisted, “This is the least that we can do.”
For more information on the Eucharistic Miracles exhibit at the National Shrine of The Divine Mercy on July 12 and 13, visit ShrineofDivineMercy.org or call (413) 298-3931.
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