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A 33-day Eucharistic journey now underway across Trinidad and Tobago is calling Catholics to a deeper, more intentional encounter with Christ—one rooted in prayer, community, and daily commitment.
The initiative, centred on the devotional guide How to Be His, was officially launched on May 2, the day after the Feast of St Joseph the Worker, a day the Church associates with dignity in labour, quiet faithfulness, and hidden holiness.
For Dominican priest Fr Jesse Maingot, the timing is significant. St Joseph offers a model for the kind of interior life the journey hopes to cultivate: faithful, disciplined, and deeply attentive to God in the ordinary rhythms of life.
From Our Lady to the Eucharist
The inspiration for the book, co-written with Fr Ignatius John Schweitzer OP, can be traced back to Fr Maingot’s early priesthood in Ireland, when a laywoman approached him about translating a Polish Marian devotion.
The encounter introduced him to the structured 33-day consecration tradition associated with Poland, which emphasises preparation, reflection, and total dedication to Christ through Our Lady.
“It was like a thunderbolt insight for me… I heard the Lord asking me to write a 33-day book on the Eucharist,” he said on Altos.
Recognising that few resources focused in a sustained way on Eucharistic devotion, he began developing what would become How to Be His, placing the Church’s central mystery at the heart of the journey.
A deeply personal devotion
For Fr Maingot, the project is not academic. His relationship with the Eucharist is deeply personal—formed through years of prayer and ministry.
He describes the Eucharist as the place where he has encountered healing, freedom, and strength, shaping both his interior life and his outward mission.
“Time in prayer is not just an isolated time, it’s also about what you will do for others in that time,” he said.
How the journey works
Structured as a 33-day reflection, the guide is designed to be both accessible and spiritually rich. Each day requires only a short commitment—approximately 15 minutes—but participants are encouraged to approach it prayerfully rather than as routine reading.
The method is simple: read, reflect, and pause when something resonates. The goal is not completion, but encounter.
Fr Maingot emphasises that creating a quiet space is key, even in the midst of busy schedules. Whether early in the morning or at the end of the day, participants are urged to carve out intentional time for silence and reflection.
Community also plays a leading role. Participants are encouraged to form small groups—among friends, families, or parish communities—to meet weekly, share insights, and support one another. “Simple is best, is how Jesus preached,” he noted.
Reaching people where they are
Recognising the realities of modern life, the initiative extends well beyond the printed page, making deliberate use of local Catholic media and digital platforms to widen access.
Participants can access resources through the Archdiocese’s official website, CatholicTT, where guidance on undertaking the 33-day journey is available alongside free audio versions of the daily reflections.
Daily prayer support is also being provided via Trinity TV, with 6 p.m. broadcasts that include time for reflection and Eucharistic devotion. In addition, a dedicated YouTube playlist allows participants to engage with the content.
Efforts are also underway to bring the journey into Catholic primary schools through digital formats.
Together, these platforms create a flexible, multi-channel experience—meeting people where they are, whether online, at home, in transit, or within the classroom.
More than a programme
While the journey culminates at the Solemnity of Corpus Christi, organisers stress that it is not intended to end there.
Participants are encouraged to make concrete resolutions to deepen their Eucharistic life—whether through more regular prayer, increased participation in the sacraments, or acts of charity rooted in their spiritual experience.
“It’s not just only about the book, it’s about a spiritual movement,” Fr Maingot said.
There is also a pathway for continued formation through the Archdiocesan Confraternity of the Blessed Sacrament, which offers ongoing teaching, retreats, and community life for those seeking a deeper commitment.
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