Ivonne Hernandez laughs and smiles easily when she first greets you. She is welcoming and attentive and has a way of making others feel seen and valued.  If someone asks about her joy and how she is so present to others, she points to the living presence of Jesus Christ in the Blessed Sacrament.

Ivonne has always been Catholic, but in 2014 she grew deeper in her faith after she faced a serious health challenge. She struggled to walk or even sit for more than a few minutes at a time. She had been diagnosed with a neurological disorder, but had not expected it to progress so quickly. During five months of being confined to a bed or wheelchair, she had just enough strength to go to church. 

“During that time, I would go to daily Mass. I was able to drive there, which itself was a miracle — that I was able to drive, sit for half an hour, and drive back,” said Ivonne.

The grace she received from Holy Communion each day nourished her in a new way. She started praying the rosary daily for the first time, and eventually, her prayers led to a healing, and she could once again walk on her own with the help of leg braces.

With each passing day, Ivonne and her husband, Rick, grew more devoted to Jesus in the Holy Eucharist. On May 13, 2016, they were inducted as lay associates of the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament, a religious community that seeks to make known the love of God, present in the Eucharist. 

In 2017, the couple united with Laura Worhacz, another lay associate of the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament, to promote consecration to Jesus through Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament. The title of Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament was first given to our Blessed Mother, the Virgin Mary, by St. Peter Julian Eymard in May 1856. 

By 2018, the three evangelizers had published two books and hosted their first Eucharistic Healing retreat with the theme of finding, “Your Heart’s Desire.” They also established a nonprofit ministry called Elisheba House, which is Hebrew for Elizabeth, meaning “God’s promise.”

“I saw a need for Catholics wanting to go deeper in their faith and keep growing. Also, there is a need for healing that we all have. We know that healing is found in the Eucharist. We have this treasure, and yet, there is this disconnect,” said Ivonne.

Elisheba House creates resources to help Catholics find healing, grow in their faith, and become Eucharistic evangelizers.

“Our resources connect people with this mystery that's incredibly difficult to explain. It's something people have to experience, especially during this time of Eucharistic Revival. I believe Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament is the key for Eucharistic revival,” said Ivonne.

Learn More

Books

The Rosary: Eucharistic Meditations by Ivonne Hernandez, parishioner of St. Peter the Apostle, in Trinity. (This book is also available in Spanish.)

Consecration to Jesus through Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament by Laura Worhacz, parishioner of St. Vincent de Paul Parish, in Holiday. (This book is also available in Spanish.)

Blogs

Elisheba Blog is a weekly reflection that is emailed to subscribers. The blog is written by Ivonne Hernandez, Rick Hernandez, and Laura Worhacz. They share insights for living in the Eucharistic love of Jesus.

Retreats

Eucharistic Healing Retreats are held at least once a year. Participants spend time in Eucharistic adoration and encounter the healing presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.

Website

Links to all resources can be found on the homepage of the ministry’s website.

What’s next?

Ivonne and Rick Hernandez, who are originally from Puerto Rico, are working to translate all their materials into Spanish and start offering Spanish language retreats.