BRAINTREE -- In the ongoing Year for Priests, the upcoming annual Eucharistic Congress sponsored by the Archdiocese of Boston will place a special emphasis on the priesthood.

This year’s congress, themed “Be Set Apart,” will take place on April 23 and 24 at Sacred Heart Church, St. Leonard of Port Maurice Church, and St. John’s School in Boston’s North End. It will feature Catholic speakers, Mass, Eucharistic adoration, service projects, and an Italian dinner.

“The whole idea of the congress is to bring young adults and college students together to pray and to learn more about the faith, to serve the poor, and to socialize,” said Father Dan Hennessey, vocations director for the archdiocese. “It’s a time for them to pray for and encourage their priests.”

Speakers this year include Cardinal Seán P. O’Malley, Father Benedict Groeschel, National Conference of Diocesan Vocation Directors and St. Petersburg (Fla.) vocation director Father Leonard Plazewski, Katie Dardis of the Archdiocese of Boston’s Respect Life Education Office, and Fellowship of Catholic University Students missionary Amanda Graf, who is currently ministering at MIT.

In a release announcing the event, Cardinal O’Malley referenced the faith of past generations of Boston Catholics who passed faith to today’s faithful.

“The Archdiocese of Boston was established not long after the founding of our nation. For the past 200 plus years generations of Catholics have accepted the call to carry on the mission given us by the Lord, we are blessed by the foundation of faith they established for us,” the cardinal said.

“We pray that this Eucharistic Congress helps us to experience a renewed devotion to Jesus Christ and a greater love for His Church,” he said.

For more information or to register, please visit www.eucharisticcongress.org.