Eucharistic Adoration

ADORATION OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT

In 1973, the Vatican’s Office For Divine Worship, at the direction of Pope Paul VI, promulgated rituals and regulations regarding the adoration of the Blessed Sacrament in parishes outside of Mass.  These rites and regulations were published in a book entitled, Holy Communion and Worship of the Eucharist Outside of Mass.  These rules are still in effect and direct how parishes are to organize devotions of the Blessed Sacrament.  After recently listening to a talk given by a noted liturgist,  I have come to the conclusion that our parish needs to come into conformity with these regulations of the Church.    

Soon after my installation as pastor of this parish, I decided to begin encouraging adoration of the Blessed Sacrament outside of Mass times.  Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament is an admirable, traditional Catholic devotion which I greatly appreciate and value.  I therefore purchased a relatively inexpensive monstrance from an artisan in Mexico and we began having exposition of the Blessed Sacrament on Wednesdays beginning after the 8:30 a.m. Mass and lasting into the evening.  Eventually, in response to parishioners’ requests, this time of exposition was extended to 11:00 p.m.   At first, we had a wonderful turnout of parishioners and there seemed to be always someone present in the chapel during exposition of the Blessed Sacrament.  During that time, we were, I believe, in full compliance with the rules which require that there always be at least one, preferably two persons, present during the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament.  With time, though, the attendance has fallen off.  In spite of persistent attempts by some people, especially Diane Warren, to recruit and encourage people to come for adoration on Wednesdays, there have been many occasions when I have found no one present with the Lord during exposition.  I think that the mornings and early afternoons have been consistently covered.  It has been difficult, though, in late afternoons and evenings to have adorers present during exposition with any regularity.

In view of the difficulties our parish has been having in adequately covering the times of exposition, we will be reducing the numbers of hours for exposition of the Blessed Sacrament.  Effective immediately, hours of exposition on Wednesdays will be from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.  During the year, there will be a few times when I will be away from the parish on Wednesdays, so there will be no exposition on those days.  These times will be duly noted in the bulletin and a notice will be posted on the door leading into the Day Chapel.

I want to encourage all of our parishioners to come for adoration of the Blessed Sacrament at least once a week.  In the old days, we used to call this “making a visit.”  Although a number of people especially like to pray before Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament during exposition, the location of the Blessed Sacrament in the tabernacle is actually the way that the Church prefers for adoration to occur except for special occasions.  In order to further encourage a devotion to the Blessed Sacrament among our parishioners, I am planning for the parish to celebrate a 40 Hours Devotion in the fall.  The 40 Hours Devotion began in Rome in 1545 and is an effective way of focusing a parish’s attention on the presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament outside of Mass.    

Fr. Bill

"Lord Jesus, You are here!

And you...........are here, with me, in his presence!

Lord, two thousand years ago, you willingly mounted the infamous Cross in order then to rise again and to remain for ever with us, your brothers and sisters.

And you....my friends,
You willingly allow him to embrace you.

We contemplate him.
We adore him.
We love him. We seek to grow in love for him..."

Meditation by His Holiness Benedict XVI during his apostolic journey to France on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary at Lourdes, Sunday, 14 September 2008

“I believe that today we are entering into the reign of the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus. In the midst of the winter in the world and even in the Church today innumerable little shoots are sprouting up through the snow.
These shoots are chapels of Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration growing up around the world……I encourage you to soak up the healing rays of the Sun of Justice and do all you can to promote Perpetual Adoration.”

Rev. Harold Cohen, S.J.

“Our Redeemer ever present in the most Blessed Sacrament extends His hands to everyone. He opens His heart and says, ‘Come to Me, all of you.’”

St Raphael Kalinowski, O.C.D.


“When we go before Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament we represent the one in the world who is in most need of God’s Mercy. We stand in behalf of the one in the world who does not know Christ and who is farthest away from God and we being down upon the soul the Precious Blood of The Lamb.”

Pope John Paul II

"We need to find God, and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. See how nature - trees, flowers, grass- grows in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence... We need silence to be able to touch souls."....
"Each one of us is a co-worker of Christ - we must labour hard to carry Him to the hearts where He has not yet been known and loved. But, unless we have Jesus, we cannot give Him; that is why we need the Eucharist. Spend as much time as possible in front of the Blessed Sacrament and He will fill you with His strength and His power. Tell Him, 'Come to our hearts Lord and stay with us'. Then you will become the instruments of His love, peace and joy."

God bless you, Blessed Mother Teresa

"How well we understand the song that Christians of all times have unceasingly sung to the sacred host: "Sing, my tongue, the mystery of the glorious body and of the precious blood, that the king of all nations, born of the generous womb of the Virgin, has offered for the redemption of the world." We must adore devoutly this God of ours, hidden in the Eucharist — it is Jesus himself, born of the Virgin Mary, who suffered and gave his life in the sacrifice of the cross; Jesus, from whose side, pierced by a lance, flowed water and blood."

“Christ is Passing By”, Chapter 9:The Eucharist, mystery of faith and love
St Josemaria Escriva