It began with the laity. Back in October a half dozen parishioners, from all four parishes, met with me. They had seen several parishes in the region host a chapel for "perpetual" or "extended" adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. St. Michael the Archangel Parish in Butler has had such a chapel, they tell me, for 27 years. There has been adoration for many years also at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish, in Youngstown, Ohio. The parish of St. James the Apostle in New Bedford/Pulaski has two Fridays of adoration each month. More recently the priests in the Chippewa/Darlington area began one. My parishioners were asking that I begin one here.
These folks had benefited from their prayer times. But they wanted a chapel closer to home, here in New Castle.
I am all for prayer. And I like praying in a quiet, even silent chapel, with the Eucharist reserved in the tabernacle. But I had never thought of beginning such a program--until they said these words: "Father, we know you and the other priests are busy. We will organize it, raise the funds, and recruit the adorers for the times. All you have to do is give us your blessing."
What generous words! Music to my pastor's ears!
So we explored all the practical, and spiritual details. I talked with a couple of priests who had done this, and my priest associates. I visited the chapel in Youngstown. One member of the committee volunteered to pay for the security system. Another volunteered to coordinate the volunteers. A preliminary letter to some diocesan officials gave me confidence that we were on the right track. In January I wrote the bishop about our idea, and he sent two priests up from Pittsburgh to look over our site and talk with us. They gave us the green light. In April and May the committee used the bulletin and pulpit to recruit parishioners to take one hour a week. Right now we have over 190 persons regularly scheduled, for the approximately 144 hours of adoration. The bishop formalized the permission in May.
And so, on June 2, 2013, the Solemnity of Corpus Christi, my associate, Father Nick, processed with the Blessed Sacrament at the conclusion of the 11:30 a.m. Mass at Mary Mother of Hope Church, across the street to the chapel of the religious education building. Our extended adoration of the Blessed Sacrament had begun.
I use the word "extended" rather than "perpetual," because we decided that we would have prayer round-the-clock only six days a week. Adoration ends about 2:00 p.m. on Saturday afternoon, prior to the 4:00 p.m. Sunday vigil Mass in Mary Mother of Hope Church, and begins again 24 hours later. This is to respect the primacy of the Sunday celebration of the Eucharist. It is also practical, since during the school year there are C.C.D. classes going on in the chapel on Sunday mornings. Again when school starts next month, there will be a couple of hours on Monday afternoon, when the children from St. Joseph the Worker Parish are attending classes in the building, that the adoration will be suspended.
Technically, "perpetual" is not correct anyway, because in the church's liturgical cycle, no adoration is permitted during the Sacred Triduum (from the end of lent about noon on Holy Thursday until the end of Evening Prayer on Easter Sunday).
But whatever title is given, the adoration of the Blessed Sacrament exposed on the altar has already proven to be spiritually fruitful to those who have volunteered. Many parishioners have told me how they look forward to their one hour--even if it is in the middle of the night! (They love the silence.) I am signed up for an hour on Tuesday afternoons, and I confess that the hour flies by, almost to the point that I am thinking of putting in two hours back-to-back.
Perhaps if parishioners had come to me years earlier, I would have turned a deaf ear to their request. I might have thought that such prayer is too individualistic, of no benefit to the community. But my experience with the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius has given me a rich appreciation of the value (and need) for quiet time, especially in the Presence of the Lord. And the Catholic Church knows that deepened prayer (of whatever kind) leads to more active charity. In the words of a Vatican document: "Exposition of the Holy Eucharist is intended to acknowledge Christ's marvelous presence in the sacrament. Exposition invites us to the spiritual union with him that culminates in sacramental communion. This exposition fosters very well the worship which is due to Christ in spirit and in truth."
In other words, exposition is one way of following the command of St. Paul the Apostle to "pray always" (1 Thessalonians 5:17), as well as affirming the Real Presence of Jesus, who said, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and who ever believes in me will never thirst." Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament allows us to appreciate the presence of Christ under sacramental signs. It can also lead a willing disciple to a deeper love for the Mass, the church community that gathers in his name, and Christ's own command to love God and love our neighbor as ourselves (Mark 12:30-31). Anecdotal evidence from around the country swears that such adoration of the Blessed Sacrament also leads to increases in vocations to the priesthood, religious life, and ministry. Let us hope so.
Until then, you are cordially invited to sign up for a regular weekly hour of prayer. Call Vicki at St. Vincent de Paul Parish (724-652-5829). And all are invited to pray any time at the chapel in the Mary Mother of Hope religious education building, across the street from the church on North Beaver Street in New Castle. Come and adore Him, come and love Him, leave and love his people.
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