What is Adoration or Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament?

 

   Eucharistic Adoration is a period of silent prayer, usually in a church or in a chapel set aside for that purpose.  Prayer and reverence are focused on the sacramental bread, the Body of Christ, either reserved in a locked tabernacle (adoration), or exposed to view in a monstrance (exposition), and the Blessed Sacrament is not left alone during this time.  An uninterrupted hour spent with the Blessed Sacrament is referred to as a “holy hour”.  It is based on Matthew 26:40, in which Jesus asks his apostles in the garden of Gethsemane “could you not keep watch with me for one hour?”  Jesus frequently went off by himself to pray; he prayed in private for 40 days in the desert before he began his public ministry.

   Adoration has been a practice of the Catholic Church since the middle ages, and encouraged by popes.

In 1991, Pope John Paul II began perpetual adoration of the Eucharist in St. Peter Basilica in Rome.  That same year, he approved a canonical establishment of a lay association for perpetual adoration, whose mission was to promote adoration in every Catholic parish throughout the world.  Pope John Paul said this about adoration: “The Church and the world have a great need of Eucharistic worship.” 

   When Blessed Mother Teresa was asked what would save the world, she replied, “My answer is prayer. What we need is for every parish to come before Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament in holy hours of prayer”.  Adoration is credited with the calling of saints, such as Sr. Faustina, and with the conversion of other saints, such as Saints Elizabeth Ann Seton and John Henry Newman, who were both converted from the Anglican church during adoration.

   As with many aspects of Catholic life, Eucharistic adoration largely disappeared in the late 1960’s, but has recently seen a resurgence, particularly in younger members of the faith. In the United States, it was widely believed with the Vatican II changes that such devotions were unnecessary and obsolete; some even mistakenly believed that these were discouraged and forbidden.  Consequently, there is a generation or two who have never participated in adoration, do not know what it is, and have never seen benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.  In fact, the Vatican II Council said just the opposite; “The spiritual life is not limited solely to participation in the liturgy. The Christian is indeed called to pray with his brethren but he must also pray to the Father in private.”

 

What does one do during Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament?

 

   How you spend your time with Jesus is completely up to you.  Many recite a Rosary or Divine Mercy Chaplet.  Many read their bibles.  Many spend time in just talking to Jesus, bringing their petitions, fears, sorrows and praises to Him.  Many just “be” in the Presence of their Lord.  Your encounter with the Risen Lord in Adoration will be different from any other persons, just as your relationship with Him is unique from any other.  It is often called by those who practice it moving, nurturing, centering and refreshing.

 The Handbook of Prayers, by Fr. Charles Belmonte and James Socias suggests praying 3 Our Fathers,  3 Hail Marys, and 3 Glory Bes, and end with a Spiritual Communion, such as “I wish, Lord, to receive You with the purity, humility  and devotion with which Your Most Holy Mother received You, with the spirit and fervor of the saints”.

The children of Fatima recited the following prayer before the Blessed Sacrament:  “O most Holy Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, I adore You profoundly.  I offer You the Most Precious Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ, present in all the tabernacles of the world, in reparation for the outrages, sacrileges and indifferences by which He is offended.  By the infinite merits of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I beg the conversion of sinners.”

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops website contains a lengthy but beautiful “Prayer before the Blessed Sacrament for the Gospel of Life”, which can be found at usccb.org.

More prayers and further information can be found online at www.therealpresence.org , www.ourcatholicprayers.com .

 

Facts and history about Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament

 

The Franciscan Archives report that St. Francis of Assisi began the practice in Italy.

 

The first lay practice of adoration began in Avignon, France on Sept 11, 1226, instituted by King Louis VIII to celebrate a victory in the Albergensian Crusade.

 

The Council of Trent, 1545-1563, confirmed the validity of the practice of adoration.

 

The longest known instance of Perpetual Adoration began in Drumshanbo, Co. Leitrim, Ireland, on March 25, 1870, by the Poor Clares, and continues to this day.

 

The longest in the United States began on August 1, 1878 at 11:00 am in Wisconsin, by the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration.  It continues to this day as well.

 

Orders founded for the specific purpose of Perpetual Adoration include the Perpetual Adorers of the Blessed Sacrament, formed in Marseilles, France in 1659; the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary and of the Perpetual Adoration formed in 1768 in Paris, France, and the Religious of the Perpetual Adoration, formed in 1789 in Switzerland.

 

 

Overnight Adoration is offered on the first Friday of every month, from 8 pm – 8 am Saturday morning. The Sacrament of Reconciliation will also be offered from 8:00 pm-9:00 pm , during the first hour of Adoration.  There will be a sign up sheet on the bulletin board outside the sacristy, please sign up for an hour or two!  It is necessary for at least 3 people to sign up per 1 hour time slot.

 

 

Respectfully submitted by Barb Patchett