Exposition of the
Blessed Sacrament (& Eucharistic Adoration)
Eucharistic Adoration is
the adoration of Jesus Christ present in the Holy Eucharist. In the many
Churches that have this adoration, the Eucharist is displayed in a special
holder called a monstrance, and people come to pray and worship Jesus
continually throughout the time offered. Christ’s great love for us was
shown when he was crucified on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins
and give us eternal life. He loves us without limit, and offers Himself to
us in the Holy sacrament of the Eucharist. Can we not give Jesus a few
minutes of love and adoration in return?
St. Joseph Parish
Community provides parishioners and friends the
ability to spend time with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel at
designated times.
The
exposition of the Eucharist in a monstrance offers adorers a special way
to pray and reflect in His presence in a quiet, peaceful, and appropriate
setting.
Location: Blessed Sacrament Chapel in the Main
Church
Adoration Days:
1st and 3rd Friday of each month*
Hours: 7PM to 11PM *
* unless otherwise noted in the bulletin and similar
communication instruments.
What Pope John Paul II
Himself Says About Eucharistic Adoration.
The
worship of the Eucharist outside of the Mass is of inestimable value for
the life of the Church . . . It is pleasant to spend time with Him, to lie
close to His breast like the Beloved Disciple and to feel the infinite
love present in His Heart. If in our time Christians must be distinguished
above all by the “art of prayer,” how can we not feel a renewed need to
spend time in spiritual converse, in silent adoration, in heartfelt love
before Christ present in the Most Holy Sacrament? How often, dear brothers
and sisters, have I experienced this, and drawn from it strength,
consolation and support!. . . The presence of Christ under the species
reserved after Mass – a presence which lasts as long as the species of
bread and wine remain – derives from the celebration of the sacrifice and
is directed towards communion, both sacramental and spiritual. It is the
responsibility of Pastors to encourage, also by their personal witness,
the practice of Eucharistic adoration, and exposition of the Blessed
Sacrament in particular, as well as prayer of adoration before Christ
present under the Eucharistic species. . .
This is an aspect of the Eucharist which merits greater attention: in
celebrating the sacrifice of the Lamb, we are united to the heavenly
“liturgy” and become part of that great multitude which cries out:
“Salvation to the Lamb!” (Rev 7:10). The Eucharist is truly a glimpse of
heaven appearing on earth. It is a glorious ray of the heavenly Jerusalem
which pierces the clouds of our history and lights up our journey . . .
and plants a seed of living hope in our daily commitment to the work
before us. . .
Let us take our place, dear brothers and sisters, at the school of the
saints, who are the great interpreters of true Eucharistic piety. In them
the theology of the Eucharist takes on all the splendor of a lived
reality: it becomes “contagious” and, in a manner of speaking, it “warms
our hearts”. Above all, let us listen to Mary Most Holy, in whom the
mystery of the Eucharist appears, more than in anyone else, as a mystery
of light. Gazing upon Mary, we come to know the transforming power present
in the Eucharist. In her we see the world renewed in love.
Ecclesia de Eucharista (17 April, Holy Thursday, 2003
Frequently Asked Questions
Q.
How does exposition differ from adoration?
A.
You don’t need to be concerned if it is referred to as Eucharistic
Adoration or simply Adoration, as many people have become accustomed to
those terms. However, the true definition of
Eucharistic adoration is
prayer before the Blessed Sacrament when it is housed within the
tabernacle. Eucharistic exposition is the ritual by which the Blessed
Sacrament is displayed outside the tabernacle in a monstrance or ciborium
for public veneration by the faithful. Since we provide for the display of
the Eucharist, it is actually Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament that we
are offering at St. Joseph’s.
Q. Why did we choose to offer Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament?
A.
People report
experiencing a greater sense of intimacy with Jesus and attentiveness of
mind and heart to prayer when they are able to actually “see” our
Eucharistic Lord. Moreover, according to Church regulations exposing the
Blessed Sacrament for a period of time requires the presence of a
sufficient number of people to be there and therefore fosters the
commitment needed to establish and sustain a meaningful parish Eucharistic
adoration program. But the best reason for having exposition of the
Blessed Sacrament is simply that God wills it. During His Eucharistic
discourse, Jesus made this unmistakably clear:
“Indeed, this is
the will of My Heavenly Father, that everyone who looks upon the Son, and
believes in Him, shall have eternal life. Him I will raise up on the last
day” (John 6:40).
Q. How many people need to be present?
A.
It is preferred that at least 2 people are present during hours of
exposition. However, as long as one person is present at all times, we are
meeting minimum requirements.
Q.
Who can prepare the chapel for
Exposition of the
Blessed Sacrament?
A. A priest,
deacon, or Eucharistic Minister may be the only people who can prepare the
Eucharist for exposition. If none of these people are available, adorers
can still go to the chapel during designated hours, however, the Eucharist
will remain sealed in the tabernacle.
Q. How old do you need to be to be an adorer?
A. There is no
official age limit. However, it is suggested that the evening hour
adoration be reserved to high school age and above. We are working on
establishing a separate program of adoration for the youth of the parish.
Q. Who is responsible for organizing the Exposition of the Blessed
Sacrament?
A. Several
parishioners help to coordinate the activities needed to ensure that each
session is managed properly. We have decided to ask one Eucharistic
Minister (or priest or deacon) to be present during each of the available
hours of adoration. This will guarantee that we will have the necessary
coverage for each available hour of adoration.
Q. Do I need to know any special prayers or know how to sing?
A. No.
Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament at St. Joseph’s is intended to be
silent prayer at the discretion of each adorer. We are required to open
the evening with a prayer and close the evening with a prayer. If you are
attending during the first or last hour, there will be a short prayer
which you are invited to recite along with the Eucharistic Minister.
Q. Can I stay longer than an hour?
A.
Adorers are invited to spend any amount of time with the Lord. Spend as
long as you wish in His Presence. Many adoration programs provide sign up
sheets that start and stop on the hour. For this reason adoration resource
material sometimes discusses the concept of “Spending an Hour with The
Lord” . For scheduling purposes, we also use the concept of hours.
However, there is no obligation to arrive at the start of any particular
hour or to limit the time spent in adoration to only an hour.
Q. Will adoration be available year round?
A.
As long as there are no conflicts with masses or other liturgical events,
the Exposition of The Blessed Sacrament will be provided at the scheduled
times. Exposition of the Eucharist is not permitted during any mass or
between Holy Thursday and Easter. During these times the chapel can still
be used for adoration of the Eucharist that is not on public display.
Q. Why should I go? What can I get out of it?
A.
Besides providing a way to transition from a hectic week or giving
yourself a chance to just take some time for yourself, sitting in His
Presence offers far-reaching effects. The power of prayer and reflection
offers unlimited benefits to the community and those who are served by our
parish family. If you would like to read more about the history and power
of Eucharistic Adoration, visit this site as well as other links that are
available:
http://www.therealpresence.org/eucharst/pea/history.htm
Q. Why should I give up my time?
A.
Why not? It is an hour or so of your time a couple of times a month. When
you think about what you do on a Friday evening, chances are that you will
be able to find a way to spend an hour with Jesus before or after your
other obligations, recreation, or commitments.
Q. Why now?
A.
Our community should come together in prayer. There is no better time than
now to offer such a special way to pray.
Adoration Quick Facts
What is Adoration?
Eucharistic Adoration is a posture of love, the placing of oneself in the
presence of our Lord Jesus Christ in the Blessed Sacrament, whether
reposed inside the tabernacle, or exposed inside a special stand called a
monstrance. Eucharistic Adoration (Adoration) is a time dedicated to
personal prayer and reflection in the Presence of Jesus Christ. Generally,
when a parish or organization holds a specific time of Adoration they are
referring to a time where the Blessed Sacrament is visible in the
monstrance for the people to pray before. Adoration is available to
all parishioners.
What are my obligations
and requirements if I attend?
There
are no required prayers, readings, or other participatory events that take
place during adoration. Adorers sit and pray in silence using whatever
prayers or material they bring with them. There are no pre-registration or
other obligations.
Why should I consider
attending Adoration?
People
come to Eucharistic Adoration with a variety of motives and methods of
prayer. Some people come who are suffering in some way, who are
experiencing turmoil in their lives and who seek refuge in the love of
Jesus. Others come to give praise and thanksgiving to God for His grace
working in their life. Still others come to simply sit or kneel in His
presence, to find a moment of peace with God in the midst of a busy life.
What should I bring
with me?
Some
people bring the Bible or a spiritual book to read (most Adoration chapels
also have books available there for you to read), others pray the Rosary
or the Divine Mercy chaplet, to help them focus their minds and hearts on
the mystery of our salvation by Jesus Christ. In Adoration, you are
invited to come as you are, no matter where you are on your spiritual
journey - Jesus is there to meet you where you are at, and to show you His
love and mercy in a new and special way, a way just for you!
How long is Adoration?
The
chapel is available for adorers to sit in Adoration between the hours of
7PM and 12AM on the 1st and 3rd Friday of each month
(unless otherwise noted). While there is no rule, adorers tend to stay for
about an hour during these times. Most times adorers arrive at the top of
an hour and stay until the start of the following hour. Again, you can
show up whenever you want and stay as long as you want. There is no
registration and no commitment ahead of time.
What is the obligation
of Eucharistic Ministers during Adoration?
Since
the Eucharist is exposed in the monstrance it is required that at least
one Eucharistic Minister (EM) be present during all the hours of
Adoration. This is to help prepare the chapel at the start of Adoration
and to close the chapel at the conclusion. Also, these individuals are
able to act in the event the Eucharist needs to be returned to the
tabernacle before the conclusion of the evening of Adoration. Only those
EMs who wish to be assigned to a particular hour of Adoration for these
coverage purposes need to sign up for their hour of Adoration in advance.
All other EMs can attend any hour of Adoration without having to sign up
in advance.
Adoration Prayer
I
adore you, O Jesus, God of Love, truly present in the Most Holy Sacrament.
I adore you Who has come to Your Own but were not received by them. I
adore you, Whom the majority of mankind rejected and despised. I adore
you, Whom the impious incessantly are offend by their sacrileges and
blasphemies. I adore you, Who are grieved by the coldness and indifference
of a vast number of Christians. I adore you, O Infinite Goodness, Who has
wrought so many miracles, in order to reveal Your love to us. I adore you,
with all the angels and saints, and with those chosen souls that are now
already the blessed of Your Father and are all aglow with burning love for
you. I adore you with all Your friends, O Jesus! With them I prostrate
myself at the foot of the Altar, to offer you my most profound homage, to
receive Your Divine Inspiration, and to implore Your grace. Oh, how good
it is for me to be here with you! How sweet to hear the Voice of my
Beloved! O Victim of Divine Love! A piercing cry breaks forth from Your
Heart here on the Altar, as it once did on Calvary; it is the cry of Love;
"I thirst,"
You call to You children,
"I thirst for your love!
Come all, whom I love as My Father has loved Me; come and quench the
thirst that consumes Me!
Lord Jesus, behold I come. My heart is small, but it is all Yours. You are
a prisoner in our Tabernacles, You the Lord of Lords! And love it is, that
holds you here as such! You leave the Tabernacle only to come to us, to
unite Yourself with the faithful soul and allow Your Divine Love to reign
within. O King of Love! Come, live and reign in me. I want no other law
but the law of Your Love! No, no, I henceforth desire to know nothing,
neither of this world nor of what is in it, nor of myself; Your Love alone
shall rule in me eternally.
O Jesus, grant me this grace! Break all my fetters, strip me of all that
is not of Yourself, in order that Your Love may be my life here below, and
my happiness and delight in eternity, Amen.
Decree of S. Congregation of indulgences, May 30th, 1908.
Approved, Cleveland, May 1st, 1923.
Joseph Schrembs, D. D., Bishop of Cleveland.
