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COPYRIGHT 2010 © Holy Cross Parish at St. Patrick's Church, Olyphant, PA
What is Eucharistic Adoration?
During the Mass, Christ is present in several ways.
First, He is present in the gathered assembly as
they pray and sing, for Christ promised “where two
or three are gathered together in my name am I in
the midst of them” (Mt 18:20). He is present in the
person of the priest who offers the sacrifice of the
Mass. Christ is also present in His Word, since it is
He Himself who speaks when the holy scriptures
are read in the Church. But it is through the
Eucharistic elements (bread & wine) that Christ is
most present to us. Through the prayers of the
priest, (Take this all of you and eat it, this is my
body… ; Take this all of you and drink from it, this is
the cup of my blood…) the bread and wine which we offer as the bloodless
sacrifice to our Lord, truly become the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of
Jesus. It is His true Presence in the form of bread and wine. It is Christ.
Adoration is when the priest or deacon takes a consecrated host, and places
it in a monstrance (monstrance comes from the Latin "monstrare" - to show)
then places it on the altar for adoration.
What do you actually do during adoration?
It is a unique opportunity to pray before the very presence of Our Lord,
exposed in the monstrance. It means that you can have some time in the real
presence of the Lord, to recite your favorite prayers, read the bible,
contemplate acts of faith, hope, charity, thanksgiving, reparation, pray a
rosary or do whatever type of prayerful devotion that suits you, before Our
Lord. It is also a unique opportunity for families to come together and spend
some quiet time with the Lord as a family.
Eucharistic Adoration Chapel History
In 2004 the Baptismal Font at St. Patrick’s Church was moved from the
Baptistery Chapel to the main church. A parishioner suggested using the
empty space as a meditation room where one could go to pray and meditate.
After consideration, then pastor, Father Philip Sladicka, suggested a
Eucharistic Adoration Chapel.
In August of 2004, Father Sladicka began having
meetings with interested parishioners to pray and plan for
an adoration program. The room was prepared. An oak
piece of furniture was purchased that suited perfectly for
an altar along with a rug for the marble floor. Father
Sladicka was able to obtain a tabernacle from a church
which had closed years before. Since the room was
already equipped with a bench, an original pew from the
church, two kneelers were moved in and two upholstered
chairs added to complete the chapel.
In March of 2005 a coordinator volunteered to oversee
the program. On a weekend in April, a priest of the
Missionary Priests of the Blessed Sacrament in
Philadelphia, came to address the parishioners of all
three yoked parishes, St. Patrick, Holy Ghost and
St. Michael the Archangel, at the weekend Masses. He spoke about
Eucharistic Adoration and the process of setting up a program. That
weekend 165 people signed up to spend one hour of adoration each week.
Only a few people had signed up tor weekend hours
so it was decided to begin with weekday adoration form Monday morning at 9
o’clock until Friday evening at 7 o’clock. The coordinator and parish
members on the adoration organization team contacted those who had signed
up and set up a schedule according to the planned process.
On Sunday, May 22, 2005 the chapel was dedicated and named after Pope
John Paul II, a strong advocate of Eucharistic Adoration. A beautiful picture of
Pope John Paul II hangs over the door of the chapel. Our Eucharistic
Adoration began the next day at 9 A.M.
At present we have 141 people covering 106 ½ hours each week from
Monday after 8 A.M. Mass until Friday at 7 P.M. We also have a list of
substitutes. Members are encouraged to have a friend or family member fill in
for them when they are not able to cover their hour. However, if necessary,
members contact the coordinator and a substitute is called to fill in. In some
cases members switch their hour with another member. Many people had to
leave due to illness, moving from the area, changes in work schedules, family
circumstances, etc. As each person had to leave, replacements were soon
signed up through announcements in the bulletin and at weekend Masses.
On May 23, 2009 we will complete four years of Adoration. Over 36,000
hours have been offered to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. Each year
around the anniversary date, members of our program gather with our pastor,
Father Thomas Muldowney, for a Sunday Mass in thanksgiving for the
success of our Eucharistic Adoration program. Afterwards everyone gathers
for a dinner where all can meet socially with new and old friends.
During the Mass, Christ is present in several ways.
First, He is present in the gathered assembly as
they pray and sing, for Christ promised “where two
or three are gathered together in my name am I in
the midst of them” (Mt 18:20). He is present in the
person of the priest who offers the sacrifice of the
Mass. Christ is also present in His Word, since it is
He Himself who speaks when the holy scriptures
are read in the Church. But it is through the
Eucharistic elements (bread & wine) that Christ is
most present to us. Through the prayers of the
priest, (Take this all of you and eat it, this is my
body… ; Take this all of you and drink from it, this is
the cup of my blood…) the bread and wine which we offer as the bloodless
sacrifice to our Lord, truly become the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of
Jesus. It is His true Presence in the form of bread and wine. It is Christ.
Adoration is when the priest or deacon takes a consecrated host, and places
it in a monstrance (monstrance comes from the Latin "monstrare" - to show)
then places it on the altar for adoration.
What do you actually do during adoration?
It is a unique opportunity to pray before the very presence of Our Lord,
exposed in the monstrance. It means that you can have some time in the real
presence of the Lord, to recite your favorite prayers, read the bible,
contemplate acts of faith, hope, charity, thanksgiving, reparation, pray a
rosary or do whatever type of prayerful devotion that suits you, before Our
Lord. It is also a unique opportunity for families to come together and spend
some quiet time with the Lord as a family.
Eucharistic Adoration Chapel History
In 2004 the Baptismal Font at St. Patrick’s Church was moved from the
Baptistery Chapel to the main church. A parishioner suggested using the
empty space as a meditation room where one could go to pray and meditate.
After consideration, then pastor, Father Philip Sladicka, suggested a
Eucharistic Adoration Chapel.
In August of 2004, Father Sladicka began having
meetings with interested parishioners to pray and plan for
an adoration program. The room was prepared. An oak
piece of furniture was purchased that suited perfectly for
an altar along with a rug for the marble floor. Father
Sladicka was able to obtain a tabernacle from a church
which had closed years before. Since the room was
already equipped with a bench, an original pew from the
church, two kneelers were moved in and two upholstered
chairs added to complete the chapel.
In March of 2005 a coordinator volunteered to oversee
the program. On a weekend in April, a priest of the
Missionary Priests of the Blessed Sacrament in
Philadelphia, came to address the parishioners of all
three yoked parishes, St. Patrick, Holy Ghost and
St. Michael the Archangel, at the weekend Masses. He spoke about
Eucharistic Adoration and the process of setting up a program. That
weekend 165 people signed up to spend one hour of adoration each week.
Only a few people had signed up tor weekend hours
so it was decided to begin with weekday adoration form Monday morning at 9
o’clock until Friday evening at 7 o’clock. The coordinator and parish
members on the adoration organization team contacted those who had signed
up and set up a schedule according to the planned process.
On Sunday, May 22, 2005 the chapel was dedicated and named after Pope
John Paul II, a strong advocate of Eucharistic Adoration. A beautiful picture of
Pope John Paul II hangs over the door of the chapel. Our Eucharistic
Adoration began the next day at 9 A.M.
At present we have 141 people covering 106 ½ hours each week from
Monday after 8 A.M. Mass until Friday at 7 P.M. We also have a list of
substitutes. Members are encouraged to have a friend or family member fill in
for them when they are not able to cover their hour. However, if necessary,
members contact the coordinator and a substitute is called to fill in. In some
cases members switch their hour with another member. Many people had to
leave due to illness, moving from the area, changes in work schedules, family
circumstances, etc. As each person had to leave, replacements were soon
signed up through announcements in the bulletin and at weekend Masses.
On May 23, 2009 we will complete four years of Adoration. Over 36,000
hours have been offered to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. Each year
around the anniversary date, members of our program gather with our pastor,
Father Thomas Muldowney, for a Sunday Mass in thanksgiving for the
success of our Eucharistic Adoration program. Afterwards everyone gathers
for a dinner where all can meet socially with new and old friends.
| John Paul II Adoration Chapel at St. Patrick's |
