AFTER THE LAUNCH OF ADORATION IN A PARISH OR IN A CITY
4.1. Replacing oneself: a difficulty, an anguish … or a gift? Response
4.2. What must the priest do after the launch of perpetual adoration? Response
4.3. Adoration should be silent? Response
4.4. Adoration during the Mass? Response
4.5. And cleaning the chapel? Response
4.6. Should we make lists of potential replacements / substitutes? Response
4.7. What if an adorer does not come for his hour? Response
4.8. Who can expose and repose the Blessed Sacrament? Response
4.9. How can new adorers be found? Response
4.10. How can the leaders be trained? Response
4.11. Is there any magazine to help adorers? Books, CDs? Response
4.12. Adoration during the Paschal Triduum? The Altar of Repose? Solemnity of Corpus Christi? Response
4.13. What to do during the holidays? Response
4.14. Are “boost missions” necessary? How often? Response
4.15. Initiative to motivate night adorers … Response
4.16. What are the other options for night adoration? Adoration in homes, monthly commitment … Response
4.17. What if a homeless person comes to sleep at night in the adoration chapel? Response
4.18. Ask a question here
4.1. Replacing oneself: a difficulty, an anguish … or a gift?
To replace myself for adoration, might, at first glance, appear to me as a problem, a concern, an anguish, a calamity…. or it’s actually a gift:
- A gift for me that has to turn me into a missionary, an evangelist to offer those around me to be a replacement.
- A gift for the one I am asking because it’s an opportunity for him to take stock of where he is in his relationship with God.
- A gift for those who accept because they will make the extraordinary experience of spending an hour face to face with Jesus, the Son of God. So, let us receive and make this gift with joy.
See the replacement sheet to give adorers (adorers.pdf) and to be displayed in the Adoration Chapel (replacement.pdf)
4.2. What must the priest do after the launch of perpetual adoration?
After the launch of perpetual adoration, the priest changes the host once a month, as requested by the Church.
It’s also often desirable to explain in some homilies the main principles of the spiritual life to help the adorers not to get discouraged during periods of spiritual dryness and aridity that can happen during adoration. The priest is regularly informed by the coordinator of the difficulties that can arrive …
It’s so important that the priest is involved in perpetual adoration by committing to a weekly hour. His witness of prayer will be a great support for the adorers.
4.3. Adoration should be silent?
The adoration chapel at all costs must remain a place of silence. However, an adorer can vocally pray a prayer like the rosary. This is acceptable if he is alone in the chapel, or else if the other adorers present orally wish to pray with him. But this must remain exceptional. We always prefer silence to avoid the risk to annoy someone with vocal prayer when he wants to adore silently.
The parish can also arrange a time of monthly community adoration (with meditations, hymns…) to help new adorers discover Eucharistic adoration. In this case, the adorer who chose this time of adoration will be told in advance.
4.4. Adoration during the Mass?
It is not possible to have exposition of the Blessed Sacrament in a side chapel where Mass is celebrated on the altar, unless the side chapel is separated by a partition.
Also, it is highly recommended by the liturgical norms to celebrate at least once a week a Mass in the chapel of perpetual adoration. This highlights the link between the Eucharistic liturgy and adoration which prolongs and intensifies what is celebrated in the Mass (cf. Sacramentum Caritatis # 67)
If the parish only has one Sunday Mass, even if it’s in a different church than the adoration chapel, then we must stop adoration during this time on Sundays. If not, an adorer would be prevented from attending Mass on Sundays, which would be an aberration. On the other hand, if there are several Sunday Masses, then it is possible to extend the adoration (in a chapel other than where the Mass is) throughout the weekend.
4.5. And cleaning the chapel?
It is good to reserve an hour in the week for the cleaning the chapel. The Blessed Sacrament is reposed during that time.
4.6. Should we make lists of potential replacements / substitutes?
It is strongly not advisable to display in the adoration chapel a sheet with a list of replacements. On this type of sheet, the adorers would inscribe their future absences… Even if that seems convenient, there is no guarantee that an adorer will cover the empty slot specified on the sheet. It is strongly recommended to follow precisely the method presented on this site. Many other experiences have generally been negative, as they do not promote the search for a replacement with the certainty of finding one. The following method allows, thanks to the teams, to gather adorers who adore in the same time slot of the day. These people will find, in all likelihood, someone from their team to replace them if necessary. By making some efforts, we always find a replacement. Help yourself and heaven will help you!
4.7. What if an adorer does not come for his hour?
Case 1. During the Day: often the day adorers adore in pairs. Thus if an adorer is late, the other should be there. In the case where there is only one adorer assigned for that hour, we can say that generally, many parishioners come throughout the day to take a short time of adoration in addition to their weekly hour of adoration. These can wait for the adorer who is late to arrive, or for the next adorer … Otherwise, we can display in the chapel the telephone number of the parish secretariat or the priest to remedy an absence, but this must remain exceptional!
Case 2. At night: in this case, it is rarer that the adorers come in pairs. They are usually alone at night. Most of the time, a security system, such as a digital code, is set up so that nobody, except the adorers, has access to the adoration chapel. Thus, if exceptionally, the Blessed Sacrament is left exposed without an adorer, the monstrance is not likely to be stolen nor the Blessed Sacrament desecrated. But this must remain absolutely extremely rare.
4.8. Who can expose and repose the Blessed Sacrament?
When perpetual adoration is organised in a parish, it sometimes happens that several places of adoration are selected (e.g. a place for the day and one for the night, or several clusters having exposition in turns every week …). It is then difficult for the priest or deacon to expose and repose the Blessed Sacrament every day. Can an Eucharistic minister fulfil this role?
Here is an excerpt of the Ritual of the Eucharist outside of Mass – the Minister of Eucharistic exposition:
91. The ordinary minister for exposition of the eucharist is a priest or deacon. At the end of the period of adoration, before the reposition, he blesses the congregation with the sacrament.
In the absence of a priest or deacon or if they are lawfully impeded, the following persons may publicly expose and later repose the eucharist for the adoration of the faithful:
a. an acolyte or special minister of communion;
b. upon appointment by the local Ordinary, a member of a religious community or of a pious association of laymen or laywomen which is devoted to Eucharistic adoration.
Such ministers may open the tabernacle and also, as required, place the ciborium on the altar or place the host in the monstrance. At the end of the period of adoration, they replace the blessed sacrament in the tabernacle. It is not lawful, however, for them to give the blessing with the sacrament.
92. The minister, if he is a priest or deacon, should vest in an alb, or a surplice over a cassock, and a stole. Other ministers should wear either the liturgical vestments that are used in the region or the vesture that is befitting this ministry and is approved by the Ordinary.
The priest or deacon should wear a white cope and humeral veil to give the blessing at the end of adoration, when the exposition takes place with the monstrance; in the case of exposition in the ciborium, he should put on the humeral veil.(https://www.ewtn.com/library/CURIA/CDWSACRA.HTM)
Thus, the same as the priest can send an extraordinary minister to bring communion to the sick, the priest may depute a parishioner to expose or to repose the Blessed Sacrament … The priest will make the appropriate judgment and choose a regular adorer whose life is consistent with the norms of the Church. He will give him the proper training to expose and to repose the Blessed Sacrament, this only when a priest or deacon cannot do it. On the other hand, he will in no case give a blessing with the Blessed Sacrament!
4.9. How can new adorers be found?
- Study the reasons for adoration and the spiritual benefits that result.
- Invite, with the agreement of the parish priest, a “Missionary of the Most Holy Eucharist” for a ‘boost mission’ during the Masses of a weekend. (see 4.14)
- Organise an ‘Evening of Testimonies’, e.g. on the anniversary of the establishment of perpetual adoration, when all the adorers can come, to witness what the Lord has done for them. Ask the parish priest or an external speaker for a conference; present a video followed by testimonies …
- Another effective approach is to work with the active parish organisations. Use the newsletter of the parish, make particular visits, distribute CDs, books or brochures. Contact parishioners who have not yet enrolled and invite them to spend an hour a week with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament … Ask the adorers who are already enrolled if they would like to adore one more hour.
- Put posters in surrounding Churches (with permission). These attractive and informative posters give the contact details and place of adoration and the contact person to participate in adoration … Be trusting! Persevere in your efforts so that Jesus is loved in his sacrament of love!
4.10. How can the leaders be trained?
Several meetings are organised by the “Missionaries of the Most Holy Eucharist” to train leaders and adorers. It is important to remain attentive to events organised in relation to Eucharistic adoration….
Enclosed is a Fr. Florian conference (The Coordinators of Adoration in the school of John the Baptist) on the biblical foundations of the leaders of adoration. This text takes the dimensions of John the Baptist’s life by showing how the role of leaders of adoration is part of the vocation and mission of John the Baptist.
4.11. Is there any magazine to help adorers? Books, CDs?
We publish a monthly magazine in French “Brasier Eucharistique” which aims, by the testimony of parishes with adoration, the teachings of the Magisterium, the great texts on adoration, to form adorers in their weekly prayer and to support them in their fidelity. We also offer many books, brochures, CDs, DVDs … See our documentation.
4.12. Adoration during the Paschal Triduum? The Altar of Repose? Solemnity of Corpus Christi?
Visiting the Altar of Repose (from the “Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy. Principles and guidelines? Congregation for Divine Worship, December 2001)
141. Popular piety is particularly sensitive to the adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament in the wake of the Mass of the Lord’s supper (145). Because of a long historical process, whose origins are not entirely clear, the place of repose has traditionally been referred to as a “a holy sepulchre”. The faithful go there to venerate Jesus who was placed in a tomb following the crucifixion and in which he remained for some forty hours.
It is necessary to instruct the faithful on the meaning of the reposition: it is an austere solemn conservation of the Body of Christ for the community of the faithful which takes part in the liturgy of Good Friday and for the viaticum of the infirmed. It is an invitation to silent and prolonged adoration of the wondrous sacrament instituted by Jesus on this day.
In reference to the altar of repose, therefore, the term “sepulchre” should be avoided, and its decoration should not have any suggestion of a tomb. The tabernacle on this altar should not be in the form of a tomb or funerary urn. The Blessed Sacrament should be conserved in a closed tabernacle and should not be exposed in a monstrance.
After mid-night on Holy Thursday, the adoration should conclude without solemnity, since the day of the Lord’s Passion has already begun… “
(http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccdds/documents/rc_con_ccdds_doc_20020513_vers-direttorio_en.html).
Thus, exposition of the Blessed Sacrament stops at the beginning of the celebration of the Last Supper (Liturgy of Holy Thursday with the washing of feet, the institution of the Eucharist and the Priesthood). After Mass, the Blessed Sacrament is brought in procession to the altar of repose. “Pange Lingua” is sung. It is reposed in a closed tabernacle, without monstrance, but surrounded by flowers. The Passion of Jesus has begun. The forces of evil have unleashed themselves on our Lord. A Holy Hour is offered to the parishioners. We respond thus to the invitation of Jesus: “Could you not watch one hour with Me. Watch and pray not to enter into temptation.” Throughout the night, the faithful take turns in front of the altar of repose. This can be continued until the Via Crucis or even to the office of the Passion.
The Hosts contained in the Altar of Repose are then consumed during the Office of the Passion (Good Friday). The Blessed Sacrament is no longer present in the church, neither in the Altar of Repose, nor in any chapel …
Perpetual adoration resumes after the great Easter Vigil when a new host is consecrated. Christ is risen! He has appeared to his disciples! Come let us adore Him!
For Corpus Christi, see : http://www.liturgyoffice.org.uk/Resources/HCW/HCWE-Introduction.pdf…
4.13. What to do during the holidays?
In theory, adorers should anticipate their absences and organise, before the holidays, replacements in the usual way. However, in practice and especially before the summer holidays, we notice that some adorers don’t think of their replacements for their summer holidays. So to help adorers, it is recommended that those responsible for adoration organise themselves by anticipating the holidays. Before the holiday periods (Christmas, Easter, summer holidays …), the head of each division (quarter) gathers his team (hourly) leaders to encourage them to do the necessary to ensure the adoration chain is not interrupted … In the process, the team (hourly) leaders contact the adorers of his team and provides potential replacements (e.g. the August adorers can replace the July adorers and vice-versa …).
He can do this by calling each adorer by telephone or by bringing his team together as foreseen each year. This work can be done very quickly. The team (hourly) leader asks the adorers for their absences and if they have a planned replacement. He also asks them if they can fill a vacant hour during the weeks that they remain in the parish over the holidays. Very few parishioners leave the parish for two consecutive months. Also, during the summer, the usual parish activities are paused. We can thus find a little more time for prayer and do an extra hour of adoration in the week. Please note, experience shows that when the adoration chain is interrupted for a few weeks, it is very difficult afterwards to revive it all. If necessary, we can make invitations during the weekend Masses to invite vacationers to fill the unfilled hours … But experience shows that by planning in advance, solutions are always found so that the adoration remains perpetual, even during the holidays … As they say: “Help yourself and heaven will help you!”
4.14. Are “boost missions” necessary? How often?
Experience shows that it is appropriate to do this process every two years. One or two missionaries, invited with the agreement of the parish priest, come to do a boost mission in the parish during a weekend. They preach again at the different Masses on Eucharistic adoration to encourage current adorers as well as to give a desire to other parishioners to commit to an hour of adoration per week. During the homilies, it’s very important to make a new distribution of invitations with pencils as what was done at the launch of adoration … In addition to preaching, the missionary will offer a conference to deepen the process of adoration. Also, during a meeting, he gathers together all the leaders (hourly, division, coordinator) and gives an update on the organisation in place. It’s good to clarify once again the main tasks for the leaders. He recalls the importance for teams to meet regularly as stated in the organisational documents, in order to maintain a continuous chain of adoration.
Document why and how to do boost mission
4.15. Initiative to motivate night adorers …
Offer a difficult hour of the night for a big intention of the Church: In the perpetual adoration places in France, we notice the following problems: If the hours of the day between 6 am and midnight are easily covered by adorers, this is not always the case for the hours of the night. Many parishes tell of their difficulty in ensuring that the nights are fully covered or to find replacements during holidays for these difficult hours. Many adorers generously committed to the night hours when having heard the homily of a “Missionary of the Most Holy Eucharist”, but some become discouraged over time because of the greatness of the act of faith required and of the fatigue often experienced the next day.
To support this commitment, it seems important to emphasise the ecclesial dimension of adoration, setting, for each night of the week, a big prayer intention for the Church and the world. In addition to the brochure “The value of Sacrifice,”we give to the night adorers the document below during a Sunday Mass with a solemn blessing by the parish priest. The night adorers receive from the church an hour of nightly adoration as a service of prayer to carry the world, with great intent.
See also the reasons to adore the night in the section “Why perpetual adoration”.
4.16. What are the other options for night adoration? Adoration in homes, monthly commitment …
The simplest option is the one presented by the accompanying documents (see organisation): the night adorers come in turns to spend an hour of adoration and then return to their homes to sleep. If the parish can make available a bedroom or two for people who cannot travel at night, that’s excellent. But for this, there must be a larger organisation (room cleaning, safety measures, heating, cost …). This proposal is practiced in some countries where it is impossible to travel at night, for example because of the snow (Lithuania, Canada …)
We also find this option in some big cities where violence makes it too dangerous to access the chapel at night. For example, two adorers can come to spend, not an hour at night per week, but one night a month. A bedroom is available. The two adorers remain overnight in the church buildings. When one adorer rests, the other adores the Blessed Sacrament and in the middle of the night, they swap … Instead of having 6 adorers for 7 nights = 42 adorers who adore an hour at night per week, we have 2 adorers for 30 nights = 60 adorers who adore half a night per month … It’s possible.
Another solution is to do adoration during the day in the parish church and during the night in family homes. Every evening, a minister of the Eucharist brings the Blessed Sacrament to a family that has volunteered to host the Blessed Sacrament. The family organises the adoration in turns throughout the night. For this, family members, friends, relatives, neighbours are sought. This not only responds to the desire of Jesus to visit families: “Zacchaeus, I want to stay with you,” but it makes the adorers missionaries because they invite people from their neighbourhood to take a time of adoration. It is good to have around thirty families who take turns to host the Blessed Sacrament one night per month. The Blessed Sacrament is brought back each morning to the parish church for day adoration with the whole community. This method is in place in some countries of insecurity, but it could be done in many other places, even the less dangerous …
4.17. What if a homeless person comes to sleep at night in the adoration chapel?
This is extremely delicate. Several places of adoration have ceased because of the presence of a person using the adoration chapel, not to adore but to sleep … As delicate and sensitive as this question is, we must do everything so that the adoration chapel retains its primary function, that is to say, adoration of the Blessed Sacrament perpetually. If a person comes to sleep there, it is imperative to find another solution, such as the parish council, to help the homeless person to sleep in an appropriate place. Otherwise, the adorers will no longer come during the night; they will have fear and adoration will stop sooner or later, but certainly …
