DURING THE LAUNCH MISSION
3.1. How does the establishment of perpetual adoration take place in a parish or a city? Response
3.2. How many preachers need to come to a parish or a city? Response
3.3. Why do we need to have adoration organised, structured? Response
3.4. The method. What are the roles of the main team? (1 coordinator, 4 division leaders, and for big parishes or cities 24 hourly leaders) Response
3.5. List of documents explaining different proposed methods (perpetual, partial, rural adoration…) Response
3.6. Should we follow the structure presented here? Are there other possible methods? Response
3.7. How are the invitations distributed during the mass? Response
3.8. How long does it take between the arrival of a “Missionary of the Most Holy Eucharist” and the launch of the new rota of adoration? Response
3.9. Is there a cost for the coming of the “Missionaries of the Most Holy Eucharist”? Response
3.10. How can we help parishioners to commit to one hour of adoration per week? Reasons to adore for an hour… Response
3.11. Is there any software to create adoration rotas? What documents may be made available in the chapel of adoration? Response
3.12. What type of monstrance should you choose for perpetual or partial adoration? What security system should be provided? Response
3. 1. How does the establishment of perpetual adoration take place in a parish or in a city?
Here is the second part of question 2.5. Depending on the number of Sunday Masses planned in the parish (or the city), one or two “Missionaries of the Most Holy Eucharist” will make themselves available for a few days in your parish. Here is the ordinary course of the mission:
Arrival of the missionary(ies) on Saturday afternoon. Meeting with the parish priest in order to learn more about the parish, how it works, its challenges, its possible resistance…
- Preaching at each of the weekend Masses. The homily presents Eucharistic adoration as a prolongation of the Mass. After briefly emphasising the personal and ecclesial graces of adoration, parishioners are invited to participate in the chain of adoration by contributing one hour a week. This is one way of responding to Jesus’ invitation to the Garden of Olives: “Could you not watch with me for one hour?”. In practice, an invitation and a pencil are distributed to the parishioners present. Those who desire to participate fill up the invitation. The invitations are grouped together and counted at the end of the Masses.
- Monday evening: organisational meeting. This meeting with the “Missionary of the Most Holy Eucharist” is absolutely essential. It presents the method to set up the chain of adoration in a stable manner. Only the main team members (the coordinator and the 4 division leaders), preferably chosen beforehand by the parish priest, are present. It is strongly recommended that the parish priest participate. We can invite a few additional people to assist the main team members. These people, known for their ability to organise, must also be convinced of the importance of adoration and have experienced it … The 24 hourly leaders, for big parishes and cities, will be chosen later. The method is presented in question 3.4.
- Conference on adoration: In addition to the organisational meeting, it is desirable to organise a conference, open to all parishioners to explain what adoration is, why and how to adore the Blessed Sacrament and what is the missionary dimension of this form of prayer … This conference can be given twice, for example at 2 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. to allow as many people as possible to attend.
3.2. How many preachers are to come?
If several masses are celebrated at similar times in a mission that involves different churches, a second preacher can come. For a big city, it is possible for more missionaries to come.
However, we cannot always have enough priests available to concelebrate all masses. Our parish mission consists primarily in giving the same message at as many Masses as possible in order to have the greatest response possible for adoration. For this, it may happen that the preacher leaves a Mass just after the homily in order to be present at another Mass if the mission is in a few churches …
If it is not possible to be present at the time of a homily at another Mass (if both Masses start almost at the same time or because of distance), it is possible to preach in the 1st church as usual, then immediately join the 2nd church, where mass is already well advanced, and speak after Holy Communion for the adoration. In this case, the local priest who presides over the 2nd mass makes a very short homely after the proclamation of the gospel … All of this must be well prepared and decided between the parish priest and the Missionary(ies) of the Most Holy Eucharist …
3.3. Why a structure, an organisation?
It is necessary to constitute a body. To coordinate pastoral activities, a parish needs to be organised and structured like a body, with a “backbone”. The methods and structures are not opposed to the inspirations of the Spirit who blows where he wills, but these allow pastoral projects to be supported by a common vision and thus achieve lasting effectiveness. The structure is at the service of persons who wish to form a body to proclaim Jesus Christ by sharing their charisms and their talents…
The chapel of perpetual adoration thus requires an organisation or a structure allowing the body of adorers to support each other in prayer, to ensure the continuity of the chain of adoration and to attract new adorers … The commitment to an hour of regular adoration helps adorers to fortify their fidelity. Without this, there is a risk that adoration may be based on overly emotional or sentimental motivations (I’ll adore when I want, if I have time after everything else …) (see next question)
3.4. The method. What are the roles of the main team members? (The coordinator, the 4 division leaders, the in big parishes 24 hourly leaders)
Here is a brief summary of the organisation of perpetual adoration in parishes and the various responsibilities:
1. Each adorer is a guardian of the Blessed Sacrament
Each adorer chooses the hour of the week that best suits him or her to spend with the Lord. It is a loving meeting with Jesus, truly present in the Blessed Sacrament, of one hour per week and the same hour each week.
7 reasons to Adore one hour per week (Download)
With each others permission, each adorer should have a list of adorers in their division (eg. afternoon) and their division leader. It would also be good, for those who agree, to have the telephone numbers of the adorers in their division (it is especially useful for adorers to have the number of others, with their agreement, who adore the hour before and the hour after their hour, as well as the adorers who adore the same hour the other days as they can swap days easily if they are unavailable their normal day of adoration). The adorers who adore the same hour on the different days (eg. 3-4pm) are known as an hourly team and in big parishes one of these will be the hourly leader.
Upon entering the chapel, the adorer writes his name on the attendance sheet. In this way, the parish priest is assured that the Blessed Sacrament never remains alone exposed. The attendance sheet is signed only by those on the rota for each hour (or their replacements) – if other adorers passing by wish to sign a separate book then this can be done, but it is not necessary. How to replace oneself when absent? See question 4.1
2. The 4 division leaders – morning, afternoon, evening and night (and for big parishes the 24 hourly leaders) ensure the smooth running of the hours of the week assigned to their team. They should be willing to witness to others with the desire of attracting new adorers before the Blessed Sacrament. They ensure that each adorer on the team is faithful to their weekly adoration time by regularly checking the signing-in sheets. Without loyalty, there is little spiritual progress. They encourage adorers who find it difficult to persevere. They help adorers find replacements, especially during the holidays. They arrange a meeting of their team at least twice a year to get to know each other better and therefore replace themselves more easily.
3. The division leaders and the coordinator ensure the smooth running of the perpetual adoration. They have good ideas at the right time. After the mission weekend, they call all those who signed up for adoration to ask them for the hour and the day they desire to adore. They fill in the rotas…
3.5. List of documents explaining different proposed methods (perpetual, partial, rural adoration…)
Here is the list of documentsto organise parish adoration (perpetual / partial / rural …) …
3.6. Should one follow the structure presented here? Are there other possible methods?
The method presented on this site has been implemented in around 1,500 parishes and dioceses around the world, including around fifty in France. It was designed to meet the following objectives:
1. to help adorers to be faithful to their weekly adoration hour,
2. to allow the chain of adoration to be uninterrupted and perpetual,
3. to form formators. The Adoration team leaders are concerned with forming their adorers and attracting new adorers,
4. best distribute the role of each leader, allowing optimal efficiency in the replacement of adorers.
Some places of perpetual adoration like Montmartre in Paris or Tyburn Convent in London have very different organisations. Those are organised by religious communities that are devoted to adoring many hours themselves and would be difficult to implement in the context of a parish …
3.7. How are the invitations distributed during the mass?
See………
3.8. How long does it take between the arrival of a “Missionary of the Most Holy Eucharist” for the mission weekend and the launch of the new rota of adoration?
For perpetual adoration, it takes at least one month (more again if there is a holiday period after the mission).
In rural areas, when there are usually less hours of exposition of the Blessed Sacrament in the Churches or Mass centres, two weeks is generally sufficient.
3.9. Is there a cost for the coming of the “Missionaries of the Most Holy Eucharist”?
We ask the parish to reimburse travel (train / plane + airport parking…). If the parish wants to make a donation to the “Missionaries of the Most Holy Eucharist”, that will be used to finance the training of seminarians in the community.
3.10. How can we help parishioners to commit to one hour of adoration per week? Reasons to adore for one hour…
Among the parishioners who are present during the homily of the “Missionary of the Most Holy Eucharist”, most will not commit to one hour of adoration per week. Others, however, (between a quarter and a fifth) will spontaneously commit themselves by filling out the invitation distributed. Others again will be interested in the proposal, but prefer to come and adore without committing.
For the latter, it is possible to present the document: 7 reasons to adore one hour per week. We can also invite these hesitant people to come and adore during a trial period (4 times for example). They can then decide whether or not to continue after this period by committing themselves. Experience shows that very often these people will choose, after this trial period, to take a fixed hour of weekly adoration. Indeed, they will have experienced the Lord’s love in adoration, which they probably hadn’t done before, which explains the reluctance to commit.
But it is necessary to have enough adorers who sign up for one hour a week so that the Blessed Sacrament is always exposed and the chapel is always open. The parish becomes welcoming day and night…
3.11. Is there any software to create listings and rotas of adorers? What documents may be available in the chapel of adoration?
An EXCEL workbookhas been produced to help create the various useful tables (large rota to display in the chapel, small rotas and listings with telephone numbers for division leaders, division rotas for adorers, etc.).
As for the documents available in the chapel of adoration, the coordinator will choose an adorer to select a few writings and books to help adorers to pray. Often, the coordinator will need to remove the books or prayers deposited by the adorers themselves … A Bible is essential. A list of documentsis available on this website, but it is far from exhaustive… Some issues of the “Brasier Eucharistique” may be available in the chapel.
3.12. What type of monstrance should you choose for perpetual or partial adoration? What security system should be provided?
There are several types of monstrances: traditional monstrances placed on the altar, small monstrances that fit inside tabernacles, tabernacles embedded in the wall with a flap or shutters for exposition, a monstrance posed behind reinforced glass with a curtain, or any combinations of these modes of exposure.
The Blessed Sacrament solemnly exposed in a beautiful monstrance on an altar with at least two candles best highlights the real presence of Jesus in the host. Since the Blessed Sacrament cannot be left alone in the chapel, this mode of exposition, whether prolonged or perpetual, must be accompanied by an effective organisation. (see question 3.4).
CAUTION: We in no way encourage tabernacles-monstrances with a shutter, curtain or behind a window, which anyone can open or close at any time of the day or night. Instead of highlighting the real presence and solemnising the process of adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, this form of exposition, which is also not recommended by the Magisterium, has the direct consequence of a disengagement of the adorers. Seeking an easy solution instead of an organisation that seeks to foster loyalty, adoration is then reduced to a simple private devotion and not to an ecclesial prayer. It is no longer a universal prayer for the world where everyone watches, in turn, in the Church and for the Church. The adorers thus lose the sense of “guard of honor” or “guard of love”. They will demotivate very quickly and will have no reason to look for a replacement to adore in their place when they are absent. The chain of adoration will be discontinuous and will gradually fade until it disappears in the long term.
Finally, a parish which chooses one of these modes of exposition, rather than having the monstrance exposed day and night on an altar, does not make the act of faith that the Lord expects and by which he gives a very specific grace for our Church and our time! ” Do not be afraid; just have faith ” (Mk 5:36).
In churches in rural areas, when the number of adorers is very limited, one can use a small monstrance (that fits inside the tabernacle when not exposed) placed on the altar, out of the tabernacle. This system can be more practical when the adoration cannot be extended and when several churches (or Mass centres) have consecutive times of adoration, each week … If the parish priest permits, a layperson can expose the Blessed Sacrament in this way.
It seems preferable to have for example 3 days / 2 nights of adoration with a beautiful monstrance rather than offering a 24/7 adoration with a tabernacle that each one opens or closes, at any time of the week… We would soon have, on one hand the real presence of Jesus and on the other the real absence of parishioners!
Who can expose or repose the Blessed Sacrament? (see question 4.8)
The most practical security system is the installation of a digital code on the door of the chapel which is activated during the night hours and deactivates during the day. Only night adorers know the code. On the other hand, during the day, anyone can come through there …
“Today, Solemn Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament is the grace and need of our times. Exposition is the sovereign grace, the life-blood of the Church and the faithful…I am not afraid to say it: the cult of Solemn Exposition is the great need of our times… It is needed to save society. For society is dying out, because it no longer has a vital principle of truth and charity…but it will be reborn full of vigor when all its members come to gather around life, to Jesus in the Eucharist…Go back to the source of life which is Jesus… Especially to Jesus in his Eucharist…
We must take Him from the back seat and place Him at the head of our Christian civilization, which He will guide and bring to safety. We must rebuild His palace, a royal throne, a court of devoted servants, a family of friends, a people of adorers.…Let us never forget that an age prospers or dwindles in proportion to its devotion to the Holy Eucharist. This is the measure of its spiritual life and its faith, of its charity and its virtue.
May the glorious kingdom of Jesus Eucharistic come! Too long, much too long, have impiety and ingratitude ruled the earth.
May your Kingdom come.”
Saint Peter Julian Eymard
