Eucharistic Adoration

Eucharistic Devotion

Eucharistic devotion is available anytime our
chapel is open. Exposition of the blessed sacrament in a monstrance is scheduled during special prayer gatherings or seasons.

What is Adoration and Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament?

"The solemn exposition of the holy Eucharist offers the opportunity to the people of God for prayerful reflection on their call to a deeper devotion to the holy Eucharist and a more faithful living of the Christian life.  It provides them with an opportunity to become more aware of Christ's presence with his people and invites them to a spiritual communion with him" (Order for the Solemn Exposition of the Holy Eucharist, #3).

Our devotions before the Blessed Sacrament should always bring out the meaning of the Eucharist in both in its correlation with our Eucharistic liturgies (Mass) and as the source and culmination of our Christian life.  Christ's true presence calls us to prayer and to Christian action.  We reserve the Blessed Sacrament for those who are sick within our communities and unable to join us in the celebration of the Eucharist.  It is only because we reserve the Blessed Sacrament for this purpose that we can pray whenever we are near the reserved sacrament - thus we have adoration.

Adoration is any time spent in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament, and adoration can take place any time the church is open to the community. Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, in contrast to adoration, refers to the public display of the Blessed Sacrament in the monstrance or ciborium.  During exposition, there can be periods of music, readings from sacred scripture, preaching, intercessory prayer, and sacred silence.  The ritual concludes with benediction, a special blessing of those present.

Overall, care must be taken that Eucharistic adoration "clearly brings out the meaning of eucharistic worship in its correlation with the Mass.  There must be nothing about the appointments used for exposition that could in any way obscure Christ’s intention of instituting the Eucharist above all to be near us to feed, to heal, and to comfort us"  (The Rites, Eucharistic Worship Outside of Mass, #82).