Perpetual Adoration
Our Lady of Perpetual help is pleased to announce that we now have Perpetual Adoration
Please contact the parish office if you would like to participate in adoration.
Perpetual Adoration Prayers
Granted
• Thank you Lord for reuniting my whole family.
All brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, etc. were
all together for the first time in ten years!
• Thank you Lord for the miracle of my raise. Out
of no where I received a huge raise!
Letter from an Adorer March 2009
After one year of Eucharistic Adoration, I pause to reflect on my experience. In my last letter I referenced William Wordsworth’s commen-tary, “The world is too much with us.” With the recent economic downturn, the pressures of secular concerns intrude with a harsh and merciless hand. Yet, it is in the midst of this distress, an island of serenity and comfort awaits. That little room in the Notre Dame Center is the best part of every jammed packed, on-the-go week.
The quiet and stillness of that Holy Hour is refreshment for my spiritual self, an aspect of my being which in a frenetic, material world is frequently ignored. I am not amazed that I have maintained my weekly commitment, but I am awed that it has come to mean so much to me. Nothing supersedes my hour in the presence of the Eucharist. Further, the hour is lo lulling, so peaceful that it rockets by. It seems no sooner do I kneel to pray and begin my contemplations, then I hear the sharp click of the door knob and the next adorer enters. I must face the chaotic world again. So often in my con-templations, I rediscover the lessons of my youthful catechism. I include prayers for the souls in purgatory in my routine, and I re-member the Morning Offering. Most of all, my prayers led me back to the Sacrament of Reconciliation, long neglected in my life. It is an entirely hopeful sacrament. In con-fession I am absolved. I emerge cleansed. I can start afresh with the Lord’s grace and peace. Why did I deny myself that experi-ence? In that little room, there is time to face yourself in the loving presence of the Father. There is the tranquility to be re-minded of simple lessons of faith and the great gifts of grace ready to heal all the broken places of our hearts. Why did it take me so long to rediscover all these joys? I am only grateful to have the little room and God’s enduring love awaiting for me.
Sincerely,
An ordinary adorer
Testimony of a favor granted from Perpetual Adoration from July 24, 2009:
What has been my Eucharistic adorer experience? When I signed up to undertake the challenge of this weekly commitment, my primary worry was the pressures and stresses of my daily life at home and in the workplace invading my thoughts and distracting my prayers and meditations. I worried about missing my hour because, as William Wadsworth reminds and warns, “The world is too much with us”. I was concerned when I knelt in the chapel that I would run out of prayers in ten minutes, perhaps fall asleep, as worst of all, succumb to the easy contamination of thinking about the burden of the daily grind of kids, husband, errands, deadlines and the eternal question ‘Is there enough in the frig to make dinner?’
I struggled with this worldly interference of my dozen adorer hours. It was like an exhausting and painful mental wrestling match – my secular clutter versus Christ’s invitation to be still and reflect in His Holy presence. It was and is a tremendous test of one’s self control and focus.
When I kneel before the Monstrance and remind myself with wonder that I am, in fact, in adoration before Christ’s authentic presence, not an artificial symbol of Jesus’ body and blood, I am overwhelmed with a sense of quiet, peace and also the most real sense of gentleness I have ever known. The chapel is small and there are others adoring with me, but somehow the company and close quarters vanish in that all encompassing power of Christ’s true presence.
I have come to understand over these many months of regular adoration that this commitment supersedes every other activity of my week. I look forward to its sweetness as a mother desires to be reunited with an absent child. It anchors my work week and offers a refuge while so many tempests of anger, disappointment, envy and fear whirl about me. How many of us feel that with one more broken promise and I’ll give up entirely? Only Christ’s grace and healing power can calm the storms of daily life.
When I gaze upon the Holy vessel which contains our Savior’s living presence, I absorb the artistic imagery which amplifies my adoration. At the top of the vessel, the Holy paraclete powerfully descends into the heart-shaped Eucharistic chamber decorated with an engraving of Christ’s crown of thorns. Four drops of blood, fashioned as golden tears, slide from the thorns. In the center of the heart is the glass covered compartment housing the Host. Thrusting from the chamber, creating a dramatic border, are dozens of golden rays emphasizing the Almighty Eternity of Christ’s presence. For all its beauty, its simplicity is equally awesome. Christ is there, in front of me!
Becoming an adorer makes me long to be more deeply connected with our loving Savior. I have returned to my childhood habits of evening prayers, rosary and grace before meals. On my days off, I now frequently attend weekday mass. The books in the Adoration Chapel have lead me to read other titles and investigate websites I otherwise ignored. I discovered EWTN, (my favorite program is “The Journey Home). And I now actually read the Catholic Sun newspaper that I often just tossed out.
I am a cradle Roman Catholic who stepped outside the just going to church on Sunday habit. The growing wickedness of the world frightened me, and in my fears, I needed to be reminded of whose child I really am. God’s path is hard to tread, but with Eucharistic Adoration, I see God’s signposts with every step. I pray I will be true and courageous in my journey.
Sincerely, An ordinary adorer
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