HOLY
FAMILY CATHOLIC CHURCH ADORATION
Prayer
Before the Blessed Sacrament
This picture shows a monstrance, which is the
sacred vessel used to display the Blessed Sacrament when It is removed from the
tabernacle and exposed for adoration by Catholics. As can be noted, the
monstrance contains a white Host, which Catholics believe is truly the Body and
Blood of Jesus Christ, which He left to us when He instituted the Holy
Eucharist at the Last Supper. The term Blessed Sacrament means, "The Risen
Jesus." He becomes present on the altar at the words of consecration
spoken by the priest during the celebration of every
Catholics have had a long tradition of
prayer before the Blessed Sacrament, both as It is reserved in the tabernacle
and as It is exposed in the monstrance. In an article titled, "Prayer
Before the Blessed Sacrament," Rev. John Hardon, S.J., explains the
history of this practice and the reasons for it. An excerpt of this article
follows and is reprinted with the author's permission.
“One practice of Catholic piety that
represents a real development of doctrine in the history of the Church is the
practice of praying before the Blessed Sacrament, either exposed on the altar
or reserved in the tabernacle…Jesus Christ is really, truly and substantially
present in the Blessed Sacrament not only during the Mass or at Communion time,
but all the time, as long as the Sacred Elements remain.
The most fundamental reason why prayer
before the Blessed Sacrament is so meritorious is because it is prayer arising
from faith in the cardinal mystery of Christianity, which is faith in the
Incarnation.
The final, and in a way, most important
reason why prayers before the Blessed Sacrament is so important is that when we
pray before the Eucharist we have before us in human form the principal reason
for our existence, which is the all loving God…”
History
of Holy Family Adoration
Holy Family Church started Adoration before
the Blessed Sacrament in 1997 with approximately ten (10) hours. Ove the years we
have increased our Adoration hours to 60 hours a week which is where we were in 2009.
A major goal of our Adoration and prayer ministry was to expand our hours to Perpetual
Adoration that will encompass every hour of every day. m
Our church took on a major expansion and with it
came the opportunity to have a space dedicated to Perpetual Adoration. Planning for
accomplishing Perpetual Adoration began in earnest in July 2009, and ended with the
dedication of Holy Family's New Spiritual Life Center, including the new Perpetual
Adoration Oratory (small chapel), on December 6, 2009. Over 250 parishioners have
committee to a scheduled hour of Adoration or to being an adorant substitute. This is
truly a major accomplishment and one that we should all be proud of in that we now have a
spiritual oratory in which to pray, meditate, and honor our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament,
seven days a week, 24 hours a day.
Adoration
Contacts
If you are interested in Adoration and are looking
for information or want to request an hour of Adoration time or becoming an adorant substitute
please contact the Chairman of the Adoration Board:
Jim O'Neill 410.956.3532
Adoration
Cancellation Due to Inclement Weather
Adorants should listen to the local radio
or TV news for school closings or delayed openings. If the local county authorities close the
opening of the public schools at any time, and on any day of Adoration,
there will be no further Adoration for the remainder of the Adoration
schedule. However, if the schools
have a delayed opening on any day of Adoration, we will have Adoration that
day and continue our regular Adoration schedule. If there is any question regarding Adoration
cancellation, please call
Closure of the Adoration Oratory
In general, the Blessed Sacrament will be exposed 24 hours a day,
7 days a week with the following scheduled exceptions:
Christmas Eve and Christmas Day: The Oratory will close at midnight as Christmas Eve begins
and will reopen at 8am the day after Christmas. If Christmas should fall on a Monday, Friday,
or Saturday, the Oratory will be closed for the full weekend. NOTE: The Oratory will be open
New Year's Eve and Day.
Holy Week: The Oratory will closed after the 11pm hour on Wednesday night and remoned closed on
Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, Easter Sunday, and Easter Monday. The Oratory will reopen
at 8am on Tuesday.
Thanksgiving Holiday: The Oratory will close after the 11pm hour on Tuesday and remain closed on
Wednesday and Thanksgiving Day through Sunday. The Oratory will reopen at 8am on the Monday after
Thanksgiving.).
Adoration
Substitute List
Should an Adorant need a substitute for
his/her hour, they should first try to get the Adorant for the hour in front
and behind their hour to do an extra half hour; however, if this cannot be
done, refer to the substitute list that was distributed to all Adorants. If you are still unable to find
a substitute please contact your Day Captain for assistance. Please remember that the Blessed Sacrament
should never be left unattended. Therefore, you should not leave the Oratory until the next adorant has
arrived. Please consult the ministry guidelines for information as to the procedures you should follow
should this situation occur.
Making a Visit to the Oratory
The Oratory is open 24 hous a day, seven days a week. However, visiting
hours to the Oratory for nonscheduled adorants are Monday through Thursday from 8am to 4:30pm and on Friday
from 8am to Noon. Also, visits may be made up to 8pm at any time should people be in the church for other
events, e.g., prayer groups, cenacles, etc. Only scheduled adorants are allowed in the Oratory during the
timeframe of 8pm to 8am. However, if a person wishes to visit the Oratory after 8pm, they need to contact
the scheduled Adorant who has the hour at the time they wish to visit. If the scheduled Adorant is comfortable
with that person visiting, he/she can allow the visit. The chapel in the front of the main church is always
open to anyone who may want to make a visit to pray or meditate.).