Florida Catholic | Forty Hours devotion back in a big way

Forty Hours devotion is back in a big way

The devotion of 40 hours of continuous Eucharistic adoration – to draw closer to Jesus – is being revived as part of the diocese’s jubilee year celebration.

LINDA REEVES | FLORIDA CATHOLIC PALM BEACH BUREAU EDITOR

Published: 09.25.08

Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament with Hymns

PALM BEACH GARDENS | Starting in October, Catholics throughout the Diocese of Palm Beach will have the opportunity to participate in a revival of the Forty Hours devotion.

Forty Hours “is something that has not been done for a long time locally, or, for that matter, for the past years elsewhere,” said Father Charles Hawkins, pastor of Ascension Parish in Boca Raton. During this devotion, the Eucharist is exposed in solemn adoration for a period of 40 hours, with parishioners attending in shifts so someone is always in the church. Forty Hours also can include Mass, Benediction and other traditional celebrations.

This unique devotion will be held, parish-by-parish, for the next 12 months to give all a chance to participate and be in the presence of Christ during the diocese’s jubilee celebration year. Titled “A Eucharistic People,” the jubilee starts next month.

“We are going to bring it (the devotion) back, and we are trying to get all the parishes to cooperate and celebrate at least twice during the anniversary year,” explained Father Hawkins.

Locally, the first Forty Hours devotion is planned for Oct. 27-29 at Holy Cross Parish in Vero Beach and the Cathedral of St. Ignatius Loyola.

“It has lost its flavor and spark, but we are going to bring it back,” explained Father Hawkins.

THE CELEBRATION

Some historians say that Forty Hours originated in Europe in the 1500s and was known as “Quarant’ Ore” (“40 hours”) in Italian.

Father Hawkins fondly remembers celebrating the Forty Hours devotion when he was an altar server from fifth to twelfth grades at St. Matthias, a Slovak parish in Youngstown, Ohio.

“It used to be an annual event in churches,” he said about the celebration, which traditionally takes place over a three-day period from Sunday afternoon to Tuesday evening. Forty Hours is not widely held these days, but is still highly encouraged, according to planners.

Father Hawkins explained that during the devotion, Catholic parishes display the consecrated host in a gold monstrance. Prayer gatherings, rosary recitations, Masses, Scripture readings and processions are also part of celebrations.

“Emphasis is solely on the real presence of the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament and nothing else,” he explained. “It would be after a noon Mass, during the school year in Ohio, in September or May,” he said about his parish’s annual event.

“It was a big affair with flower processions. There were more than 500 children there from our school, parents and 50 to 60 priests. We would take turns praying before the Lord. The children were well-behaved and participated. There was a big closing. It was really prominent in the church year. It was a beautiful time that always touched me.”

COME AND PARTICIPATE

Pastors around the diocese are encouraged to take part in this celebration and commit to a date to host the devotional.

Parishioners; members of the Knights of Columbus, the Council of Catholic Women, the St. Vincent de Paul Society, and the Serra Club; altar servers; teens seeking service hours; ministers; members of the parish councils and school supporters are all asked to participate.

Some smaller parishes will be participating in an abbreviated form of the devotion.

“Many parishes will not have a 24-hours’ adoration,” said Father Hawkins about the small faith communities that are unable to keep the adoration going around the clock.

“If they can’t find someone to pray (in a time slot), the Eucharist cannot be left alone. Then (the pastor) can put the Blessed Sacrament back into the tabernacle,” he said. The Eucharist safely remains in the tabernacle each evening until it is exposed after Mass again the next day.

“It doesn’t add up to 40 hours, but the traditional three days are still met as part of the process,” said Father Hawkins.

Participants are urged to pray during the devotions for the grace of God and for others.

“As in every prayer service, they pray for the needs of the world and local needs, as well as for themselves,” explained Carmelite Father Michael Driscoll, director of the Office of Liturgy and pastor of St. Jude Parish in Boca Raton. “We will be thanking God for all the blessings bestowed on our five-county diocese over these many years.”

PREPARING FOR FORTY HOURS

Carmelite Father Michael Driscoll, director of the diocesan Office of Liturgy and pastor of St. Jude in Boca Raton, featured an article about the history and celebration of the devotion in his quarterly “Lex orandi Lex credendi” newsletter.

“The newsletter was distributed to pastors, parochial vicars, deacons and liturgy coordinators,” explained Margaret Owers, liturgy office secretary.

Reprints of the article are available through the office, located at the Pastoral Center. For information, call 561-775-9539.

Owers recommends visiting the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Web site, located at www.usccb.org, or calling, toll-free, 1-800-235-8722 for additional publications about the devotion.

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