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FLORIDA CATHOLIC RESOURCE: Eucharistic Adorations Locations in the Diocese of Pensacola–Tallahassee

Eucharistic adoration

More parishes are making time available with Jesus through Eucharistic adoration.

AMY FERRARA SMITH | FLORIDA CATHOLIC STAFF

Published: 02.08.08

Father Richard Schamber prays with a participant in the healing service that was part of a tenth anniversary celebration of perpetual adoration at Blessed Sacrament Parish in Tallahassee Jan. 26.
JULIE BETTINGER | FC

PENSACOLA | Dorothy Stramoulis used to drive to St. Mary Parish here in the middle of the night to park in the lot and pray in her car. It was the time of day, she said, when she needed Jesus the most during an uncertain period in her marriage.

Not long after, she was instrumental in starting perpetual adoration at the parish so that people could sit with Jesus 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Now when she drives to church in the middle of the night, she parks and walks inside to pray.

“At 3 a.m. when God wakes them up,” she said, “they can sit with him and he can give them peace.”

Because the Catholic Church teaches that the Eucharist is the true body and blood of Christ, many parishes throughout the diocese host adorations for parishioners to pray in the presence of the Eucharist.

“Jesus (died for us); he’s there 24 hours a day for us. He’s made a commitment to be there for us,” said Stramoulis. “We ask people to commit to be there with him.”

In the 1996 book from Our Sunday Visitor Publishing “In the Presence of Our Lord,” James Monti writes that this tradition of eucharistic adoration began in the fourth century when “compositio loci,” or composition of place, flourished. While Catholics believe that the soul is always in the presence of God, these early Christians began to “direct and focus (the soul’s) attention upon this Divine Presence.”

Stramoulis did this when her uncle, a man she remembers as being stubborn, lay on his deathbed. Although he was baptized Catholic, he didn’t practice his religion. While he lay sick in Orlando, Stramoulis prayed in St. Mary Parish’s adoration chapel that Jesus would stand at the foot of her uncle’s bed as a merciful savior. She later learned that her uncle had agreed to receive the sacrament of the anointing of the sick.

“Jesus did this,” she said. “He’s brought healing to my family, not just to me.”

St. Mary Parish is the only Catholic church in Pensacola that offers perpetual adoration, which means at least one person must sit with the Eucharist 24 hours a day, seven days a week. There are other parishes in the diocese, however, that offer eucharistic adoration at certain times during certain days.

Inspired by the parish’s novena group, eucharistic adoration at St. Rita Parish in Santa Rosa Beach is available every first Friday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. When Judi Rutland of the group first brought the idea to Father Tom Collinsis he the pastor?, he told her that it had been a parish goal for some time. Rutland now serves as the chairwoman of the parish’s eucharistic adoration committee.

“Wonderful things can come of this,” she said. “Whatever blessings come our way, we’ll be grateful.”

Although the 12-hour eucharistic adoration in the parish opened this past October, the committee formed four months prior to “train the guardians” of the Eucharist and to offer explanations to parishioners as to why the church hosts adoration. Now, 50 to 70 people visit St. Rita each first Friday to sit with the Eucharist during that 12-hour period.

“We’ve seen faces we’ve never seen before,” said Rutland.

In the small town of Perry, Immaculate Conception Parish offers eucharistic adoration to its parishioners from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. On weekends, the time increases, running from 10 a.m. Friday straight through until 4 p.m. Saturday.

“It’s just a time of peace,” said Leslie Creech, parishioner. “It’s a chance to get away from the hassle of this world and sit before the Lord.”

Immaculate Conception has been hosting eucharistic adoration since 1996, steadily increasing the hours of availability. Although the parish only has 110 families, Creech said that the response has been tremendous.

“It allows you to have a real deepening of your relationship with the Lord,” she continued. “You can’t have that unless you sit still and listen.”

Some young people within the diocese also consider eucharistic adoration a significant part of their faith.

“I love going to adoration because I think it’s the closest that we can get to being with Jesus,” said Joanna Casuga, a young adult who occasionally participates in adoration at St. Mary. “I don’t have to do anything or say anything; I can just be. It helps me to empty myself of my self and just allow God to love me.

“As young people, we can get so caught up in what we want,” Casuga continued, “but when I go to adoration, it helps me to focus on being grateful and content, on not worrying about anything, about trusting and just being still, knowing that everything will be A-OK.”

For Stramoulis, the Gospel of Luke 10:38-42 assures her that Jesus wants her to participate in eucharistic adoration. In the story, Mary sits at Jesus’ feet listening while Martha busies herself with preparing his meal. When Martha tells Jesus to have Mary help her, he says, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things; but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Stramoulis has a friend, a doctor, who sits with the Eucharist each week. He had a son, but because of numerous medical complications throughout the boy’s young life, he died when he was 17. Her friend told Stramoulis he knows his son is at the feet of Jesus and said that when he is at the feet of Jesus during adoration, he knows he is with his son.

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