Florida Catholic | Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration

COMMENTARY

A call for Eucharistic adorers

PATRICIA ANGEL BUTLER | FLORIDA CATHOLIC CORRESPONDENT

Published: 11.02.07

PENSACOLA | Perpetual adoration at St. Mary Parish in Pensacola is in danger of termination. Alarming? You bet! The Eucharist is the heartbeat of our faith, and for perpetual adoration to cease would be the equivalent of a heart attack.

Perpetual adoration is a gift offered by St. Mary’s to all Catholics regardless of parish of record. Father Dominic Phan Sa, spiritual moderator of perpetual adoration, explained the importance of adoration and the significance to a more fulfilling prayer life this way: “To talk to God, you have to be with him. When Jesus prayed, he went close to God. Always to a certain place.”

Although Jesus could speak to his Father from any place, he chose intimate, in-person conversations. Perpetual adoration provides a unique opportunity to speak with Jesus face to face, Father Phan Sa said.

The benefits of being an adorer are endless, as evidenced by the stories of blessings related at the annual adoration celebration at the parish. Adorers told their personal stories of mercies and marvels all attributed to being in the presence of the Eucharist and talking to Christ during perpetual adoration.

Paulette Hammack told the story of her grandson. Years ago, doctors told the family throughout his mother’s pregnancy that the boy would be born severely retarded and handicapped. She said there was nothing the doctors could do. She and her family came to the perpetual adoration and prayed. At the celebration, Paulette pointed to a beautiful, healthy, rambunctious boy and said, “There he is, perfectly healthy.” She thanked Christ for this marvel.

The Florian family always spends New Year’s Eve at perpetual adoration. Their son, David, spends one hour there every day. His blessing was becoming a seminarian and winning the prestigious “For God and Country” award from Catholic High for his character and actions.

The afternoon luncheon celebration was filled with these kinds of stories.

So how could something so wonderful be in jeopardy of ending? Rhonda Piovesan, coordinator, sees the main problem as the lack of new adorers. Ideally, two adorers are requested for each hour and, to no surprise, the early-morning hours are the hardest to fill.

Faye Ellis, who spearheaded perpetual adoration for seven years, said that after major tragedies there was a great swell of adorers, especially after the Sept. 11, 2001, attack and after Hurricane Ivan.

Father Phan Sa laments that people only seek Christ through adoration during especially difficult times saying, “Christ isn’t a garbage can, just a place for you to dump. No, rather, Christ desires for you to come and visit with him as you would any friend.”

All that is required of any adorer is one hour. Rules of the adoration chapel are simple: no food, drink, or talking.

Once inside the chapel adorers find a nice selection of reading material, rosaries to borrow, kneelers, lounge chairs, reading lamps, blankets, pillows, access to a bathroom, umbrellas and, of course, Christ. The chapel makes praying at the adoration comfortable and effective.

For more information, call Piovesan at 850-418-2092.

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