Adoration Chapel - what do I do in case of danger?

[SecretaryMonday]

Another problem…

20 minutes into my hour of Adoration I desperately had to use the bathroom (careful planning ought to solve that, but it doesn’t always). I’m the only adorer scheduled that time in the morning, there is a restroom for adorers just down the hall, and I left the door from the chapel to hallway open. I was gone less than two minutes, but I don’t think that is allowed…how grave was it? Do I need to tell someone?

 

[englishredrose]

I’ve signed up for an hour a week in my parish’s Perpetual Adoration chapel. I know that I am there, in part, to protect the Host; out of curiosity, and assuming that I had the presence of mind, what can I do if such a danger arises (besides hope that my cellphone works so I can call for help)? Am I allowed to consume the Host by myself, in an extreme circumstance, in order to prevent desecration? I know that ordinarily, only a priest may self-communicate.

there should always be two of you present in church for security reasons. its bad if the church hasn’t accommodated this into their practice to leave one on their own. Some time ago I had booked a confession and turned up for it and the priest there was going to the next parish. For a while he sat and waited for the one priest to turn up but decided he could hear my confession instead of sitting there with me just waiting-though we were chatting. It was only a space of five minutes but thankfully wouldn’t leave me just to be there on my own. Parishoners shouldn’t be there in church on their own - its not good all around. very bad practice to leave you there a whole hour on your own. I would follow this up properly rather than put yourself at risk. say something happend after you had gone but everyone blamed you because you were the last person they knew were in. You only have your word for it. No, you shouldn’t be on your own at all.

 

[Cat]

Another problem…

20 minutes into my hour of Adoration I desperately had to use the bathroom (careful planning ought to solve that, but it doesn’t always). I’m the only adorer scheduled that time in the morning, there is a restroom for adorers just down the hall, and I left the door from the chapel to hallway open. I was gone less than two minutes, but I don’t think that is allowed…how grave was it? Do I need to tell someone?

The Lord God created us human, with a human body and human needs, including “plumbing issues.”

He understands if our plumbing and tubing requires maintenance because HE made us that way.

It could cause harm to you and be messy for the chapel if you do not recognize and respond to your bodily needs that the Lord God created you with.

Someday we hope as Christians to be free from the restraints of a human body, when we are in heaven in our glorified bodies. But those of us alive on this earth are not there yet, and it would be wrong to try to pretend that we can ignore our human bodies.

 

[SecretaryMonday]

It could cause harm to you and be messy for the chapel if you do not recognize and respond to your bodily needs that the Lord God created you with.

Messy, yes. Thanks…

 

[R_C]

I’ve signed up for an hour a week in my parish’s Perpetual Adoration chapel. I know that I am there, in part, to protect the Host; out of curiosity, and assuming that I had the presence of mind, what can I do if such a danger arises (besides hope that my cellphone works so I can call for help)? Am I allowed to consume the Host by myself, in an extreme circumstance, in order to prevent desecration? I know that ordinarily, only a priest may self-communicate.

I think it would be rather difficult to reach for the Blessed Sacrament, because the Church clearly mandates in the Redemptionis Sacramentum [131]:

“…it is forbidden to reserve the Blessed Sacrament in a place…where there is a danger of profanation.”

Every church takes utmost care to comply with this, whether we notice or not.

In case of grave danger of profanation of the Blessed Sacrament, I believe we ought to do everything we can to protect it. There have been many martyrs of the Blessed Sacrament who have given their life to protect it, both recently and of old, like the blessed Louis de la Peña. The first martyr of the Blessed Sacrament was St. Tarcisius (3rd century), who let himself be beaten to death to protect the Holy Eucharist.

Remember the words of Christ: “For whosoever will save his life, shall lose it: and whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel, shall save it.”

It is already extra-ordinary to touch the Blessed Sacrament, so probably in such a case we should avoid self-communicating unless the danger is so extreme that there remains no other choice.

Let us pray to the Lord so that He will always bless with special protection His adoration chapels and His churches.

 

[thomas_jd]

We have a seperate chapel attached to the church. Access from the church to the chapel
on sat. &sun until 5m. Mon.-fri. access 9-5., other times only thru a locked door.
I estimate that the hours are evenly divided between two adorers and a lone adorer.
The bathroom issue , when one only is present, can easily be solved. . Repose our Lord, lock the Tabernacle and take the key with you. This qualifies as an emergency and must be addressed as such. Return ,Expose our Lord and continue.
All adorers should be taught the proper method of Exposition & Reposition in the event of an emergency.

 

[SecretaryMonday]

We have a seperate chapel attached to the church. Access from the church to the chapel
on sat. &sun until 5m. Mon.-fri. access 9-5., other times only thru a locked door.
I estimate that the hours are evenly divided between two adorers and a lone adorer.
The bathroom issue , when one only is present, can easily be solved. . Repose our Lord, lock the Tabernacle and take the key with you. This qualifies as an emergency and must be addressed as such. Return ,Expose our Lord and continue.
All adorers should be taught the proper method of Exposition & Reposition in the event of an emergency.

All that while I have to pee?

(Kidding)