Have you ever spent a LONG time at the Real Presence (Catholic or Protestant)?

[grannymh]

hard how?? hard on your back?

for me… being* outside* the RP is hard…

I’ll answer you, but first what does being* outside* the RP mean?

When we began Perpetual Adoration, it was in an old chapel (more like a church connecting two buildings) with high ceilings and an open bell tower. The first night, part of the ceiling/wall fell where we were kneeling. No one was hurt. Then the bats dive-bombed the temporary altar and us.

I wonder who didn’t want us adoring Jesus.

The next day, Our Lord was moved to a safer place near the main altar, but the bats continued to fly at the night adorers. When you mentioned outside the RP, I wondered if you meant outside the main area of the Church. Even though the night adorers carried tennis rackets, I was humbled by my fear. When the bats targeted me, I fled to the foyer area at the door. Thus, being outside of the main church, I would open the door a crack and ask Jesus if He was o.k. Eventually, the bats would leave and I would return inside. I never gave up my night hours.

We faced other obstacles like little heat during the winter and no air conditioning in the summer. The walk from the parking lot to the chapel became difficult for the older adorers. Except for one night adorer who was dying but determined to adore Jesus even if it meant coming on crutches from the parking lot. Snow did not stop him.

At this point we started praying for a better place to have Perpetual Adoration. A man in our parish won the lottery and used it to build a daily Mass chapel attached to the side of our church. Others contributed furnishings etc.

Coincidences? We started Perpetual Adoration in Sacred Heart Chapel on the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and transferred the Blessed Sacrament to the new Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament Chapel on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.

Blessings,
granny

John, Chapter 6

 

[Gertabelle]

where do you live?

I’m moving there…

I live “in the land where the columbines grow,
overlooking the plains far below,
while the cool summer breeze in the evergreen trees
softly sings where the columbines grow…”

(that’d be the state song for Colorado )

Here’s a link to my parish’s recently remodled adoration chapel (2008?):
click here

Here is a link to my parish’s newly remodled church (May, 2010):
click here
(If you scroll about half way down the page, you’ll see a before and after comparison of the sanctuary – hardly recognizable as the same church!)

Gertie

 

[masuwerte]

My Episcopal parish has adoration on a weekly basis, more or less, and I go fairly often. It’s something I wish we Episcopalians would do more of. FWIW, my wife’s Roman Catholic parish hardly ever has adoration, and I think she’s jealous .

 

[grannymh]

My Episcopal parish has adoration on a weekly basis, more or less, and I go fairly often. It’s something I wish we Episcopalians would do more of. FWIW, my wife’s Roman Catholic parish hardly ever has adoration, and I think she’s jealous .

When we were starting our Perpetual Adoration, one of the committee members was in contact with the Episcopalian pastor about joining us at the Chapel. However, he moved out of town and his replacement was not as interested in this.

Lay people can get Adoration going. We have three Catholic parishes in our town. It so happened that there were people from each parish who were interested in Perpetual Adoration. We started meeting in prayer because at that time, there was no available place. We believed that it was time for Perpetual Adoration and the Holy Spirit was with us.

Months later, an old chapel became available. We had figured out how Adoration would be organized and what needed to be done to have sign-ups for Adoration hours. We knew our Pastors supported Adoration but they seemed to be waiting on the sidelines. So we called a meeting with all the Pastors, explained how we lay people would take responsibility for all the work. That brought out the smiles.

The same idea of lay people taking responsibility can work for a weekly Adoration time or a monthly Adoration time.

Blessings,
granny

John Chapter 6

 

[distracted]

I live “in the land where the columbines grow,
overlooking the plains far below,
while the cool summer breeze in the evergreen trees
softly sings where the columbines grow…”

(that’d be the state song for Colorado )

Here’s a link to my parish’s recently remodled adoration chapel (2008?):
click here

Here is a link to my parish’s newly remodled church (May, 2010):
click here
(If you scroll about half way down the page, you’ll see a before and after comparison of the sanctuary – hardly recognizable as the same church!)

Gertie

thanks… but Colorado is a pretty liberal state, from what i have heard…

but the weird thing is that it seems the liberal states frequently have the most conservative Catholic Churches… or that just my personal observations coming from my own limited experience?

anyway, thanks… tried to go to one of those sites but got some weird message about how it can’t be displayed…

 

[distracted]

Back when I was Catholic, I spent many hours in front of the Eucharist, both exposed and in the tabernacle.

well, if you could leave after knowing Him like that… i have no idea what to say…

 

[distracted]

I’ll answer you, but first what does being* outside* the RP mean?

When we began Perpetual Adoration, it was in an old chapel (more like a church connecting two buildings) with high ceilings and an open bell tower. The first night, part of the ceiling/wall fell where we were kneeling. No one was hurt. Then the bats dive-bombed the temporary altar and us.

I wonder who didn’t want us adoring Jesus.

The next day, Our Lord was moved to a safer place near the main altar, but the bats continued to fly at the night adorers. When you mentioned outside the RP, I wondered if you meant outside the main area of the Church. Even though the night adorers carried tennis rackets, I was humbled by my fear. When the bats targeted me, I fled to the foyer area at the door. Thus, being outside of the main church, I would open the door a crack and ask Jesus if He was o.k. Eventually, the bats would leave and I would return inside. I never gave up my night hours.

We faced other obstacles like little heat during the winter and no air conditioning in the summer. The walk from the parking lot to the chapel became difficult for the older adorers. Except for one night adorer who was dying but determined to adore Jesus even if it meant coming on crutches from the parking lot. Snow did not stop him.

At this point we started praying for a better place to have Perpetual Adoration. A man in our parish won the lottery and used it to build a daily Mass chapel attached to the side of our church. Others contributed furnishings etc.

Coincidences? We started Perpetual Adoration in Sacred Heart Chapel on the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and transferred the Blessed Sacrament to the new Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament Chapel on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.

Blessings,
granny

John, Chapter 6

wow… strange story…

why didn’t someone just do something to exterminate the bats? was the priest &/or bishop a PETA member??

it seems all the Churches i’ve ever been to were very well cared for… to the point of not spending much $$ on PEOPLE even…

hmmm…

 

[distracted]

My Episcopal parish has adoration on a weekly basis, more or less, and I go fairly often. It’s something I wish we Episcopalians would do more of. FWIW, my wife’s Roman Catholic parish hardly ever has adoration, and I think she’s jealous .

i dont see how the Episcopalians can have adoration when they don’t really Transubstantiate the hosts?

only an ordained Catholic priest can do that… The only way the Episcopalians would have the Real thing… would be if they had a former Catholic priest (yet he is “priest forever”) as a minister…

 

[distracted]

When we were starting our Perpetual Adoration, one of the committee members was in contact with the Episcopalian pastor about joining us at the Chapel. However, he moved out of town and his replacement was not as interested in this.

Lay people can get Adoration going. We have three Catholic parishes in our town. It so happened that there were people from each parish who were interested in Perpetual Adoration. We started meeting in prayer because at that time, there was no available place. We believed that it was time for Perpetual Adoration and the Holy Spirit was with us.

Months later, an old chapel became available. We had figured out how Adoration would be organized and what needed to be done to have sign-ups for Adoration hours. We knew our Pastors supported Adoration but they seemed to be waiting on the sidelines. So we called a meeting with all the Pastors, explained how we lay people would take responsibility for all the work. That brought out the smiles.

The same idea of lay people taking responsibility can work for a weekly Adoration time or a monthly Adoration time.

Blessings,
grannyJohn Chapter 6

hmmm… my priest doesn’t seem to believe in adoration… and neither do most of the parishioners, from what i can see… or maybe they just gave up their interest… due to lack of interest on the part of the priest…
J

 

[KathleenGee]

Last night, our parish had communal Adoration.

We did that through Taize prayer and song…with candles along the altar with the Monstrance in the middle. It was so beautiful…we were there about an hour and a half.

I came home reflecting on how truly the Lord remains with us in the Eucharist and what a great loss for those who deny Him.

I highly recommend non-Catholics to come visit a Catholic church and sit before the tabernacle…where the sanctuary light is…communicating the Eucharist is there…and just ponder.

 

[crazzeto]

just wondering… I’ve heard of Protestants spending time There… when a Catholic friend couldn’t fulfill his or her obligation… so i know some Protestants spend time There…

seems like not many of either persuasion do, though…

Are you talking about in adoration of the blessed sacrament? Unfortunetly I have not been afforded the oppertunity to ador longer than 1 hr.

 

[Erich]

Since I believe the real presence is only there during communion, sitting there while no communion is going to take place would be akin to sitting and looking at unconsecrated hosts. — very little point to it.

Maybe this is a topic for another thread, but I am curious as to the Scriptural basis for such a belief. I can find “This is My Body … This is My Blood” in the synoptic Gospels and in 1 Corinthians, but I am not aware of anything resembling “This is no longer My Body … This is no longer My Blood”

 

[CatholicGuyNY]

i dont see how the Episcopalians can have adoration when they don’t really Transubstantiate the hosts?

only an ordained Catholic priest can do that… The only way the Episcopalians would have the Real thing… would be if they had a former Catholic priest (yet he is “priest forever”) as a minister…

That’s according to the Catholic belief. I assume that the Episcopalians that have Adoration don’t agree with that.

 

[Brannock]

During a small retreat we had a scheduled hour for adoration. The priest who was coming after a first communion to remove our Lord from the monstrance ran into an emergency and was 5 hours late. Everyone on the retreat stayed in adoration for 6 hours, and it was amazing.

Another time a small group from my school was having adoration, I had been awake for over 40hrs by this point, and while kneeling/bowing deeply in meditation I fell asleep. Not the most respectful thing I could do, but being gently awoken later and having the Body of Christ be the first thing I see is quite the experience. I have never felt so good after such short sleep and long hours

 

[grannymh]

hard how?? hard on your back?

for me… being* outside* the RP is hard…

This small brain just kicked in. Finally figured out that RP stands for Real Presence.

To answer your question, sometimes it is hard for me to spend time in Adoration especially at 2:00 AM. I do not have any trouble with my back, just my eyes closing. We actually have comfortable, small individual chairs and kneelers in our Chapel. We don’t have any prescribed routines for Adoration so people kneel, sit, say the stations of the cross, or walk around the Chapel saying the rosary. We have books in the foyer, so people can read the Bible and other inspirational literature. One couple who adores at a later hour sings to Jesus.

When I am having a hard time in Adoration, I usually walk saying the rosary or just walk and looking at Jesus when I walk up the middle aisle. I had started Jesus of Nazareth by Joseph Ratzinger, Pope Benedict XVI. ISBN 978-0-385-52341-7 at home and was having trouble reading it. One night, I took it with me to Adoration and it seemed like Jesus was reading the book over my shoulder. It was then that I began to understand it and the reading was so easy and inspirational. This is truly a great book especially when you can talk to its hero present before you on the altar.

One other comment to those, like me, who often experience dryness like being in a spiritual dessert. Go to Adoration anyway. Sit down and don’t worry if you don’t feel like praying. Be still and know that God is near. Jesus is the important Person in the room and He is there with full understanding of your situation.

I know from experience, and because other middle of the night adores have shared with me, that it can be very difficult to stay awake. I usually say don’t worry. You have made a great sacrifice to get to the Chapel. That is your personal gift to Jesus.
When I can, I encourage people to try the middle of the night hours. If they can’t hack it, they can always change times. The middle of the night can be very special. With all my flaws, I would not stop going at 2:00 AM.

Blessings,
granny

John 3: 16-17

 

[distracted]

That’s according to the Catholic belief. I assume that the Episcopalians that have Adoration don’t agree with that.

well… a person can beleive that down is up and black is white but …

 

[grannymh]

wow… strange story…

why didn’t someone just do something to exterminate the bats? was the priest &/or bishop a PETA member??

Bats are actually very good for the environment. They are “protected” in our area. So about all one can do is to seal off their entrance to the building. This would be near impossible in the old Church we first used. Besides, we are the center of a farming area so bats didn’t bother a lot of people…except when they were mad that we invaded their home.

Another bat story. We live in a very old house and of course a bat family spends the winter in our attic. They rarely got into the main part of the house but when they did, my boys got after them while I screamed.

Not all of my children remained in the Catholic religion. However, one of my more curious boys (who no longer practiced the Faith) went with me to opening night of Adoration. As you know, that was the night that part of the ceiling/wall intersection fell and the bats were defending their territory. A small temporary altar had been set up in the transept of the main Church because it seemed more intimate than the bigger main section. Rob and I were in front of the altar when I spotted the flying monster. I froze and stared straight ahead at Jesus in the monstrance, not moving a muscle. Rob just watched. When we were leaving, he said, "You know Mom, there must be something very special about the Blessed Sacrament on the altar. Otherwise, when that bat came toward you, you would have been under the pew screaming.

Blessings,
John 3: 16-17

 

[distracted]

To answer your question, sometimes it is hard for me to spend time in Adoration especially at 2:00 AM. I do not have any trouble with my back, just my eyes closing.

***why fight it? the best sleep i have ever had was while in the RP… wish i could sleep There every night… ***

aWe actually have comfortable, small individual chairs and kneelers in our Chapel. We don’t have any prescribed routines for Adoration so people kneel, sit, say the stations of the cross, or walk around the Chapel saying the rosary. We have books in the foyer, so people can read the Bible and other inspirational literature. One couple who adores at a later hour sings to Jesus.

i like to just sit there in total silence… cuz then jesus clears my head and … whatever i think about… well, interesting things happen to those things i htink about… VERY interesting… no way i can put it into words… but jesus knows my person issues / circumstances far bettr than i… trying to explain in mere words is just going to … uh… well, it just wont work…

One other comment to those, like me, who often experience dryness like being in a spiritual dessert. Go to Adoration anyway. Sit down and don’t worry if you don’t feel like praying. Be still and know that God is near. Jesus is the important Person in the room and He is there with full understanding of your situation.

technically, you could say that i never “pray”… depending on one’s defintion of prayer… I just sit There… and listen… “observe”… what is going on inside me and… what Jesus wants to do with all that… i dont see how anyone adheres to the words (commandments of ) the Bible without spending time There on a very regular basis… My opiniion is that they dont… even though they think they do…

I know from experience, and because other middle of the night adores have shared with me, that it can be very difficult to stay awake. I usually say don’t worry. You have made a great sacrifice to get to the Chapel. That is your personal gift to Jesus ***Great sacrifice ???!!!??? ***
Are you kidding?? its a sacrifice for me NOT to be There…

 

[distracted]

Bats are actually very good for the environment. They are “protected” in our area. So about all one can do is to seal off their entrance to the building. This would be near impossible in the old Church we first used. Besides, we are the center of a farming area so bats didn’t bother a lot of people…except when they were mad that we invaded their home.

Another bat story. We live in a very old house and of course a bat family spends the winter in our attic. They rarely got into the main part of the house but when they did, my boys got after them while I screamed.

Not all of my children remained in the Catholic religion. However, one of my more curious boys (who no longer practiced the Faith) went with me to opening night of Adoration. As you know, that was the night that part of the ceiling/wall intersection fell and the bats were defending their territory. A small temporary altar had been set up in the transept of the main Church because it seemed more intimate than the bigger main section. Rob and I were in front of the altar when I spotted the flying monster. I froze and stared straight ahead at Jesus in the monstrance, not moving a muscle. Rob just watched. When we were leaving, he said, "You know Mom, there must be something very special about the Blessed Sacrament on the altar. Otherwise, when that bat came toward you, you would have been under the pew screaming.

Blessings,
John 3: 16-17

that’s so cute!



i notice that when i am in the Real Presence, people around me can be talking really loudly… b4 Mass or whenever… and i will not even hear a word they are saying… One time i even TRIED to hear what they were saying, just to … well, cuz i was nosey and stuff… but i couldn’t… i think my brain just wanted to focus on jesus… and all that He was 'telling" me… but it was still kinda strange cuz they weren’t far away and were not talking in whispers… Maybe when the mind is not all that interested… it just tunes things out… or maybe Jesus just wanted to hog all my attention?? Cool!!!

 

[crazzeto]

that’s so cute!



i notice that when i am in the Real Presence, people around me can be talking really loudly… b4 Mass or whenever… and i will not even hear a word they are saying… One time i even TRIED to hear what they were saying, just to … well, cuz i was nosey and stuff… but i couldn’t… i think my brain just wanted to focus on jesus… and all that He was 'telling" me… but it was still kinda strange cuz they weren’t far away and were not talking in whispers… Maybe when the mind is not all that interested… it just tunes things out… or maybe Jesus just wanted to hog all my attention?? Cool!!!

I wish I could wash out background noise that readily, honestly what I prefer doing while adoring the blessed sacrament is reading the bible. Currently I’m working on both the Gospel of John and Romans so believe me when I tell you I could really use as much reading time as I can get.

My last oppertunity to adore featured the music ministry (the more contemporary band that plays for yougth masses) playing some more contemporary (but at least appropriate in nature) songs the whole time. It was a constant sound track, I couldn’t read the bible. So I took the hint that may Jesus just wanted me to sit with him that evening.