Jesus left alone!

[dizzy_dave]

I went to our churches monthly Eucharistic Adoration at 10pm and I walked into the church and no one was there, just Jesus alone.
I was always under the assumption that the Eucharistic Jesus was never to be left alone. I was shocked, I went in and prayed. Should I have done something else, I didn’t want to leave again to go tell the priest. It’s just been bothering me and I didn’t know if I handled it right. I was actually there at 9:55pm someone was supposed to be there until the next person arrived.

 

[Fortiterinre]

You are correct, the Exposed Sacrament should never be unattended. Many parishes use sign-up sheets with at least two people per slot to minimize the chance of this happening and keep things organizaed.

 

[JimG]

If the Eucharist was exposed for adoration outside the tabernacle, Jesus should NEVER be left alone! If someone cannot make it to adoration at their appointed time, they should find a substitute. Also, if no one shows up, the person who is at adoration should remain until someone does show up.

 

[ames61]

You should also let your priest know, or whomever is in charge of the signup for adoration. That way they can contact the person who missed their appointment, or left early, and remind them of the rules, and procedures to follow if someone doesn’t show up. (ie have a phone available with a phone list of scheduled adorers and the priest if necessary, possibly even know how to do a simple reposition, etc. )

 

[chicago]

It sounds like you did the right thing by just remaining in prayer at the time. But, as someone else already said, it should also be brought to the attention of the pastor.

 

[slinky1882]

Our Lord should never been abandoned in Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration (which I believe you are referring to). And to stay and pray is the right thing to do. I can remember staying for several hours at times to wait for the next adorer. May God bless you thorugh Grace to Love in Mercy adn Justice. Thank you for staying in Adoration.

 

[JCPhoenix]

I frequently go into the adoration chapel although I am not signed up for a time slot.

In my church there are sign-up sheets and schedules, and it does say that the Blessed Sacrament is never to be left and for regular adorers to not leave if someone else comes in as it is customary for someone to pop in for 5 minutes and have to leave.

I happened to step in for what I planned for 15 min or so and just as I was about to leave I realized that the only other adorer had left!

So it was just me and Jesus for about a half hour, and then people began trickling in for Confessions.

I knew I couldn’t leave, but it did not occurr to me to bring this to anyone’s attention as I was able to stay with no problem. I actually found this experience to be quite a blessing!

 

[alyssa]

You might look around or ask, too- in case of emergencies, we have a phone set up in the chapel with the blessed sacrement just in case there is an emergency, and the person who is supposed to be there needs to leave, etc. Generally we are supposed ot call the secretary, and they’ll stay until the next person shows up, or we can call the next person, whatever. In my knowledge, it has never been used.

perhaps yours has something like that, too, you may want to find out just in case…