My experience in Adoration

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I have an interesting story to share with you today Memorial Day ( 5/28/12).

I decided to go to the 8 am Mass this morning as part of enriching my discernment process and when I arrived at Church to my surprise there was no Mass. So no worries because I knew perpetual adoration was open, and I signed in as a visitor and proceeded to pray the Rosary and reflected on how I need to find a way to attend both a retreat to see how Brothers live and some kind of retreat to see how a day in the life of a Seminarian is; if there is such a thing, and I will be researching these shortly.

I was in adoration with another older man and it is a very peaceful quite time that I really enjoyed. Well at about aproximately 8:30 am the other man got up signed out and left. And I am thinking, well I was shocked really, as I am not a committed adorer and committed adorers stay for an entire hour. I didnt panic, I really did not know how long I had planned on staying, but now I was charged with staying with our Lord until the next committed adorer would relieve me. I wasn’t mad that this person left by any means, and I have no idea if this person was a committed adorer or not and would have to recheck the log in book to see for certain. I was merely honored that I was for once in the right place at the right time, because if this older man was going through some personal problems and just could not physically be with our Lord any more than the time he has given, would he have left our Lord alone ? A question that becomes hard to answer because it reminds me of the riddle or question of " If a tree in the woods falls, and no one is there to witness it, does it make a sound ? " So with out personally knowing this man it becomes an unknown. Also the next person who finally did show up was 15 minutes late, so I found that concerning too, because what if it was someone else in my shoes, would they have had the perseverence as I did to stay ?

I used the time to reflect on this morning not being mere chance but a simple way of Christ calling me to spend time with him, I can not with certainty claim to know what He has called me for as of yet, but do believe He is calling me.

Again it was honor for me to be of service to Christ today and to have the time to be with Him in silence and reflection.
This is what I sent to my S.D just now, and did ask him if i should at the very least mention my experience to someone at the Church office or leave a letter for the Priest, not to berate anyone or critisize but to inform and make sure everyone is aware and to leave it in the hands of the Priest and Church office. And I think I will tomorrow since today is Memorial day and officies are shut down. I think I can leave a note with out it being alarming or coming off as me being irate.

I wanted to share this with others here who may have an adoration chapel or perpetual adoration, and to share what this brief time ment for me .
 
I just wanted to say, it has happened to me the same way it had did you. Don’t be alarm, but Jesus knows your heart and wanted you to spend extra minutes with him for he knew someone would be coming shortly. Jesus has a great sense of Humor. Trust me when I say…many a time,I would get distracted at adroation, and a small light of golden ray would come from the Monstrance…this would be my little sign of love from Jesus asking me to stay longer. It is like Him Smiling on you…I can feel it sometimes so strong. Do you realize how lonely it must be for HIM that no one packes the adoration room or chaple anymore …to keep company with him. He picks us to help and keep him company for the others don’t have time…sad isn’t it. But yes, give Jesus you extra time and He will go out of His way to show you the path of His Love for you and for you take up the footsteps in His path to follow him as a Brother.
By the way, try the Brothers at EWTN ( Mother Angelica)…their vocations are doubling.
God Bless you and I will pray for you.

My Best to you!
Henrietta Netta
 
My guess is the older man,most likely was not the committed adorer for that particular hour,the same with the other visitor.The one committed tothat hour,either was remiss in finding a substitute,or the substitute did not show:eek: this has happened to me ,where I have stayed an additional hour,apart from my committed time.Like you,I found it to be an honor and privilege to spend extra time with Our Lord.;)Also,you may want to contact the person in charge of scheduing,so that this he or she can follow up.
 
I think it is great that you were there, and I agree that you should at least ask your spiritual director about it. Maybe that person wasn’t a regular adorer and the person who should have been there, had a problem. It would have been nice if he had asked you whether you could stay, instead of just leaving, but 🤷
 
The same thing happened to me once. I went to Adoration as a visitor at a parish that is not my own, and one other person was there when I entered the chapel. After awhile that person left, and I was not sure what to do. I ended up staying an entire hour waiting for the next scheduled adorer but no one came. At that point, I had to leave as my children would be coming home from school soon. I did feel terrible about about leaving the chapel unattended, but there was no other recourse.

I went back to that parish the next Saturday during their regular confession time and confessed this incident to the priest. He was completely understanding of the situation and absolved me, and I noticed that within a few months of that incident, the parish reduced their Adoration time from daily to once a week.
 
He probably assumed you were the next signed/planned adorer.

Perhaps they can implement what our parish has: the name and phone number of the person in charge or organizing adoration is listed on the sign-in. If an emergency comes up, they are to be contacted and will come right up/send someone (from the church office) in the meantime.

I’ve never heard of visitors signing in!
 
I am a scheduled adored and a few winters ago during a storm, no one showed up to replace me. Our parish priest stated that because our adoration chapel is separate from the church, that it is a tabernacle and no one needs to be present.
 
Oh! I assumed this was adoration of the exposed Eucharist (in a monstrance)- if it’s in the tabernacle, no one needs to be present.
 
I am a scheduled adorer, and leaving not being replaced is absolutely out of question. But I am a member of CLC, and I always can call someone to arrive.
 
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