Peekaboo Adoration

[stceolfrithtx]

I know a parish that has an adoration chapel that used to host perpetual adoration but support for it waned. There is a combination lock on the chapel and if you know where to find it, the key to the tabernacle is hidden in order for one to expose the Eucharist on their own.

It was my understanding that this is not a licit practice and I once heard it derisively called “peekaboo Jesus” adoration, but I can’t find anything that specifically prohibits this practice. I don’t know where to look up norms for adoration. A little help?

I did find one Vatican curial document that states there should be prayers said upon exposing and reposing the Sacrament and that it should be done by an EMHC if not a Priest/etc, but I could use more information and Google isn’t helping too much. Thanks,

 

[NickD]

As you stated above, there is this:

1. … In the absence of a priest or deacon or if they are lawfully impeded, the following persons may publicly expose and later repose the eucharist for the adoration of the faithful:

a. an acolyte or special minister of communion;

b. upon appointment by the local Ordinary, a member of a religious community or of a pious association of laymen or laywomen which is devoted to eucharistic adoration.[my emphases added]

I couldn’t find the Latin, so I still have two questions: Does “the faithful” necessarily entail more than 1 person, or can “the faithful” just be the person exposing the Blessed Sacrament? Also, I would think that “special minister of communion” would mean an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion, yes? Of course, he/she would have to be duly trained and instituted as such.

Sorry for not giving a definite answer; but this document is something to consider, I believe.

 

[Elizium23]

This is an extremely dangerous practice from a security point of view. Forget whether or not it is illicit (it is) but try to think what would happen if the combination and key fell into the wrong hands. The Eucharist could easily be desecrated or stolen or both. Sacred vessels along with it. This matter should be brought immediately to the pastor and then to the ordinary.

 

[Zooman77]

Elizium23:

This is an extremely dangerous practice from a security point of view. Forget whether or not it is illicit (it is) but try to think what would happen if the combination and key fell into the wrong hands. The Eucharist could easily be desecrated or stolen or both. Sacred vessels along with it. This matter should be brought immediately to the pastor and then to the ordinary.

Right, I agree this is a huge security concern. Keycards would work better than a combination since they can’t be distributed as easily but still it becomes a problem. Either way talk to your pastor about it.

 

[TantumErgo]

I would check this site out.

www.peekabooadoration.wordpress.com

He quotes the same document NickD quoted, and makes some good points. It’s good for us to be aware of the church teachings on this matter so we avoid the vice of falsehood St. Thomas mentioned in his Summa and also the reason for Redemptoris Sacramentum to be written "the vice of falsehood is perpetrated by anyone who offers worship to God on behalf of the Church in a manner contrary to that which is established by the Church with divine authority, and to which the Church is accustomed.”