Pepetual Adoration

[RV_Turtle]

I visited a church that had the Monstrance above the tabernacle “exposed” behind glass with two doors that could be closed by an adorer if they had to leave and no one was available to be there. I noticed that in the Temple of the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Hanceville, AL. they lower and raise a door electronically to expose the Monsrance. Also, on EWTN after mass someone removed a cloth cover to expose the Blessed Sacrament. Is this approved, as a priest told me it was illicit? Can we start an Adoration before the Blessed Sacrament in our small church where it would be difficult to find enough people to be there for the full time even if we did it for one day per week?

 

[SuscipeMeDomine]

I visited a church that had the Monstrance above the tabernacle “exposed” behind glass with two doors that could be closed by an adorer if they had to leave and no one was available to be there. I noticed that in the Temple of the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Hanceville, AL. they lower and raise a door electronically to expose the Monsrance. Also, on EWTN after mass someone removed a cloth cover to expose the Blessed Sacrament. Is this approved, as a priest told me it was illicit? Can we start an Adoration before the Blessed Sacrament in our small church where it would be difficult to find enough people to be there for the full time even if we did it for one day per week?

According to the experts at EWTN this is not allowed:

eucharistic adoration
Question from on 07-15-2008:

Can a parish have adoration with the monstrance behind glass and with doors that can be closed if no one can be there? When someone want to adore they can open the doors. I saw this at one church.

Answer by Rev. Mark J. Gantley, JCL on 07-15-2008:

If there is no one present, the Blessed Sacrament should be put back into the tabernacle. The practice you describe is illicit.

 

[KathyA]

In our small parish church, we have Adoration on the First Friday of every month from 5 am to 5 pm. The first people there put out the monstrance (the host is kept in the tabernacle in a special glass case that slides into the monstrance) and the last people put it away.

Kathy

 

[surfinpure]

We have perpetual adoration at our parish, but Jesus is NEVER left alone!

 

[JimR-OCDS]

The Adoration Chapel that my wife and myself go to, we’re the last adorers on Saturday night, and we are responsible for closing up the chapel. It reopens, Monday morning. The Blessed Sacrament is in a tabernacle, which is built with a glass door . When we close up, we place a curtain on the front of the tabernacle and turn off the interior light.

This has been approved by the Bishop and the pastor, who is a theologian. If it were not, the chapel would’ve had to close down, because we lost adorers for Saturday evening and Sundays.

My understanding is that secure adoration chapels, like the one I attend, are different than adoration in a church, where the Blessed Sacrament must be returned to the tabernacle in between adoration times, not only out of reverence, but for security reasons as well.

EWTN, covers the Monstrance during Mass, and do not return the Blessed Sacrament to the tabernacle.

Jim