Perpetual adoration chapel experience

[KimberlyAnn0218]

I am admittedly a novice at Eucharistic adoration. I volunteered for an hour this fall on Eucharistic day and went to the local perpetual adoration chapel just 5 minutes away one time this summer.

So tonight I felt this overwhelming need to pray-really pray. I wanted to run some errands anyway and decided to make a stop for 15-20 minutes…whatever I felt I needed and then be on my way ( I had been told I did not have to stay an hour when I first inquired and got the code). I got there and there were 3 other people there. The assigned adorer seems to sit in the back corner, I think.
I sat down and got organized, knelt and started to pray. I was doing a good job at focusing and ignoring the shuffling of winter coats in the background. I heard the door a couple times. Well, for some reason I looked up and out the door went the last person! The assigned adorer for the hour before had signed out and everything! It was just me–the assigned person never showed up. My first reaction was COOL! Then I freaked out a little because I realized that I was now likely responsible until 8 PM. I had left my cell phone in the car so as not to be disturbed accidentally. I read the procedure for what to do if… and decided that obviously I was there for a reason and it was not often I got to be 1 to 1 witrh the presence of Jesus. So I went to the sign in book and signed in as a visitor but filling in because no one ever came for the next hour. Maybe I shouldn’t have done that, but I figured they like to know about the hiccups in the schedule. They ladies who came at 8 were very thankful I stayed.
I could not imagine myself being the one to put the veil over the monstrance. I couldn’t do it. I had no solid reason I couldn’t stay. So, I feel like God had his hand in this. what are the odds that I suddenly decide to go there at the exact time someone doesn’t show up? Maybe I am reading into this too much, but it was an exepected blessing

 

[brikar]

I’ve had that happen also, when I came in around the shift change. I can get a craving to go spend time with the Lord. I have a feeling this will be happening to you more often. I especially love the middle of the night hours, when I am alone and can really let go in prayer. I have a feeling that you’ll be making many more visits. He’s calling you.

 

[TimothyH]

Unfortunately, what you experienced happens sometimes, people leaving before their committed hour is up when someone else walks in.

There is usually a sign in book for the committed adorer. The sign in book may have the phone numbers of the hourly coordinator for that hour. Please give them a call and let them know what happened. They need to know if their adorers are habitually leaving early and it may be necissary to recruit a more stable adorer.

I’m an hourly coordinator for one of our hours and we need to know if this is happening on a regular basis. You will be helping your parishes adoration ministry if you let them know.

-Tim-

 

[Ohana]

Happened to me once. I worked at our parish and decided to go into the chapel during my lunch hour for holy Hours/Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament. People got up and left. I couldn’t leave until someone came in. I was late getting back to work! They don’t ding you for that in a Catholic Parish.

 

[po18guy]

The beauty is that even one minute spent with our Lord is far superior to that same minute spent elsewhere. A few souls will pop in for a couple of minutes, maybe a Rosary, then depart. That used to bother me - then I remembered where they were and Whom they had just visited. They might have been on their way to the hospital, or a family or work crisis. What better place to stop for spiritual refreshment?

 

[acadian]

Has happened to me only once in the couple of years I’ve been frequenting Adoration. I stopped at the little chapel near my house for a few minutes before I went on to Mass. The man who was there got up and left. I didn’t have to be at work for another hour or so, so there was no reason not to stay. About 5 or 10 minutes later, the assigned person came in, but like you, I figured that there must be a reason I was there, and it was nice to have the 1 on 1 time with the Lord.

Isn’t it a wonderful hour? God knows exactly what we need!

 

[puzzleannie]

I So, I feel like God had his hand in this. what are the odds that I suddenly decide to go there at the exact time someone doesn’t show up? Maybe I am reading into this too much, but it was an exepected blessing

I think your conclusion is most likely correct. I think it has happened to many of us.

You did the right thing to sign the book as a visitor because the organizers need to know when there are gaps, and they need to have more than one person assigned to each hour for exactly this reason.