Benediction is every Friday at 2:45pm, unless otherwise posted.
Welcome!
We are pleased to welcome you to this section of our website devoted to perpetual adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament. We hope you fall in love with Jesus and spend time with him alone in prayer.
What is Perpetual Adoration?
Perpetual Adoration is a Eucharistic devotion whereby members of the parish unite in taking hours of adoration before the Most Blessed Sacrament 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The Most Blessed Sacrament is exposed in a special holder called a monstrance, which comes from the Latin word, monstrare, meaning "to show". Persons who dedicate at least one hour a week are called committed adorers and they form the backbone of perpetual adoration.
History of Perpetual Adoration at St. Catherine of Siena
Our first chapel had its humble beginnings in what used to be the Nursery Room of the St. Catherine’s School. Many benefactors came forward and many hands volunteered to help ready the Nursery into a warm and beautiful place for Our Blessed Lord to abide.
Father Joseph DeLuca, Missionary Priest of the Blessed Sacrament, came to do a weekend of Masses and inspired many to take the first step in becoming committed adorers by filling out an invitation. These invitations were divided up among the Perpetual Adoration Leaders who started calling and scheduling two adorers on every hour of the week. It was an enormous task performed with monumental love.
Then on Saturday evening, 9/27/08, in the pouring rain, our Bishop Burbidge processed with the Blessed Sacrament through a candle lit column of parishioners, to the chapel where he enthroned Our Lord with a special blessing for us all. The hourly change of committed adorers started its rotation on the Perpetual Adoration schedule at midnight on Sunday 9/28/08. Ever since that time, we have had at least one adorer keeping watch with Jesus every hour of every day. Our faith has been rewarded in amazing ways, including a magnificent new church and new chapel now located in the front of the church!
The Chapel of Jesus Our Eternal Priest is dedicated to the Priesthood and increased vocations to the Priesthood. It is easy to remember to spend part of our time in the chapel praying for this intention because when we look at the Blessed Sacrament, we recall the miracle of the Mass. It is our Priests, after all, who give us the “Bread from Heaven”. Here in the chapel we are able to sit before the “Real Presence” of Jesus because of our Priests!
To become a Perpetual Adoration adorer, all we need to do is give the Lord one hour a week in silence in the chapel. Our Lord has said His sheep know His Voice. How can we get to know His Voice that is drowned out in the noise of our everyday lives? It’s impossible. So, adorers come to the chapel where they can listen to Him in the silence of their hearts, and grow with Him in holiness. He waits for us to come to Him. He longs for our companionship. All are invited.
Our dedicated Perpetual Adoration Leaders would be happy to help you become a committed adorer. You can find their contact information on the little blue chapel business cards located in the chapel foyer on the sign in table and church office. Won’t you join us in adoration of Our Lord? You’ll find it’s the best hour of your week.Each hour of the day is assigned to two committed adorers so that Jesus is never left alone. Those interested in becoming a committed adorer must complete a form found in the chapel foyer and leave it in the foyer basket. These forms will be reviewed by the Head Coordinator.
Perpetual Adoration of Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament rests upon the love and devotion of our committed adorers who come to their assigned hour in the chapel every week. The leaders of Perpetual Adoration are committed adorers too, and they take on the added responsibility of making sure there are no hours left unattended. Even in inclement weather, leaders ensure that the Blessed Sacrament is never be left alone. To all our committed adorers and leaders, our Guardians of the Eucharist, we offer you sincere thanks and heartfelt gratitude.
When adorers come to the chapel, they sign in. Committed adores and substitute adorers sign in at the table in the chapel foyer. Visiting adorers sign in at the table inside the chapel. Hourly rotation takes place at the top of the hour. Every committed adorer is given a miniature Monstrance pin that identifies the wearer as a committed adorer of perpetual adoration. They are asked to always wear their pin when they come to chapel; but they may also wear them anytime for the purpose of evangelizing. Committed adorers who wear their pin help attract others who may have interest in a forming a relationship with Jesus but who may need the guidance of a friend or a simple invitation.
There is a rule of silence in our chapel. We try to provide everyone in the chapel with the most reverent and intimate experience with Jesus, Our Lord. Our Faith teaches and we believe that the Eucharist is the real presence, the body, blood soul and divinity of Jesus Christ, Our Savior. All of our actions in the chapel should both reflect and demonstrate our Catholic Faith. If one is able, It is customary to kneel one both knees before the Lord or to genuflect with the right knee. Those with limited mobility offer other appropriate reverence upon entering the chapel.
To spend an hour of adoration one can silently pray the Rosary, Chaplet of Divine Mercy, Liturgy of Hours or other devotion. One can write a letter of gratitude to Jesus and tell Him all the ways we encounter his generous . One can pray for intentions or simply sit and contemplate with an open heart the mystery of God's generous love. For your spiritual growth, there is a very good chapel library where one may read selected holy works of Saints and other sacred authors. We only ask that at the end of your holy hour, you return the reading materials to the chapel library so that they are available to adorers who follow you.
It is a privilege to be able to spend time with Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament, a privilege available to us 24 hours of the day, 7 days a week. Think about this. When you go to bed at night, one or more of our precious adorers is keeping watch with Our Lord at every hour and we are all being blessed because of their faithfulness in prayer. Let us also keep in mind that more than anything, Our Blessed Mother wants us to help bring all hearts to the Sacred Heart of Her Son, Jesus. By your committed “yes” you have kept the doors open for all hearts to enter in. For this act of selfless love, you will receive eternal thanks in heaven.