Eucharistic adoration and benediction question

CuriousM · #1 Jan 28, '08, 7:52 am

What is it?

I have been browsing through the parishes on the archdiocese website and am seeing that some offer this.

How do you adore the eucharist? Not being a smart alec here, I'm really not sure what this is.

Thanks in advance.

M

Belle10 · #2 Jan 28, '08, 7:57 am

Eucharistic adoration is a great blessing!

Since we believe that Jesus is actually physically present in the Eucharist, we can go and spend time with Him, adoring Him. Many churches have adoration chapels (I'm blessed that my church has it 24 hrs a day/7 days a week) and you can sign up and commit to being there at a certain time for an hour each week so that Jesus is never left alone. The hour commitment is urged/offered as an acceptance of Jesus words in the Garden of Gethsemane: "Could you not spend one hour with Me?". Working full-time and having a young child it's a bit difficult for me to commit to an hour right now

so I just go whenever I can for whatever amount of time I can. (I especially like being in adoration after going to confession.

)

As far as how you do it, there are many ways: you can pray the Rosary, the chaplet of Divine Mercy, or any other prayers; you can read books by/about saints, the Church, etc.; or you can simply sit in the presence of Jesus and quiet your heart and mind and let Him do the talking.

I find when I go (which isn't nearly as often as it should be

) a combination of prayer and quiet is good. It's a beautiful blessing.

CuriousM · #3 Jan 28, '08, 8:09 am

Oh wow how cool.
I like that idea and it is actually something I would really like to do.
Life is so crazy around here right now, that it would be nice to go and just "be" with Jesus.
Thank you so much for explaining this to me!!

Belle10 · #4 Jan 28, '08, 8:25 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by CuriousM

Oh wow how cool.
I like that idea and it is actually something I would really like to do.
Life is so crazy around here right now, that it would be nice to go and just "be" with Jesus.
Thank you so much for explaining this to me!!

Yes, being able to leave everything outside that door and just be with Jesus is definitely a blessing. I read a book once that talked about how being in adoration strengthens a person so much, even if they don't realize it. The holiness of Jesus just radiates to you, and your soul soaks up the love. Whether you feel anything or not, being in the presence of Jesus is miraculous, joyful, and peaceful.

You can find Eucharistic Adoration listings here:
http://www.therealpresence.org/chap_fr.htm

John Russell Jr · #5 Jan 28, '08, 11:40 am

You can also greet the guardian angel of the parish etc and all the angels around the blessed sacrament and ask their help and prayers.

**LilyM** · #6 Jan 28, '08, 12:33 pm

Just to get the terminology absolutely clear, Adoration is when the host is placed in a monstrance (a specially designed glass-and-gold display case) and placed (usually) on or near the altar for parishioners to visit with.

Benediction, which is usually but not necessarily held at the end of a period of Adoration, is where the Jesus in the monstrance actually gives the congregation a blessing. It's a lovely little ceremony.

The priest wears a special vestment called a humeral veil for this because, although he picks up the monstrance and makes the sign of the Cross with it, it is not himself giving the blessing.

Joyful_1 · #7 Jan 28, '08, 2:31 pm

We have Eucharistic Benediction once a week during Lent after Stations of the Cross. It is beautiful and it one of the few times that incense is used in our parish. I love incense!

We have yet to start having regular adoration in our parish. Somday . . .

God Bless
Joyful_1

lizaanne · #8 Jan 28, '08, 2:37 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by LilyM

Benediction, which is usually but not necessarily held at the end of a period of Adoration, is where the Jesus in the monstrance actually gives the congregation a blessing. It's a lovely little ceremony.

The priest wears a special vestment called a humeral veil for this because, although he picks up the monstrance and makes the sign of the Cross with it, it is not himself giving the blessing.

My parish has benediction after every Sunday Noon Mass - it is so wonderful!

~Liza

**puzzleannie** · #9 Jan 28, '08, 5:21 pm

since I just answered this question in another thread
http://forums.catholic.com/showthread.php?t=215007
so there won't be an echo in here.

one simply sits, or kneels, or stands in the presence of the Lord for a period of time, usually an hour, but as long as you can, in prayer, with sacred reading, in meditation, or simply waiting on the Lord.

**puzzleannie** · #10 Jan 28, '08, 5:23 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by LilyM

The priest wears a special vestment called a humeral veil for this because, although he picks up the monstrance and makes the sign of the Cross with it, it is not himself giving the blessing.

I am thinking the cope is the extra garment the priest wears for Benediction, and the humeral veil is the "matching" piece of fabric that covers the monstrance or tabernacle. i am sure I will rapidly be corrected if I am wrong. since having gone for nearly 30 years without benefit of access to adoration of the exposed Blessed Sacrament, and benediction, until moving down here, my terminology is somewhat rusty.

tee_eff_em · #11 Jan 28, '08, 5:35 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by puzzleannie

I am thinking the cope is the extra garment the priest wears for Benediction, and the humeral veil is the "matching" piece of fabric that covers the monstrance or tabernacle.

The cope is not really "extra" -- Just "different". It is the proper liturgical vestment of a priest outside of Mass. (And, yes, a humeral veil is often made to match. Likewise, both vestments might be part of a matching set including a chasuble and/or dalmatic)

Quote:

Originally Posted by puzzleannie

i am sure I will rapidly be corrected if I am wrong.

I don't know that I'd call you "wrong", but happy to oblige none the less.

tee

**puzzleannie** · #12 Jan 29, '08, 4:38 am

I will also go so far as to say, that once you are faithful in your Mass obligation, daily prayer, regular scripture reading, and service the the Church and God's poor, nothing I can think of will go so far to advance your spiritual pilgrimage than making your own weekly holy hour before the Blessed Sacrament, alone or with others. almost without exception the practice that characterizes the saints and holy men and women who are doing great things now is the practice of regular, even daily time with the Lord in adoration. if you are having time management problems and difficulties in setting and meeting priorities in any area of your life, the dedication of an hour alone with the Lord each day--even if you cannot get to the church or chapel--will resolve those issues.

catholic79 · #13 Jan 29, '08, 4:55 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by puzzleannie

I will also go so far as to say, that once you are faithful in your Mass obligation, daily prayer, regular scripture reading, and service the the Church and God's poor, nothing I can think of will go so far to advance your spiritual pilgrimage than making your own weekly holy hour before the Blessed Sacrament, alone or with others.

I agree! I used to work a block away from our church and I would walk over on my lunch spend 30 minutes (Although longer is better) in adoration and then go back to work. It was a wonderful way to spend sometime in the middle of the day and really helped me relax at lunch and think about what was important instead of work. I don't have that option now and I miss it so!