From the bulletin of June 7, 2020
Many of you have been asking about the re-opening of the adoration chapel in our parish hall. It has not been open during Phase I because 25% of that small chapel is too easily surpassed. That being said, as soon as phase II begins, the adoration chapel will re-open, but there are some adjustments you should know about.
The first thing is that I want to have regularly scheduled exposition every week. At this point, it looks like we’ll do Exposition every Wednesday afternoon with benediction later in the day. I’ll publicize exact times when they’re set. We will return to the practice of First Friday/Saturday Adoration, which will begin after Mass on Friday and conclude just before Mass on Saturday. Once it is safe, the weekly Friday Mass will go back to 9:30am in the nursing home, but once month on the first Friday of the month we’ll have a second Mass at noon to foster the First Friday devotion.
The second thing will be less popular, I imagine, but I am following my conscience and prayer in this as your pastor. The chapel will remain accessible via a code on the door so people can pray at any time. Wednesday Adoration will allow people to experience exposition on a regular basis. The Blessed Sacrament will be there at all times, in the tabernacle. But, the tabernacle in the chapel will no longer allow just anyone to expose the Blessed Sacrament for themselves. It was originally put in for convenience, but convenience is not the most important thing when it comes to prayer and the sacraments.
I also want to say, I am not interested in shaming or blaming anyone. I know you are people of good faith with a genuine desire to pray. You acted in good faith on what was allowed, even by me for a while. Still, part of good faith is seeking to understand more deeply and I think now, as we return to using the chapel is a good time to teach and explain the Church’s rules on this. Technically, what’s been done in the past is not the most appropriate things for a few reasons. I’ll outline so of them here, but I’ll also post an article about it on the website and leave some copies of that article in the chapel
First, Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament is a sacred ritual. It should be carried out by a priest or deacon. In special circumstances, a particular trained and designated lay person may do exposition, but only when it’s not possible for a priest or deacon to lead it. It is certainly not appropriate for anyone and everyone to walk in and start exposition on their own. Also, the Church teaches that exposition should not be done more than twice a day in the same location. With people coming and going, this is easily broken. There is also the issue of the Sacrament being left exposed and unattended. I’ve personally witnesses this at least once.
Second, Tabernacles are regulated by the Church. They should be dignified and secure. This means glass is not allowed. It also means the tabernacle should be fastened down or too heavy to lift. The previous tabernacle fit neither of these requirements, meaning someone could have easily just taken the whole tabernacle or simply broken the glass to steal the host. As Satanic activity and hostility towards Christianity increases around the country, and even in places nearby, it is unwise to make it so easy for someone to profane the Blessed Sacrament just for the sake of our convenience.
Third and finally – this isn’t a rule but a consequence – the convenience of it tends to lessen the respect and effort people give to the Sacrament. Getting people to sign up for solemn exposition at special events is difficult if they can say “I’ll just go when I feel like it.” And if exposition always there when I want it, I’m more likely to take i for granted. It could also lead us to think that we always need exposition to pray, which we don’t.
I continue to be pleased by the devotion of the people of this parish. As we come back to the practice of adoration and being able to visit the chapel, I pray we can deepen our appreciation for and utilization of this great gift.
In Christ,
-Fr. Albert