Eucharistic Adoration

Adoration Hours St. Louis 2024 (Please consult parish bulletin or church office to confirm hours, as these change often.)
Thirty One Questions on Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament

Introduction

The Archbishop's Committee for Eucharistic Adoration was established in 1997 to support the Archbishop's Strategic Plan Goal #1: To foster conversion through prayer and the Sacraments; and Priority #1: To revitalize participation in the Eucharist, with the primary emphasis on achieving the Archbishop's goal for increased participation in Eucharistic Adoration in the Archdiocese of St. Louis.

The committee is a catalyst and a resource to help parishes and schools institute Eucharistic Adoration and increase participation in Eucharistic Adoration. To this end, the committee:

conducts various conferences and meetings
provides assistance and publicity
develops appropriate resources such as prayer cards and pamphlets

We hope the information below will help you increase and promote devotion to the Eucharist.

Institution of Perpetual Adoration and Increased Participation in Eucharistic Adoration

Key Factors

Pastor's firm belief in the graces of Eucharistic Adoration and communication of these graces to his parishioners,
Primary responsibility for Eucharistic Adoration resting with a Lay Coordinator and a committee, which report to the Pastor or his designee,
Six to eight people meet once a week to pray for success,
Expertise of an experienced coordinator from another successful parish (Also see sign-up weekends),
Confidence that Perpetual Adoration is easier to initiate than 1-2 days a week,
Assistance from an experienced guest homilist to promote adoration on sign-up weekend (please refer to list below and - also see sign-up weekends)

Children's Adoration

Arrange an adult and children holy hour (program/schedule)
Encourage teachers to bring students to visit Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament
Encourage parents to bring their children to their Holy Hour.

Sign-up Weekends

To increase participation in Eucharistic Adoration, conduct a sign-up weekend every 2-3 years. It is usually best to have a guest priest as a homilist at all Sunday Masses on a weekend (emphasizing the importance, graces/blessing, etc) to inspire people to signup to participate in Eucharistic Adoration. Sign-up forms and pencils should be available in the pews.

Letter of invitation to New Catholics from the RCIA

Compose a letter to the newly initiated welcoming them and informing them of the adoration times in your parish.

Organizational Requirements for Eucharistic Adoration

Organization

Have in place an organization of lay people who have responsibility for the day to day participation in Eucharistic Adoration in accordance with Parish and USCCB (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops) requirements. The Head/Lead coordinator for Eucharistic Adoration normally reports to the Pastor or his designee.

The organization for Eucharistic Adoration depends on the number days and times of adoration and also the number of adorers. This would include the Head/Lead Coordinator and an appropriate number of coordinators/committee members. The following are examples:

For Perpetual Adoration (24 hours, 7 days per week) - In addition to the Head/Lead Coordinator there is probably a need for Midnight, Morning, Afternoon, and Evening Division Leaders/Coordinators. Also need six Hourly Captains reporting to each of the four Division Leaders/Coordinators.
For Eucharistic Adoration on one or two days a week - In addition to the Head/Lead Coordinator, there may only be a need for four Monthly Leaders/Coordinators, each of who is responsible for adoration three months of the year. Also consider having a Lead Adorer on each hour of adoration who is requested to be present on time and to stay until the Lead Adorer for the next hour arrives. If the Lead Adorer is not able to be present as scheduled, that person is asked to obtain a substitute, and to tell the substitute of the responsibility of the Lead Adorer.

Attendance Requirements

"Every effort should be made to ensure that there should be at least two people present. There must absolutely never be periods when the Blessed Sacrament is exposed and there is no one present ..." "The use of drapes or doors to shield the monstrance, even for a short period of time, is not the required reposition of the Blessed Sacrament." (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops publication, Thirty-One Questions on Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament- page 11)

Attendance Log

Provide an attendance log for adorers to sign-in as they enter the chapel for Eucharistic Adoration. Include the date and hourly times on the log and provide a space in the log for scheduled adorers to sign and a separate place for drop-ins/visitors to sign-in at each hourly time.

Contact List

Post a list of leaders and coordinators, with phone numbers, who can be contacted during adoration if there is a concern, such as lack of adorer coverage and for other concerns.

List of Substitutes

To provide for more reliable participation in adoration, develop a list of substitutes (people who are willing to sub for scheduled adorers) with phone numbers, cell, and email, which is made available to adorers for use as needed.

Communicating Changes

Have a system (bulletin, email, phone, bulletin boards, announcement after Holy Mass, etc.) to keep adorers informed of any changes in the schedules for adoration. This can include: Holydays or holidays when the Most Blessed Sacrament may not be exposed or at times when weather conditions cause delays or cancellations.

Available Prayer Items

Provide approved spiritual reading material for adorers (adults and children) such as Bibles, appropriate books (saints, Eucharistic miracles, etc.) pamphlets and prayer cards [e.g. Eucharistic Adoration Prayers (Archbishop's Committee on Eucharistic Adoration), and other approved prayers. Also, have rosaries (inexpensive plastic rosaries that have been blessed) readily available for use or to keep.