Time Spent in Eucharistic Adoration Puts Our Relationship with Jesus First
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A youth prays at the adoration chapel.
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n Matthew Chapter 26, Jesus is praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, before His crucifixion. Peter and the two sons of Zebedee fall asleep — Jesus asks them, “So, you could not keep watch with me for one hour?” How fitting it is that we have the opportunity to keep watch with our Lord 24 hours per day, seven days a week here at Saint Michael Parish. Eucharistic Adoration means the Blessed Body of Christ is exposed in what’s called a monstrance — the Blessed Body of Christ cannot be left alone when exposed. Thanks to a large group of committed adorers, or those who cover the same hour each week, we’ve been blessed with Eucharistic Adoration at SMP since 2000. In 2003, a visiting priest came to speak about adoration, and on Ash Wednesday of 2003, adoration was expanded to perpetual — or 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Eucharistic Adoration is held in the St. Joseph Chapel. Mike Landowski constructed the wood repository in which the monstrance sits and Julie Ziegler painted (wrote) the icons of the Annunciation of Jesus. Kateri Neal has been covering an adoration hour for all these years. She currently prays at 5 a.m. on Thursday mornings, but she has covered a variety of hours over the years. Her husband, Dennis, started praying with her in the past few years. Kateri is thankful for the gift of Eucharistic Adoration, which Fr. Jim Lee started all those years ago. She believes it has strengthened the faith and vibrancy of SMP. “I don’t know what my faith walk would look like if adoration wasn’t a part of my life,” Kateri says. “I have witnessed so many miracles over the years of adoration, some big and some little. I can always take it back to praying for it at adoration.” Grace Ordos says the adoration chapel is one of her favorite places to be. She very much missed this opportunity to pray in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. She feels blessed to have a weekly hour and to visit when she can. continued on page 7
