Mary Saint
on the hill
St. Mary on the Hill Celebrates the Reo
O
n Oct. 7, the Feast of the Holy Rosary, the streets of Summerville came alive in a truly beautiful way as countless St. Mary on the Hill parishioners took part in the Eucharistic procession celebrating the reopening of our Adoration Chapel. Following a Mass officiated by Fr. Mark Ross, our parish priests and deacons led the procession with the Eucharist, which was encased in its monstrance and protected by a canopy. While the sun beamed down on the faithful as they walked and prayed the Rosary together, nothing could compare to the warmth and light emanating from the true presence of Christ. Adoration Chapel coordinator Mary Ellen Zielinski is thankful for the hard work of John Prohaska, Martha Kearns, Joan Purucker, and our parish clergy and staff for making this inspiring event possible, as well as the support of the many parishioners and visitors who came out for the Mass and procession. “The reopening celebration was a joy-filled tribute to being able to hold a celebration for a chapel that brings so much peace to so many, especially during this time of government restrictions on our ability to gather,” Mary Ellen says. “There was happiness that we could return to a devotion that we hold so dear. The Mass was the best-attended one since churches were shut down, and that was a powerful testament.” Due to COVID-19 restrictions, our perpetual Adoration Chapel was closed in March. For both scheduled adorers and frequent “drop-in” adorers alike, Parishioners prayed the Rosary as they followed the Eucharistic procession from the extended time away from this special devotion was difficult. A shortage St. Mary on the Hill Church to the Adoration of regular adorers, combined with stringent health guidelines brought about Chapel. (Photo by John Prohaska) by the pandemic, made reopening the chapel a challenge. But where there is a will, there is a way — and with God, there is always a way! A new tabernacle now housing the monstrance in the chapel allows for the Eucharist to be left alone, as long as the doors are closed when no adorers are present in the chapel. “The biggest blessing for the Adoration Chapel is that of the simple, yet so powerfully beautiful tabernacle built by parishioner Gary Garner, who has a real gift for turning a piece of wood into a work of art,” Mary Ellen says. “The tabernacle is beautiful by itself. When the doors are opened, it is breathtaking with the monstrance inside and the light shining on it, particularly in a dimmed chapel. Those who adore alone have the luxury of dimming the lights and feeling the awesome peacefulness of God’s presence.” The monstrance remains inside the tabernacle at all times, with the doors open when adorers are present. Ideally, our parish will soon return to having enough hourly adorers scheduled to ensure that The Blessed Sacrament is now housed in a beautiful wooden tabernacle in our Adoration Chapel, allowing for the doors to be closed in the absence of adorers. (Photo by Paul Zielinski) someone is with the Lord at all times. Until 44
