Eucharistic Adoration

 “The Eucharist is a priceless treasure: by not only celebrating it but also by praying before it outside of Mass we are enabled to make contact with the very wellspring of grace.”  - Pope John Paul II

Eucharistic adoration is the act of worshipping God as He is present in the consecrated Eucharist.   It is by the conversion of the bread and wine into Christ’s body and blood during the celebration of the Mass that Christ becomes present.   The body and blood, together with the soul and divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ is truly, really, and substantially contained in the Blessed Sacrament. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, #1374)

The celebration of the Eucharist is central to our life of worship as Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration. It is here that, united with each other in Christ, we are one with him in his offering of praise and thanksgiving to the Father.
We extend this celebration of the Eucharist by our personal adoration.  Through it, we unite with Christ in his intercession for the Church; praying for all people of all times and of all places. Prayer, whether it is praise, intercession or adoration, is our ministry and service for the Church.

Adoration is an invitation to intimate conversation; it is a place for us to pour out our souls.  God waits to give Himself to us completely.   It is as if He is saying, “I am always here for you.”  We look at God and God looks at us.  We allow the gaze of God to penetrate our deepest selves and transform us.

We have exposition of the Blessed Sacrament from after Mass until Vespers: Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday.  Exposition is from 3:30pm until Vespers on Thursday and Saturday.  You are welcome to come and spend some quiet time in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament.  

In addition to our time of prayer in chapel, each of us is called to adore Christ perpetually, wherever we find him.
The Rule of Benedict tells us to look for Christ in the poor, the weak, the sick, the guest, the old, the young,

our spiritual leaders and in our companions.  Christ is everywhere and so our adoration must be ongoing. We must learn to pray
always as the spiritual masters of old taught. As Paul said in the 1st Letter to the Thessalonians,
“Pray without ceasing.” Our prayer, our adoration, must be always and everywhere, in or outside of our chapel.


Publications
In the Presence: The Spirituality of Eucharistic Adoration by Sister Joan Ridley, OSB
http://www.monasterycreations.com/In-the-Presence-p/ipbk.htm

In the Silence: Meditations for Eucharistic Adoration by Vandy Brennan Nies
http://www.liguori.org/productdetails.cfm?sku=818868

Come and Eat: An aid to prayer before the Blessed Sacrament by Sister Sarah Schwartzberg, OSB
http://www.monasterycreations.com/Come-and-Eat-p/blce.htm