Awaken Ministry mixes powerful music, atmosphere with Eucharistic adoration

Lake Orion — In a dimly lit church, 600 people knelt in silent adoration as the Blessed Sacrament passed by in a cloud of incense and light.

Moments later, with hands raised to heaven and clapping, hearty praise and worship rang out to God as guitars, drums and bass belted out contemporary Christian anthems as special lighting illuminated the sanctuary. It was a powerfully moving atmosphere for prayer, said one attendee.

“I haven’t experienced God like that in a while,” said Danielle Roy, a student at Oakland University who attended the event Feb. 8 at St. Joseph the Worker Parish in Lake Orion. “It was really cool.”

Such is the essence of the nearly two-year-old Awaken Ministry, a powerful experience of praise, worship and preaching making its way across the Archdiocese of Detroit.

The idea originally began as a response to the success of events such as the annual Steubenville Youth Conferences and a concert by Catholic recording artist Matt Maher two years ago at St. Andrew Parish in Rochester.

Maher’s incorporation of Eucharistic adoration into his musical set especially impressed Maureen Dierkes, a parishioner of St. Mary of the Hills Parish in Rochester Hills, who felt called to help bring a similar ministry to the Archdiocese of Detroit. Dierkes eventually co-founded Awaken Ministry with her husband, Bill, along with Brad and Mariann Merrelli.



In a 2013 interview with The Michigan Catholic, Dierkes called Awaken an “authentically Catholic” event that emphasizes above all the closeness of Christ in the Eucharist.

Since then, Awaken has visited a different parish every three months and consistently sees high turnout, said Andy Gardner, who helps lead music for the events and is one of nearly two dozen volunteers who help coordinate them.

“It has just blossomed,” Gardner said. “It’s been a total Holy Spirit moment that’s been driving this. To see that many people on their knees in adoration, you would pay money, and here they are.”

The Feb. 8 event at St. Joseph was also unique because of its guest preacher, Archbishop Allen Vigneron. The archbishop, who spoke to those gathered about the “boundless love” of God in sending His Son, said Awaken was another expression of faith with the potential to lead Catholics — especially young people — to a greater appreciation for the Mass and private Eucharistic adoration.

The archbishop told The Michigan Catholic he was “very grateful to God” for the ministry, and that, “I think this is a way God renews His Church, by making all of these kinds of initiatives bloom.”

Fr. Steve Pullis, chaplain and spiritual director for Awaken who led the Eucharistic procession for the St. Joseph event, said it can also serve as an “easy access point” for those who might rarely find themselves in a church at all.

“I think the power of Jesus in the Eucharist in adoration provides that opportunity, whether it’s the music, the preaching or the silence — all those ways give people the chance to be with Jesus and to know his love for them,” said Fr. Pullis, who also serves as the archbishop’s priest secretary.

Fr. Pullis said the archbishop’s presence was a vote of encouragement for Awaken’s success in bringing people to worship in a powerful way.

“Him being there gave us that support to say, ‘Keep doing this. Keep looking for ways that the age-old tradition, that the ancient faith, Christ’s presence — ever ancient, ever new — can be brought to this generation and future generations,’” he said.

Fr. Pullis said Awaken is personally moving for him as well, calling it “a great realization of all the different ways Jesus wants people to encounter him.”

“The power of Christ in the presence of the assembly there, of all the faithful who are coming together, their collective and individual prayers that they’re lifting up, I feel that very strongly,” he said. “People are bringing all these different joys and struggles of their lives, and they’re giving them to Jesus at that time. For me it’s a tremendous joy to see the faith of the people of God.”

Fr. Pullis said the name for Awaken borrows from Ephesians 5:14: “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.”

“It’s not just about loud music waking people up who are asleep. It’s about waking us up to the reality of Christ’s love for us,” he said.

 

Awaken Ministry

The next Awaken Ministry event will be Sunday, March 29, at St. Malachy Parish in Sterling Heights. Events start at 7 p.m. and last until about 8:30 p.m., with refreshments afterward. Events are free, but donations are encouraged. Visit www.awakenministry.org for more information.