DETROIT — There is always somebody praying before the Blessed Sacrament at some parishes, and perpetual eucharistic adoration brings benefits to both parishioner and parish, say some of those who have been most involved.
Perpetual adoration helped bring greater unity to St. Joseph the Worker Parish in Lake Orion, said parishioner Rosemary Chuey.
“A whole lot of prayers have been answered, and it has brought a lot of peace to people in the parish and to the parish itself,” said Chuey, 81.
“I think we have four guys in the seminary now, so vocations have definitely been a fruit of our prayers, and we’ve had three couples become engaged in our adoration chapel,” she continued.
During the three months from April through June of this year, an average of about 40 people a day spent time in St. Joseph’s adoration chapel — a total of 3,573 visits — Chuey said.
“That’s up from last year,” she added.
It was Chuey who got perpetual adoration started 19 years ago, and she served as coordinator for many of those years.
“I felt a need for a place for prayer, where you could go any time of day or night,” she said.
For about the first nine years, adoration was held in a separate building on the parish campus, and Chuey said the Knights of Columbus stepped up to do the work needed, while another parish contributed the tabernacle, and a couple of women’s religious communities supplied the kneelers.
With the parish about to embark on a major building project, Chuey had to raise the money herself, but she said that wasn’t a problem: “People would come up to me in the parking lot and hand me envelopes with money in them. It just seemed that Christ wanted that chapel.”
Then, about 10 years ago, adoration was moved into the newly expanded church.
Chuey feels she has been one of the beneficiaries of perpetual adoration at St. Joseph’s. “It has deepened my knowledge of Christ, given me a much deeper spiritual life, and been a calming influence in my life,” she said.
“I think you become more in tune with Christ in Holy Communion, and more spiritually alert to everything around you,” Chuey said.
And since a simple note left in the chapel sets in motion the prayers of all who visit it, Chuey calls it “the best prayer chain in the world.”
And that’s something she has had reason to be thankful for recently. When her daughter in Maryland called to say her doctor had discovered a lump in her breast, she went immediately to the chapel to activate that prayer chain. The lump was found to be benign.
Another strong believer in the benefits of perpetual adoration is Sylvia Simon, who — along with her husband, Paul — coordinates the approximately 250 people who are regularly involved in it at Immaculate Conception Parish in Lapeer.
“We have very good participation from people who commit to be there at certain times, and then there are always walk-ins,” said Simon, 75.
Perpetual adoration at Immaculate Conception — which takes place at a side altar in the main church — was started back in 1985 by Fr. Charles Goentges and Deacon Jerry DeShaw, and the Simons have been involved since 1990, serving as coordinators for the past 11 years.
For the parish, she said she sees the fruits of perpetual adoration in the participation of many parishioners in other devotions and in service activities such as taking Communion to the homebound and those in area nursing homes, as well as support for the parish food pantry.
The Lapeer parish also has a reputation as a generator of vocations.
“We’re a parish that is quite blessed,” she said, adding there is also an active prison ministry program and Knights of Columbus council, and that 50-60 people attend daily Mass.
The Simons also cover two of the early morning time slots themselves, Thursdays from 2-4 a.m. and Sundays from 2-5 a.m.
“My husband and I never miss the sleep. Thursdays and Sundays are the best days in the week for us. We really feel we have received much more in blessings than we have given,” Simon said.
At St. Frances Cabrini Parish in Allen Park, Gloria Staley recruited members for perpetual adoration 10 years ago at the request of Auxiliary Bishop Francis Reiss, and she has coordinated it ever since.
While there are some open time slots from time to time, “there always seems to be somebody there,” said Staley, 76.
In fact, about 700 people participate weekly in eucharistic adoration, which is held in the chapel of the parish’s former convent.
“One of the fruits has been vocations — both young men going into the priesthood and women going into the religious life — and it brings peace and harmony, and a great deal of dedication of the people to working together,” Staley said.
“And for people who are distraught about something, the peace that comes to these people is just astonishing,” she added.
As for Staley herself, she says her participation in eucharistic adoration has been of tremendous benefit: “I’ve had a lot of trauma in my life over the years, and I believe God has led me to find the people who can help me.”
The time spent in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament “gives you the grace to forgive others and bring love into your life,” she said.
“There is no limit to the fruits of adoration.”
