DAILY ADORATION: Valuable Time Spent in Jesus’ True Presence

During our parish survey last year, Marilou Mallada brought forward the idea of introducing the Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament after daily Mass. Fr. Jose agreed to “try out” this practice for the season of Lent.

Now, a year later, we continue to have Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament every day after daily Mass until 10 a.m., as well as continuing the existing opportunity until 9 p.m. on Fridays.

“It’s been successful,” Marilou says.

On Saturdays during the exposition after Mass, parishioners are invited into community prayer and praise.

“We have a group prayer,” Marilou says. “Everybody who is interested participates. Deacon Tom, if he’s available, leads the prayer, and then during adoration, there’s a portion where we sing and my husband plays the guitar.”

The prayers dedicated to Holy Hour and a Divine Mercy litany, are in a prayer booklet available to anyone who wishes to participate. This provides an opportunity for shared time together in prayer as a community.

“We do adoration together — we praise, we pray, we sing together,’’ Marilou says. “It’s something that’s like what Jesus wants us to do as a community — to pray together in His presence.”

Marilou says she has always had a devotion to the practice of Eucharistic Adoration. When she began attending adoration on a regular basis about 25 years ago, she started to feel more connected to God in that setting. With this practice being so vital to her spiritual life and being a regular daily Mass attendee, she wanted to see if the parish would consider opening up the opportunity after daily Masses.

“I feel like that’s really important to my faith, to be in the presence of the Lord during adoration and exposition,” Marilou says. “I feel much more connected in that setting when I face the Lord, even just in quiet, and sit and pray. It’s much more personal to me that He is there and I am there.”

The Saturday morning prayer group during adoration is open for anyone who wishes to attend. There is no regular obligation, nor any specific commitment. Marilou encourages anyone who wishes to participate to join the group on Saturday mornings or even throughout the week.

“It’s a good opportunity for all if they want to stay closer to the Lord,” Marilou says. “You don’t have to stay an hour, just whatever minutes you can afford to. Just sit with the Lord, you don’t have to say anything — just spend time with Him.”

Anyone who would like to assist with setting up or other responsibilities may contact Marilou Mallada at 609-468-1477.

Saturday Eucharistic Adoration Group with Deacon Tom Alayu