St. Mary on the Hill Celebrates the Reopening of Our Adoration Chapel

On 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 closedin March. For both scheduled adorers and frequent “drop-in” adorers alike, the extended time away from this special devotion was difficult. A shortage of regular adorers, combined with stringent health guidelines brought about 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 someone is with the Lord at all times. Until then, keeping the Eucharist in the tabernacle — along with extra spacing and sanitation guidelines — allows our parish to experience the gift of Adoration once more.

In a world filled with noise and distraction, Christ invites us to experience the peace and grace that come with a devotion to spending time in His true presence.

“St. John Paul II prayed for Eucharistic Adoration to be held in every parish in the world, and we have that blessing,” Mary Ellen says. “Fr. Ross has provided a way for us to keep this ministry alive and thriving. While many prayers have been answered, miracles taken place, graces bestowed, comfort received, and adorers converted to the Catholic faith all through this chapel, the biggest blessing is the ability to sit in the presence of God any time of the day before we die — a little piece of heaven on earth.”

For the safety of all, anyone who comes to the chapel must be an assigned adorer who attends only their scheduled hour. Drop-ins are not able to enter at this time. Previously scheduled adorers will need to sign up once more now that the Adoration Chapel has reopened. Masks are strongly encouraged and are mandatory when more than four assigned adorers are in the chapel at the same time. Social distancing, using sanitizer when entering and leaving the chapel, and wiping down touched items are all required. All assigned adorers will receive an access code as the chapel has been outfitted with new 24/7 security.

Are you interested in becoming a scheduled adorer? For more information, please contact Mary Ellen Zielinski at Adoration@stmaryonthehill.org or 706-228-5115.

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)

Parishioners prayed the Rosary as they followed the Eucharistic procession from St. Mary on the Hill Church to the Adoration Chapel. (Photo by John Prohaska)

Our parish celebrated the reopening of the Adoration Chapel with a Mass followed by a Eucharistic procession from the church to the chapel. (Photo by John Prohaska)

Fr. Mark Ross holds the monstrance exposing the Blessed Sacrament in the Eucharistic procession celebrating the reopening of our Adoration Chapel. (Photo by John Prohaska)

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 St. John Paul II, Church of the Eucharist, 2003