Adoration linked with vocations

By JEFF GRAHAM

The Archdiocese of Vancouver is blessed to have one of six monstrances blessed by Pope John Paul II coming to the city March 30 to April 2. The late Pope blessed the monstrances with the intention that they be used in conjunction with prayers for vocations.

In the Vancouver archdiocese the monstrance will be used for a series of Eucharistic adoration events facilitated by the vocations office of the archdiocese. Reflections and presentations will complement the adoration.

“A focus will be to pray for the family, the seedbed of all vocations, and to pray for people who are living out their vocations,” said Father James Hughes, vocations director of the Archdiocese of Vancouver.

“There will be speakers to connect to the history of what Eucharistic adoration is and there will be a connection between Eucharistic adoration and the saints.”

The six monstrances, blessed in Nov. 2004, have been travelling around the world to encourage people to pray for vocations. One of these monstrances was given to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops by the Vatican, which is promoting Eucharistic adoration as a way of praying for vocations.

Originally the monstrances were only going to travel for the year of the Eucharist, which ended in October, but their popularity has led to continued travel.

“In Canada we’re one of the first to have this monstrance, if not the first,” said Father Hughes. “Because there has been such a demand, the monstrance is continuing to travel after the year of the Eucharist.”

There is no shortage of Eucharistic adoration in Vancouver; events like Summit and Source have attracted hundreds of youth. As well, many parishes are opening perpetual adoration chapels and are increasingly facilitating holy hours with the Blessed Sacrament exposed for worship.

Father Hughes said bringing this monstrance to Vancouver will open up adoration to more people, and help support parishes that are encouraging devotion to the Blessed Sacrament.

“This will encourage people to spend an extra hour with Our Lord,” said Father Hughes. “This event is not to take away from Eucharistic adoration in parishes, but rather to support it.”

Father Hughes also pointed out that many people are not aware of the strong devotion of many people in Vancouver to the Eucharist. He also explained that at events like Summit and Source, when young people talk about Eucharistic devotion, there are few outside their age group to hear about it.

“They testify to only people of like age,” he said. “Eucharistic adoration is happening, but many people don’t know that.”

Incidentally, the last day the monstrance will be in Vancouver will be the first anniversary of Pope John Paul II’s death. To commemorate the occasion on April 2, there will be a presentation on the late Holy Father.

“This event does not look past our current Holy Father, but allows us to recognize the life and messages of John Paul II,” said Father Hughes. “It’s not just his message, but a universal message, because he imaged Christ.”

“His life and many messages, in which he imaged Christ in his pontificate, will be the focus.”

Father Hughes explained that April 2 is an appropriate day to ask John Paul II to intercede. “His cause for beatification is open, and so we may want to ask for special graces.”

Father Hughes said he hoped the events would spark more interest in the Eucharist and in Eucharistic adoration. He said prayer before the Blessed Sacrament can be particularly powerful, and he hoped people consider what prayer before the Eucharist can do in their own lives and in the lives of others.

“Why do Eucharistic adoration in general?” asked Father Hughes.

“In our culture, there are many spiritual people, but to live that connection completely is to connect to God in the Eucharist.”

“The Eucharist is the closest we will come to heaven on earth.”

“There is a need for the Eucharist in our lives,” he continued, “and prayer is the only way to build a relationship with God.”

“Those who pray in front of the Eucharist gain a strength that cannot be quantified and a strength that is supernatural. It’s all beyond each one of us, as individuals, it’s Jesus.”

At the events people will be encouraged to pray not only for their own needs, but also for the needs of the Church.

Father Hughes initially had intended each event to focus specifically on the need for vocations, but decided to open it up.

“The idea initially was adoration for vocations, but the concept broadened to pray for family, to pray with our whole hearts, minds, and souls, and to pray for one another.”