Eucharistic Adoration: Drawing Near to Christ in His Real Presence

Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI was a strong proponent of Eucharistic Adoration. In an address after the Angelus given on Oct.6, 2007, he stated, “In life today, often noisy and dispersive, it is more important than ever to recover the capacity for inner silence and recollection. Eucharistic Adoration permits this, not only centered on the ‘I’ but more so in the company of that ‘You’ full of love who is Jesus Christ, ‘the God who is near to us.’”

Here at St. Benedict Cathedral Parish, Eucharistic Adoration has been offered for over 15 years. Current adoration hours are Monday through Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Additionally, on the fourth Monday of each month, adoration is held from 8 a.m. to midnight. During the season of Lent, there is an additional adoration hour from 6 to 7 p.m. after the conclusion of the 5:30 p.m. Mass.

Lisa Roth is in charge of scheduling the normal weekday adoration hours. She first started coming to adoration herself two years ago after seeing an ad in the bulletin and deciding to just give it a try.

“It was a struggle for me at first,” Lisa says. “When I started going, I thought I’d come in every now and then, but it’s a weekly commitment. However, I always felt better after I went. My days go better when I take that time for adoration or Mass. “Adoration is a time where you can be with the Lord, sit quietly, and listen,” she adds. “You can read something that helps increase your faith, and perhaps if you’re reading the Bible, a certain verse will speak to you. You could say a Rosary or traditional prayers.” In a message to Dutch youth on Oct. 25, 2005, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI said, “Go to the encounter with Him in the Blessed Eucharist, go to adore Him in the churches, kneeling before the Tabernacle: Jesus will fill you with His love and will reveal to you the thoughts of His Heart. If you listen to Him, you will feel ever more deeply the joy of belonging to His Mystical Body, the Church, which is the family of His disciples held close by the bond of unity and love.”

Lisa herself has experienced this effect of adoration.

“For me, I know it’s one hour of undisturbed time to be with the Lord,” she says. “I think it helps me to become a better person. I say a Rosary or read The Imitation of Christ. By reading things like this, it helps me to be a better person by understanding how Christ wants me to live and to go out and love others and bring joy to people.

“By doing adoration, I’m understanding things better when I read my Bible,” she adds. “I see ways in which I need to make improvements in my life. I think that you have to make room for the Holy Spirit and clear out the clutter and realize that sometimes we push the Holy Spirit out by the things we do. Adoration is a good time to reflect on how you are living your life. It opened that door for the Holy Spirit more clearly for me. It’s made a difference for me personally in my overall view of our faith and how beautiful it is.”

Adoration has also strengthened Lisa’s appreciation of the Catholic faith.

“Adoration made me realize how important the Eucharist is,” she says. “As Catholics, sometimes we don’t give enough thought to Who we are receiving. Adoration has made me realize that I need to focus more and realize how special the Eucharist really is. We are receiving Christ."

St. Benedict Cathedral hopes to one day have Perpetual Adoration available. If you would like to sign up for an hour of adoration, please contact one of the following:

For normal weekday hours, please contact Lisa Roth at 812-473-1702. For an Adoration hour on the fourth Monday of the month, please contact Justine or Jim Cameron at 812-480-1315 or 812-480-9403. The Adoration Chapel is located in the former Cry Room.