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An Hour With Jesus

We are living at a time when churches must be locked between services to protect these sacred places from vandalism. It is a sad commentary to modern living, but also a practical and necessary solution.

Source: eng.alexandriacornwall.com

In our Diocese of Alexandria-Cornwall, almost twenty years ago, a bold parishioner named Ed Lauzon was inspired to ask his pastor, Father Kevin Maloney, about setting up an adoration chapel. The internet was still new to many people, but Ed was familiar with it and had been researching about adoration. From what he learned, a perpetual adoration chapel was something needed in our diocese.

A small but faithful committee was set up, and a location found. The parish council was hesitant at first, and could not agree, mostly because of the midnight to 6 a.m. Holy Hours that would need to be scheduled. Eventually, Ed convinced them, and with the support of now retired Bishop Eugene LaRocque, and a couple of hundred of the faithful who agreed to participate, St. Julian’s Adoration Chapel was born.

St. Peter Julian Eymard. Source: acfp2000.com

I was a part of the first committee, and quite vocal when Ed said he wanted to name the chapel St.Julian’s. I found the name lacked inspiration, but I was quick to apologize when I discovered that the date chosen for the opening of the chapel just happened to be St. Peter Julian Eymard’s feast day. I have an older version of the Feast Days of Saints and August 1, 1998, the day our chapel was born, was listed as this Saint’s feast. I also learned that this saint founded the Blessed Sacrament Fathers, and had been devoted to the Eucharist from childhood.

How blessed we have been. The chapel is now at its third location, but this one seems quite permanent. Thanksgivings are often listed as well as prayer petitions, and over the years, there have been marriages healed, illnesses overcome and many hearts have been opened.

An adoration chapel. Source: stjoeleb.com

For those parishes who have adoration for the daytime only, there are also countless blessings from this time spent with the Real Presence of Christ. I remember seeing my friend, Msgr. Thomas Raby in the church at least an hour and a half before a scheduled Mass. I asked him about this habit, and he smiled and said he needed it, in order to do the Lord’s will.

During a recent visit to the chapel for my holy hour, I found a beautiful quote by Msgr. Josefino Ramirez and Rev. Vincent Martin Lucia, from their book titled: Letters to a Brother Priest

“A single Holy Hour of prayer touches more hearts through God’s grace, than all the people who have ever been touched by the hymn, Silent Night. From a single Holy Hour of prayer, God’s graces reverberate throughout the world until the end of time and will continue for all eternity.  This is because of the divine appreciation God has for those who love His Son in the Blessed Sacrament. The Father will spend all eternity thanking you in heaven because you have honoured His Son on earth in the Blessed Sacrament.”

Every Holy Eucharist can provide our hearts with another ounce of Christian love, and every Holy Hour will help us to be more like Christ… for the world.