This past Holy Thursday Pope John II issued the encyclical letter Ecclesia de Eucharistia. It contains a comprehensive exposition of Catholic doctrine on the Eucharist and should be read carefully by every Catholic. The Pope makes clear that the Mass is first and foremost a sacrifice. It is the Sacrifice of the Cross “made present ever anew.” “The sacrifice of Christ and the sacrifice of the Eucharist are one single sacrifice.” It is a “memorial celebration … which makes Christ’s one, definitive redemptive sacrifice always present in time.”
       “The saving efficacy of the sacrifice is fully realized when the Lord’s body and blood are received in communion.” “The Eucharist is a true banquet, in which Christ offers himself as our nourishment.” It is the “pledge of our bodily resurrection at the end of the world” and the sacrament of unity by which we are “mutually joined to one another and together united with Christ.”
       Concerning adoration, the Holy Father says, “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.” “It is pleasant to spend time with him, to lie close to his breast like the Beloved Disciple and to feel the infinite love present in his heart. … how can we not feel a renewed need to spend time in spiritual converse, in silent adoration, in heartfelt love before Christ present in the Most Blessed Sacrament?

From January 1 to December 31, 2002 the priests of the Apostolate for Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration visited 76 host and support parishes to help start and maintain perpetual Eucharistic adoration. The efforts of APEA resulted in the opening of 22 new, mostly perpetual, adoration chapels. Also, 10 parish missions were given.

Margo

“When you search for me you will find me if you seek me with all your heart. Then when you call upon me and come and pray to me, I will hear you.” (Jeremiah 29: 12,13)

Eleven months ago my fiancée was diagnosed with Stage IV colon cancer which had metastasized to numerous areas of his body, the most serious being his liver. The largest cancer treatment center in this area told us that it wasn’t worth doing chemotherapy as it would extend Bill’s life maybe by 2 months, anywhere from 3 months to 2 years at the most.
       The shock and emotional pain was almost unbearable, not knowing what lay ahead for Bill and that we were told there was no hope. My first reaction was “How dare they give Bill a death sentence. Only God knows when we are going to die.”
       One Sunday I read about the perpetual Eucharistic adoration chapel in the church bulletin. I immediately called and signed up to spend one hour a week in prayer. At that time, I was in such a state of anxiety and stress that I was barely able to go to work. I prayed to Mary and Jesus that they would heal Bill if that was God’s plan and to guide me to do what was right to support him in his struggle.
       My hour in the chapel was to become my sanctuary of peace and, most importantly, a rebirth of my faith and trust in the Lord. There were days I found myself feeling like I couldn’t get through the day but after leaving the chapel I felt reinforced with God’s grace to handle better anything that might come my way. I found myself stopping at the chapel everyday on the way to work, even if for only a few minutes. Those few minutes gave me so much peace no matter what we were dealing with that day. I prayed every day that I could let go of worrying and put my trust in Jesus and in a very short time I was able to do just that. During this time, so many wonderful people came into my path to help me spiritually and emotionally, others to guide me in helping Bill heal nutritionally.
       Bill did choose to have chemo and went on a strict nutritional diet. After 16 weeks of chemo, the only cancer that showed on the CAT Scan was a one-centimeter area on his adrenal gland!
       We do not know what the long-term outcome will be, but I do know that Jesus wrapped His arms very tightly around us. Bill has done miraculously well through the chemo treatments in that he did not have many side effects and has been able to continue to work, not to mention the positive dramatic results.
       The blessings of a renewed faith and love of God is more than I could have imagined a short year ago. My faith and trust in God, through my visits in the chapel, has gotten me through some very tough times and has given me a peace that I never experienced before. I thank and praise Jesus for His blessings to us.

Stacy

My name is Stacy. I am an adorer for perpetual adoration. I am here today to share some of the ways this weekly experience has changed my life for the better. To tell you a little about myself, I am 28 years old and I am a mother of a beautiful daughter, Haley Rose.
       If you had known me a year ago, I was always stressed and worried about everything in my life. I would worry myself sick; a few times I ended up in the emergency room and it was never anything more than stress.
       I started taking an hour out of my week in March for perpetual adoration, and I have gained so many spiritual rewards since then. I walk out of the chapel every Tuesday with a smile and even more answers to my life, which gives me the confidence I need to get through it, even through days when there’s just a dollar in my pocket. I know Jesus will take care of me and everything will be okay--whether it’s getting the mortgage deal I need to meet my sales quota, or a night when my daughter goes to bed easily. I have learned that if I put my problems in Jesus’ hands, whatever needs to happen in my life will, because it’s His will.
       To give you an example, I recently applied for a job that I had really wanted for some time. It was a complete career change. During the interview process, I received another offer from another company within the mortgage industry, and both were excellent offers. I was very confused. My mind was spinning. I was very confused about what to do and what would happen if I made the wrong decision. I went to adoration the next Tuesday and sat there and asked Jesus to please help me make the right decision. “It doesn’t have to be today,” I prayed, “but just let the answer come to me.” It did! A few days went by and I remember coming home one evening and sitting out back and this very eerie feeling coming over me. Suddenly, I just knew what job to take. Jesus was giving me the answer I wanted. Six weeks ago I joined my new company and have doubled my sales. I work less hours and have the flexibility I need to be a good mother.
       This is just one example of how making this hour helps me through my life. I have such peace of mind and the serenity I need to get through my days. There is a lot of reading material in the chapel, such as one book, 10 Steps to Serenity. In the book, one of the steps tells us to “leave the worry train behind” and that is exactly what I do. I saw a therapist for 18 months, and always expected him to give me the answers, but now I don’t need to see him anymore. Jesus is my therapist! It’s for free and I answer all my questions myself, which has made me a much stronger person, spiritually and mentally.
       After the September 11th tragedy, I got an e-mail entitled, “What a Difference a Day Makes.” It goes on to say, “On Monday we e-mailed jokes; on Tuesday we didn’t. On Monday we were talking about heroes as being athletes; on Tuesday we learned who our real heroes are. On Monday, we were men or women, black or white, rich or poor, Christian or non-Christian; on Tuesday, we were Americans.”
       After reading that, perpetual adoration immediately came to mind. A year ago, I was always worrying about tomorrow, my problems--so many sleepless nights. Now I stand before you with such serenity and peace about my life and say, “What a difference an hour makes!"