BY ERIKA ANDERSON

Staff Writer

STONE MOUNTAIN--Celebrating the 8760 hours of prayer offered before the Blessed Sacrament in the past year, parishioners of Corpus Christi gathered for Mass Jan. 13 on the first anniversary of perpetual adoration in the parish.

Father Greg Kenny, CMF, pastor, after reading the story of the miracle of the loaves in the Gospel of Luke, said that faith itself is a miracle.

"We talk about miracle stories, but miracles are the marvelous answers of prayers offered before the Blessed Sacrament," Father Kenny said. "The real miracle is the miracle of faith."

Father Kenny also said that it is important to remember the significance of the Eucharist in one's life.

"The bread that is truly Christ is first and foremost the Last Supper--Christ gathering his friends together to do in memory of him and to be in memory of him," he said. "Christ's Holy Communion with us is not simply the bread and wine, but it is us--the people of God who are the Holy Communion."

"Christ becomes body and blood, soul and divinity to us so that we can be Christ to each other."

Corpus Christi is one of three parishes in the archdiocese to establish daily, around the clock prayer before the Eucharist. The Cathedral of Christ the King, Atlanta, was the first, followed by Transfiguration Church in Marietta.

Coordinator Chris Paciorek, a Corpus Christi parishioner for over 20 years, had made a holy hour at the Cathedral for two years, but said she felt God calling her to establish the devotion at her own parish.

"I really didn't want to do it, I felt so strongly that the Lord was calling me. I kept asking people what they thought, hoping someone would tell me it was a stupid idea, but everyone said I should do it," Paciorek said

Over 250 people volunteer for perpetual adoration, providing the necessary guardianship for the Blessed Sacrament. Paciorek said that the volunteers have been very consistent.

"I've had no problems...Every hour is filled and I've never gone more than a week or two without finding someone to fill a slot," she said. "It's really the Holy Spirit working."

Rick Nerone, team leader for the 6-11 p.m. hours, said that it had been a blessed year.

"It's been wonderful. I can't believe it's already been a year," he said. "You hear little stories about people's faith increasing...I think it's really been a blessing not only for our parish, but for Christ Our Hope (Lithonia) and St. John Neumann (Lilburn), the parishes that are closest to us."

Nerone and Paciorek, along with Kay Martinez and Mary Bernier, two of the other team leaders, brought the gifts to the altar, including a basket filled with a year's worth of written petitions offered before the Blessed Sacrament.

Paciorek said that she knows her prayers have been answered.

Her mother was diagnosed with stomach cancer in September and doctors told her there was nothing they could do to stop the two tumors, except to try chemotherapy.

After three dosages, the doctors refused to administer any more because the treatments had made Paciorek's 80-year-old mother so sick. "People were praying and offering holy hours for mom," Paciorek said.

After they stopped the chemotherapy, the doctors found no sign of the tumors. "They couldn't explain it," Paciorek said. "I don't think it ever would have happened without the holy hours and prayers."

Paciorek said that Corpus Christi has grown closer as a result of perpetual adoration. "There's a real closeness with people coming together. It's not that we weren't close before, because we've always been a close parish, but I see a real community, more so than before."

Father Kenny said that he is surprised by the commitment of the parish to the perpetual adoration.

"We've always had a wonderful parish, but I'm surprised there are so many people involved," he said. "It's been so well manned and so many have come together in prayer--that has been the biggest blessing."

At the end of Mass, Father Kenny processed with the Blessed Sacrament around the sanctuary and into the perpetual adoration chapel, as those who attended knelt in reverence and sang.

"Christ, in his eucharistic presence, remains mysterious in our presence as the one who loves us and the one who gave his life for us," Father Kenny said. "Let our adoration never cease."