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By Erika Anderson
Staff Writer
KENNESAW-A dream that began two years ago, and was nurtured by prayer, has
become a reality at St. Catherine of Siena Church, where parishioners are
celebrating their fourth month of perpetual eucharistic adoration.
St. Catherine of Siena joined Transfiguration Church, Marietta; Corpus
Christi Church, Stone Mountain; and the Cathedral of Christ the King, Atlanta,
as the fourth parish in the archdiocese to hold perpetual adoration.
Two years ago, a group of men who met regularly for Bible study began
discussing the idea of perpetual adoration and realized that they could make it
possible. Jim Peace, a longtime parishioner of the church, and John Matejek,
who is now a seminarian for the archdiocese, approached Father James Harrison,
pastor, with their idea.
"It was a time of stewardship in the parish and we were saying that the
way to increase giving was to increase spirituality," Peace said. "We
couldn't think of a better way to increase spirituality than perpetual
adoration."
Peace co-coordinates the program along with Bob Powell, who said that the
men "wanted to make a real apostolic difference in the parish."
Powell contacted the Missionaries of the Blessed Sacrament, an order of
priests headquartered in Plattsburgh, N.Y., dedicated to helping parishes
establish perpetual adoration.
Representatives of the missionaries came to Kennesaw and spoke to
parishioners, asking for committed adoration guardians. The response was
overwhelming. Over 1,000 parishioners returned cards, eagerly pledging their
time.
"It was unbelievable," Powell said. "Never in our wildest
dreams did we think that 1,000 people would respond and say that they wanted to
spend an hour with the Lord."
The core group then had the almost overwhelming task of calling those who
responded, setting up slots for those who desired to act as guardians. Though
it was hard work, Susan Peace remembers the excitement felt by those whose
dream was becoming a reality.
"It was difficult, but it was really an exciting, challenging,
invigorating thing," she said.
The parish began First Friday adoration in June of 1999, and in mid-October,
they began holding weekly adoration on Fridays. On Nov. 27, 1999, at the
Saturday vigil Mass for the first Sunday of Advent, Archbishop John F. Donoghue
instituted perpetual adoration at St. Catherine of Siena Church.
During his homily, the archbishop said that he was grateful for the
opportunity to return to the parish to "tell the people about the good
they are doing, and to acknowledge their part in accomplishing the good words
of God."
"That is exactly why I'm here tonight. To acknowledge on behalf of the
whole Church, this good work-the establishment of Perpetual Adoration-that has
been accomplished by the men and women of St. Catherine of Siena Parish,"
he said. "And to declare that this is but the beginning-the beginning of a
witness that I have no doubts, will fill this parish with new grace, and which,
in some way, will also transform this local community in ways we could not have
imagined."
The archbishop told the parishioners that they, like St. Peter, are
responding to the question, "Where else should we go, Lord?" He told
the parishioners that they have received a gift, and must give the gift to
others through prayer and commitment to adoration.
"Our work will be to foster the ministry of guardianship-to assure that
at every moment some one of us will be before the Lord in His Eucharistic
Presence, praying on behalf of all the Church-praying on behalf of the poor,
the old, the lonely and forgotten-praying for the young, the hopeful, the
husband and wife raising a family-and praying for the needs and problems of the
world, which God has not abandoned, but to which He has sent salvation, in the
love of Jesus Christ, and through the ministry of His Holy Church."
Those who were instrumental in starting perpetual adoration were overwhelmed
at the Mass by feelings of satisfaction and joy.
"We don't know the ways that this is going to change people's lives,
but we know it is going to change so many lives," Powell said. "It's
almost difficult to describe the feeling."
Jim Peace said that at the Mass, he saw the Holy Sprit working in
cooperation with the parishioners.
"We were excited at seeing fruits of the work of all the people who
participated," he said. "We were very aware of the work of the Holy
Spirit."
Susan Peace said she was grateful to God and many others to see perpetual
adoration instituted.
"I felt such gratitude for the leaders in our archdiocese-gratitude to
have an archbishop who loves the Eucharist," she said. "I felt
gratitude to have holy priests who support the laity ... I just felt the
awesomeness of God. I kept thinking 'God must love us so much to let us have
this.'"
After four months, many parishioners are reaping the benefits of adoration
in their parish. Father Paul Burke, parochial vicar at St. Catherine of Siena,
said that the parishioners were "on fire," and that since adoration,
there has been a great increase in the amount of people who are coming to
reconciliation.
"It's very encouraging," he said. "It shows that there is a
hunger out there-a hunger for God that is being filled as the people come
before God. There are many people who are coming to adoration who have never
prayed like that before and never come to church except for Mass. They are
opening up to what God wants to do in their lives."
Father Burke said he is confident that spiritual graces will continue to
flow as a result of adoration.
"There are people praying 24 hours a day. It's a wonderful
feeling," he said. "People are serious about God and they are serious
about their spirituality and God cannot help but work in the midst of
that."
Father Harrison said he is pleased to see the fruits of adoration already
growing.
"Everybody is delighted," he said. "People come from far and
near to visit and I'm very hopeful that we will soon see even more spiritual
benefits."
Currently, there are 750 committed guardian slots with 100 people who
substitute. Jim Peace is hopeful that the parish will grow spiritually with
each passing year.
"My hope is that we'll see a lot of spiritual growth, and that we'll be
a shining light in Atlanta," he said.
Powell said he is sometimes in awe that all the hard work paid off.
"It has been incredible," he said. "I have seen a lot of
blessings. I have personally observed the reverence of Jesus in the Blessed
Sacrament increase."
Many families are coming together to adoration and Father Burke believes
this is an essential grace of adoration.
"My hope is that there will not only be an increased devotion to the
Real Presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, but also to the sanctity of
married life and family life," he said. "The future of this church is
built on families and married couples."
Susan Peace said that adoration has brought the parish together.
"It's really unifying," she said. "People are discovering
each other and they are discovering Christ through each other."
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