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By Suzanne Haugh, Special To The Bulletin
ATLANTA-You can run away, but you can't hide from God-especially when
he's got something he wants you to do. Few know this any better than Chris
Paciorek, coordinator of adoration at Corpus Christi Church, Stone Mountain.
A passing prayer uttered during perpetual eucharistic adoration at the
Cathedral of Christ the King, Atlanta, resurfaced again and again in Paciorek's
life as God called her to serve as the spark that brought perpetual adoration
to Corpus Christi. Her journey testifies to God's persistence and intricate
design of her life experiences for the encouragement needed to coordinate
the incredible task of keeping Jesus company "24-7." Walking with her
on this road were the Missionaries of the Blessed Sacrament, an order
instrumental in helping parishes begin perpetual eucharistic adoration.
A mother of five grown children, Paciorek decided to renew her nursing
certification through Piedmont Hospital and began attending 12:10 weekday
Mass at the Cathedral, followed by five minutes spent in the adoration
chapel, which opened in June 1994. When her course ended, her yearning
for adoration remained, so she made a 50-mile round trip to the chapel
every day. "'Oh Jesus, if you were at Corpus Christi I wouldn't have to
drive so far,' I said as a prayer, just in passing," Paciorek recalled.
The thought of that actually happening was far from her sense of reality
because, she confided, "I'm not a leader." But through encounters with
friends, clergy and even a stranger, Paciorek could not outrun the ministry
pursuing her. In the face of discouragement and, at times, humiliation,
she drew strength from her prayers and the prayers of others. During the
lulls in her efforts to heed God's call, she was often prodded into action
by experiences such as when she received a call out of the blue from a
Missionary of the Blessed Sacrament in North Carolina. He was inquiring
whether or not Corpus Christi parishioners might be open to a presentation
on adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. He had chosen the church because
its Latin name means "Body of Christ." Even two weeks shy of the parish
beginning perpetual adoration in January 1997, Paciorek still had 27 hours
a week vacant. However, the time slots were filled and today perpetual
adoration continues at the parish with few snags, she said, "because God
has allowed it." While the call came to Paciorek, she and area coordinators
of adoration have sought the help of others, like the Missionaries of
the Blessed Sacrament, to begin the ministry. St. Peter Chanel Church,
Roswell, began perpetual adoration on the first Sunday of Advent 2001.
While the seed was planted and nurtured early on within the parish, members
have sought the advice of the missionaries. Joan Liles, one of the coordinators
of adoration at the church, had longed to spend time to be with Jesus,
"the one who loves you the most and knows you the best." She was overjoyed
when Father Frank McNamee, pastor, initiated the effort to begin eucharistic
adoration. She said the parish started with a short period of adoration
from 3 to 10 p.m. every Thursday. "People just grabbed it," she said.
Eventually the parish contacted the Missionaries of the Blessed Sacrament,
headquartered in Plattsburgh, N.Y., to help them expand the adoration
and eventually offer perpetual adoration. A representative from the missionaries
spoke at all the Masses one weekend and asked parishioners to consider
becoming a guardian of a specific time slot or offer to substitute. The
day after parishioners filled in their time commitment on cards, the representative
helped ministry members schedule volunteers and set up a support network.
Linda Bracy, director of the Missionaries of the Blessed Sacrament, confirmed
that more parishes, like St. Peter Chanel, are interested in starting
an adoration ministry. "There's been a tremendous resurgence over the
last 20 years, particularly in the last five to 10 years. I think it's
due to the Holy Spirit working in the church and the ongoing evangelization
effort on the part of the laity." The renewal emphasizes that "Jesus is
truly there, body, blood, soul and divinity," she said. More are educating
others on the "good fruits" of visiting the Blessed Sacrament. "People
have worked very hard in the evangelization of the church and the Holy
Father has made it a primary focus," said Bracy, who acknowledged Vatican
II's importance in eucharistic evangelization. "It's a combination of
the Holy Spirit, working through the church, laity and the hierarchy,
to bring back to the center the heart of our faith: that Jesus is present
in the Most Blessed Sacrament." The missionaries use every means possible,
Bracy said, to educate others on the significance of the Eucharist. They
maintain an extensive web site and rely on the media to air its message.
Missionaries travel to parishes across the country to evangelize and educate
on the mystery of the Eucharist. "No human being can completely understand
it in its entirety," Bracy said of the Eucharist. "For each person there
is a constant personal evolution." In many cases the experience of adoration,
and the resulting appreciation when receiving the Eucharist at Mass, sells
itself. "There are countless people who witness to the power of the Eucharist
and they testify to its wonderful fruits-peace, reconciliation . . ."
Experiences surrounding adoration also include renewal, healing, transformation
and inspiration, Bracy said. For more information on adoration of the
Blessed Sacrament, contact the missionaries at www.ACFP2000.com or call
(518) 561-8193.
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