Parishes Worldwide Prepare for Eucharistic Adoration Hour

(photo: http://www.annusfidei.va/)

To emphasise the centrality of the Eucharist during this Year of Faith, an hour of Eucharistic Adoration will take place worldwide on Sunday June 2nd – the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi). 

According to the Annus Fidei website, “the Holy Father will preside over a special Eucharistic adoration that will extend at the same time all over the world involving the cathedrals and parishes in each diocese.”

“For an hour, at 5pm (Rome time), the whole world will be united in prayer and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament,” the website says.

The USCCB Committee on Divine Worship notes that because of normal Sunday Mass schedules, it will be a particular challenge to schedule such a gathering simultaneously in the various time zones of the United States. 5pm Rome time would be 11:00 AM Eastern, 10:00 AM Central, 9:00 AM Mountain, 8:00 AM Pacific, 7:00 AM in Alaska, and 5:00 AM in Hawaii.

So it recommends keeping the spirit of the gathering by holding such a Holy Hour “at a more convenient time on that day, such as on Sunday afternoon following the last Mass of the day.”

It says such a celebration “could include a traditional Eucharistic procession” and it would also be appropriate “to mark the celebration of regularly scheduled Masses at that particular hour (11:00 AM Eastern) with special solemnity, and to note the unity of prayer with the Holy Father at that time through the homily and Prayer of the Faithful.”

The USCCB adds that the following [Ordinary Form] resources might be useful in planning liturgical celebrations:

• Holy Communion and Worship of the Eucharist Outside Mass (Catholic Book, 1976)
• Order for the Solemn Exposition of the Holy Eucharist (Liturgical Press, 1992)
• Thirty–One Questions on Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament: A Resource of the Bishops’ Committee on the Liturgy (USCCB, 2004)

Even though most dioceses now the feast of Corpus Christi on a Sunday, the Vatican still celebrates it on the preceding Thursday, with the Pope leading a Eucharistic procession from the basilica of St. John Lateran to the basilica of St. Mary Major.

h/t wtprs

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The Vatican today released the calendar of papal celebrations for the rest of May, June and July:

MAY

Thursday, May 23

Profession of Faith with the Bishops of the Italian Episcopal Conference.

Sunday, May 26

Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity: Pastoral visit to the parish of Sts. Elizabeth and Zechariah, in the far northern outskirts of Rome. 9:30am, Mass.

Thursday, May 30 

Solemnity of Corpus Cristi: 7:00pm, Mass in Piazza St. John Lateran, procession to St. Mary Major and Eucharistic Blessing.

Friday, May 31

8:00pm, Pope closes month of May, dedicated to the Virgin, with the Rosary prayed with the faithful in St. Peter's Square.

 

JUNE

2 June, 9th Sunday in Ordinary Time: Worldwide Eucharistic adoration from Vatican Basilica.

16 June, 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time: 10:30am, Mass for “Evangelium Vitae” Day in St. Peter's Square.

29 Saturday, Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul: 9:30am, Mass and imposition of the pallium upon new metropolitans in the papal chapel.

JULY

7 July, 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time: 9:30am, Mass with seminarians and novices in the Vatican Basilica.

22-29 July: apostolic trip to Brazil for the 28th World Youth Day.