People cherish time with Jesus in adoration

By Christina Galeone
CFP Correspondent

The experience of adoration breathes new life and peace into many people throughout the Diocese of Worcester. Adorers are not limited to clergy and religious. Eucharistic adoration has been enriching the lives of laypeople as well.      
Preparing for adoration and participating in it is different for everyone. Rebecca Adjei-Nyame, a parishioner at St. Joan of Arc Church in Worcester, considers the time to be “a deep special moment with Christ.” Because of that, she likes to prepare for it.
“Before I bring myself in front of the Blessed Sacrament, I start with a quiet time where I clear my mind of everything and direct my focus on Christ with deep -breathing exercises,” Mrs. Adjei-Nyame explained.  “Then, a simple prayer of forgiveness is said. A prayer for acceptance of my praise and adoration is added. After which, my adoration reflecting upon his goodness, his kingship, the beginning and the end...”     
Mrs. Adjei-Nyame, who ends adoration with 10 “Glory Be” prayers and the sign of the cross, said that she has a reason for participating in the Christo-centric devotion.  
“If you have a very reliable or dependable person in your life, you always cherish them; Christ is that and more to me,” she shared. “Therefore, adoring him is my way of showing my gratefulness to him. He is my life; that is why adoring him is also part of my life.”
Rachel D. Essien (Mensah) attends the same church – where the diocese’s African Ministry, led by Father Enoch K. Kyeremateng, and focused on the Eucharist this year, holds monthly adoration along with eucharistic talks and related Gospel readings. The devotion is an important part of her life as well.
“I make sure, at least, I have one intention to focus on and give myself enough time – at least 15 minutes – before the exercise,” Mrs. Essien said, noting that she additionally joins in the singing and prayers at the adoration that she attends. “Upon arrival, my focus is on the exposition of the body and blood of Christ.” 
When she can’t participate in adoration, she likes to envision Christ and connect with him through prayer and songs.  But she acknowledges that nothing compares to worshipping before the Blessed Sacrament.  
“Adoration is the most spirit-filled connection I can think of between myself and God,” she said. “Every Catholic is privileged to enjoy this, and the blessings are uncountable.”
At St. John, Guardian of Our Lady Parish in Clinton, more people are needed to receive those blessings at the church’s adoration chapel.  But some parishioners, like Sue Belfield, have been immersed in them regularly. 
“For years, I had prayed quietly to Jesus before the tabernacle in an empty church, so when I started adoration it was no different to me than talking to him like I had before, just a little bit more face to face,” Mrs. Belfield said. “I started sitting in formal adoration, by taking an adoration hour, when I took on the ministry of adoration coordinator ...”
Mrs. Belfield, who’s also an adorer, said the Blessed Sacrament is exposed at the church’s adoration chapel from 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and until 6 p.m. on Friday. Mrs. Belfield believes that the world desperately needs more people participating in the devotion. She’s doing what she can to increase attendance at her parish. 
“Since becoming the adoration coordinator for our church, adoration is a huge part of my life,” she said. “My responsibility is to make sure someone is always in attendance with Our Lord, to try to advertise to attract new adorers to him, and to maintain smooth running of eucharistic adoration at our parish with the help of the 11 other hourly coordinators that I work with.”
Her husband, Bill Belfield noted that adoration’s a very important part of his week.  He shared, “When I pray during adoration, I know Our Lord hears me, and often, I hear him speak to me.”
He believes that people should participate in the devotion even if they feel unworthy or intimidated.  “It makes Our Lord happy when we go and visit him in the Blessed Sacrament,” he said. “He is waiting to give us graces when we visit him, or spend time with him on a committed, weekly basis. It almost always gives me peace when I attend adoration.”     
At St. Patrick’s Church in Whitinsville, where adoration is held every Wednesday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., Aileen Lemoine, the parish’s director of student ministries, has a deep appreciation for the devotion. Not only does she and other members of the St. Patrick’s staff participate in the Divine Mercy chaplet and adoration days, they’ve been encouraging kids and teens to embrace the devotion as well.     
Mrs. Lemoine said that attending a Steubenville Youth Conference was enlightening.  
“The first time I went to a Steubenville weekend and was told on Saturday these 4,000 teens would spend two and a half hours in adoration, I was shocked,” she recalled.  “How could we ever think our teens would spend that much time in adoration until I saw it. I saw and felt the raw emotion and the amazing way adoration could be with our teens.”          
She said that although St. Patrick’s staff can’t “replicate a Steubenville weekend,” they can share guided adoration with their high school and middle school students.   
“To start, each student is given a candle to light with an intention; then, we as a community pray for all of our intentions,” she explained. “We have a Gospel reading, music from Chris Bilodeau, our director of music ministry, and reflection. After adoration, following our Latin Benediction by Deacon Chris Finan, our kids spend time in small groups discussing their feelings and what they are thinking.”