Hello, lovely people!
This week, I’d like to talk about Newman House’s Eucharistic Adoration opportunities: Spirit and Truth and All-Night Adoration.
Spirit and Truth is the more regular of the two times for Adoration. It’s been a tradition since possibly my freshman year of college.
This semester and last semester, there have been three college students in charge of it, myself being one of them. When we have Spirit and Truth, we’ve been having it at 8:30 pm on Mondays. At least two members of the team try to be at St. Leo’s by 8 pm in order to set up. We set up the stand and the monstrance as well as the incense. Setting up the candles and making sure the key is in the tabernacle door are also a couple of our responsibilities. And normally, we end around 10 pm, give or take a few minutes. When Spirit and Truth is over, the team puts everything back either into the sacristy or separate closet. Sometimes, some of the other students help in cleaning up.
Before Exposition, we normally have someone give a talk. Last semester, it was mainly students giving the talks. Occasionally, Fr. Eugene, the Director of Campus Ministry for Newman House, gave the talk. This semester, though, we’re doing something a bit different. Fr. Eugene is having some guest speakers come in to talk with us and he also gave the talk for the opening Spirit and Truth of the semester.
After the talk, we have Exposition followed by Eucharistic Adoration. Students can use this time to spend time talking with and adoring the Lord, and they also have the opportunity to go to Reconciliation. We then end with Benediction. Within the past couple of years, Fr. Eugene has been the one to expose the Blessed Sacrament, hear confessions, and conduct Benediction. In the past, Fr. Brandon has stepped in when Fr. Eugene has been unable to be there.
All-Night Adoration is the less frequent of the two. We’ve only had a handful of these events over the past few semesters.
When we have All-Night Adoration, we have a sign-up sheet for people to have a designated time to spend with the Lord. This past time, for example, we had times beginning at 7 pm and ending at 7 am the next day. At least one person would need to be in the Chapel with the Blessed Sacrament throughout the night. When we had All-Night Adoration this past December, I had signed up for the 7 pm and 1 am shifts.
At least with the opening shifts that I’ve experienced, Exposition is simpler than when we have Spirit and Truth, but who am I to complain since it is still time spent face-to-face with our Lord?
Eucharistic Adoration is a type of prayer that I may not have had much experience with before coming to college and getting involved with the Newman House. But now that I’ve been at Newman, I think it’ll have a place in my heart for a long time.
Until next time!
– Victoria the Catholic
Victoria The Catholic 