What is this Adoration/Game Night thing?

Have you seen the flyers and announcements about the monthly Youth Adoration Night & Games and been hesitant to go because you're thinking, umm.... what exactly is Eucharistic Adoration???

It's a uniquely Catholic thing. Been around since at least the thirteenth century, possibly earlier. And people all around the world do it. It comes from our Catholic belief that the Eucharist is the real body and blood of Christ, and therefore the Host, once it has been consecrated at Mass, mysteriously contains Jesus within it. So for Adoration the priest places one of the consecrated hosts in something called a monstrance (that's what's in the photo above) and puts the monstrance on the altar, and people come to the church, or the Adoration chapel, and pray during the time that the Host is out "on display."

Adoration is considered a special way to be close to Jesus, to be in the same room with Him, as close as if we were there when He lived on Earth as a human but in a hidden way that we have to trust without fully understanding.

At St Patrick's we have community Adoration time every Thursday night from 6:30-7:00. I like to think of this as "quiet time with Jesus, together." You're not interacting with the other people in the church, but you're there in the same space, everyone in their own way thinking about Him, and maybe silently talking to Him. It can be a pretty powerful experience.

For Youth Adoration Night once a month, we go to this communal Adoration time but we also meet in the Zaga Room for a half hour before (to catch up with each other and to talk about a Scripture passage...this month we're doing Isaiah 43:19) and a half hour after (for board games, foosball, air hockey, pool, whatever.)

You may be thinking: So... what are we supposed to do during that half hour of Adoration? Do we just sit there?

Well, it's up to you. I like to read the Bible or to pray the Rosary for part of the time, and then just sit and talk to Jesus about whatever's on my mind. We have Bibles and rosaries available in the Zaga Room that you can borrow, or you can bring your own. Some people might like to journal.

But actually most of the students who have come for Adoration tend to choose just sitting and resting in the silence. (well, not total silence because there's the sound of the water running in the baptismal font, which is actually very calming.)

I encourage you to give Adoration a try... it may turn out to be the most peaceful half hour of your whole week (or month!). If you can, come to connect beforehand and stay for the game time after. Bring a friend, they don't have to be from our parish!

Hope to see you sometime soon. Next Adoration/Games Night will be December 16th.