Eucharistic adoration transforms Massachusetts parish
February 21, 2011
Eucharistic adoration has transformed a dying small-town parish into one of the most vibrant in the Diocese of Fall River, according to an article posted on SouthCoastToday.com, the web site of the New Bedford Standard-Times.
The article reports:
A little church in a small town, St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church was facing tough times. The congregation was dwindling, and Mass attendance was at an all-time low. The empty confessional was collecting dust, and donations were dismal. But then the unthinkable happened.
Today, St. Francis Xavier is one of the most vibrant parishes in the diocese with standing-room only Masses, confessional lines, a busload of parishioners participating in the March for Life, and an abundance of freewill donations that will make them debt-free by April.
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Posted by: AgnesDay -
Feb. 22, 2011 10:53 AM ET USA
We are a very small parish. We have started years ago with weekly Holy Hour. Can you talk your pastor into exposing the Blessed Sacrament for 30 minutes before Mass. It's not Perpetual Adoration, but it's a step in the right direction.
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Posted by: hartwood01 -
Feb. 21, 2011 8:08 PM ET USA
Our parish is somewhat affluent and large. Daily mass is well attended by 1-2 hundred parishioners, but the Reservation Chapel is empty of worshipers most of the time. Our pastor is not willing to get behind Eucharistic Adoration unless 3 people/hour are signed up for fear of leaving the Sacrament unattended, a real fear,probably. But people don't realize how powerful Adoration is. So,what to do?
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Posted by: lauriem5377 -
Feb. 21, 2011 7:54 PM ET USA
Our small church is in its 12th year of Eucharistic Adoration - it has brought such peace and beauty to our lives.
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Posted by: AgnesDay -
Feb. 21, 2011 2:53 PM ET USA
There is a wonderful video on the effect of Adoration on the diocese of San Antonio. I wore my VHS copy out. The results of adoration are dramatic, and not just at SFX. BTW, thanks for posting an optimistic headline. There are so few.
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Posted by: DrJazz -
Feb. 21, 2011 12:52 PM ET USA
A very interesting story. I didn't know about this parish, although I live about 40 minutes away from it. Adoration and confession . . . again, those prove to be the ingredients that change "zombie Catholics" into Catholics that have a relationship with Jesus.
