Eucharistic Devotions

Eucharistic devotions help us become closer to Jesus Christ and deepen our desire to celebrate the Eucharistic liturgy, the heart and summit of the Church's life.

• In Benediction, the priest or deacon places the Blessed Sacrament in a special vessel, called a monstrance, so that the faithful can view the Eucharist and reflect on the presence of Christ in the sacrament and in their lives.  The devotion includes reading Scripture, periods of silence, veneration of the Blessed Sacrament with incense, praying the Divine Praises, and singing songs of praise. The devotion concludes with the priest blessing the assembly by making the Sign of the Cross with the monstrance.
• Forty Hours Devotion is a special period of continuous prayer during which the Blessed Sacrament is exposed in the monstrance. This devotion begins with a solemn Mass and ends with Benediction. This devotion allows the community an extended period of time for adoration before the Blessed Sacrament and for individual prayer in silence.
• Perpetual Adoration is a Eucharistic devotion in which members of a parish commit to spend a period of time in adoration before the Blessed Sacrament so that someone is present every day, during the day and throughout the night.