Eucharistic Adoration is a wonderful way to spend time with Jesus outside of Mass in the Real Presence of the Blessed Sacrament. This beautiful and ancient practice of the Catholic Church is performed in many parishes today in the form of Holy Hours or Perpetual Adoration, and has recently been enjoying a resurgence in popularity among Catholic youth and young adults through programs such as Lifeteen/XLT, Lift Ministries, Caelorums, and Steubenville Summer Conferences.
The Presider for a time of Adoration is a Priest or a Deacon. Lay parishioners can work with the Presider to establish a format for the time of Adoration. The format for Eucharistic Adoration is fixed for some parts and flexible for other parts:
- The song O Salutaris is sung during Exposition.
- The song Tantum Ergo is sung right before Benediction.
- The Divine Praises are recited right before Reposition.
- The song Holy God We Praise Thy Name is traditionally sung at the end of Adoration.
For format between Exposition and Benediction is flexible and may include songs, scripture readings, and most importantly, periods of silence. The following is an example format for a Holy Hour using the Adoration for the New Springtime album:
Adoration for the New Springtime was created to help lay parishioners (that is, normal, everyday people like you) experience the beauty and power of Eucharistic Adoration at their home parish, with their local prayer group or youth group, by providing a complete contemporary soundtrack that includes all of the "fixed" parts listed above in their proper order, plus several other songs written by some of today's most talented Catholic artists. To encourage participation of your whole group, a full-size Songsheet Master is included with the CD, and may be copied up to 50 times. There is no other worship aid on the market today that provides such a complete solution to starting Eucharistic Adoration at your home parish!
