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Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration

Adoration is praying (silently talking with and listening to our Lord) when His body (the Eucharist) is in full view of you.

The Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration Chapel is located at St. Matthew Church, 1303 Lincolnshire Drive in southwest Champaign. You may enter the chapel through the glass doors just south of the church. Please park in the large parking lot in front of the church. The chapel is open for adoration between 6:00 am and 6:00 pm. Adoration after 6:00 pm is limited to scheduled adorers (see: How to become a scheduled adorer). Information regarding adoration can be found outside the chapel or by contacting the program (Adoration@StMatt.net).

The Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration program is always in need of scheduled adorers, please sign up to ensure adoration is 24 / 7 / 365… Forever!

The Lord continues to invite each one of us into a greater union with Him, especially in the Holy Eucharist. What a great way to grow in holiness by spending time with Jesus in prayer in our Adoration Chapel. Please help to fill all the empty spots where there is no one to "watch" with the Lord.

What is the Holy Eucharist?

The Most Holy Eucharist is the real and substantial presence of Jesus Christ under the forms of bread and wine. At Mass, this "real presence" is brought about by the words of the priest and the action of the Holy Spirit because Christ himself commanded his Church to "do this in memory of me" (cf. Lk 22:19). And so every time the Church celebrates Mass, she finds herself participating again in the Paschal Mystery of Christ, i.e., his death and resurrection. In doing so, God is glorified and man is made holy. The sanctification of man is most perfectly facilitated by each individual's reception of the Holy Eucharist which unites the communicant not only to God but to all those, spread throughout the world, who partake of the Sacrifice. Indeed it is a foretaste of our heavenly union. Even still, from the earliest days, the Church has seen fit to reserve the Eucharist not only for the sick but also for the veneration of the faithful. And so by means of spiritual communion, the fruits of the Mass are extended in time to those who devoutly adore the Lord Jesus fully present under the form of bread until they are once again able to partake in "the supper of the Lamb."

What is Eucharistic Adoration?

The Eucharist is the actual body and blood of our Lord, Jesus Christ. By adoring the Eucharist we are reminded in a very tangible way of God's love for humanity and his promise to mankind: "Behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age." (Mt 28:20).

The fact that we can commune (or interact) with Jesus in the flesh is one of the greatest gifts that our Lord his given us. When we commune with the body and blood of our Lord, we are opening up our lives to him so that he can strengthen us in body, mind, and soul. Adoring the Eucharist deepens our share in the paschal mystery and stirs within us a desire to fulfill his commandment: "Love one another as I have loved you" (cf. Jn 13:34).

Spending time in his presence, also strengthens our friendship with him. As Bl. John Paul II said, "It is pleasant to spend time with him, to lie close to his breast like the Beloved Disciple, and to feel the infinite love present in his heart." In these moments we are able to share with him our joys and struggles and also pray for ourselves, family, friends, and the whole world. At the same time, we experience a heightened hunger for the Mass where we can partake of the Eucharistic Jesus whom we adore throughout the week.

What is Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration?

The Eucharist is the Church's greatest treasure. For this reason she requires that, whenever the Body of the Lord is exposed, a Catholic adorer must be present. In response to the Holy Father's request for greater devotion to Christ present in the Eucharist, Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration was started at St. Matthew Church in 2002 for the benefit of the entire Champaign-Urbana Vicariate. The Holy Eucharist is exposed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week… forever (perpetual). Another reason for having Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration is that, the more often Jesus is adored by the Catholic community, the more graces that community will receive. You will be amazed at the graces the people of this area have received since the inception of Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration. The prayer requests and gracious thanks for prayers answered are recorded at the Adoration Chapel for you to read, to think about, and to express thanks!

Common Misconceptions about Praying and Adoring

We are taught as Catholics to pray, and to pray a lot, and not just at Mass. However, praying to the Lord through thought, word, and action are not the same as adoring the actual body of Christ. One is not a substitute for the other. Consider it in this human sense: thinking about your kids is pleasant and you do it a lot, but you would never consider it a substitute for actually being with your kids. No, you want to do both. And just think of the joy you would find if you went to adoration with your kids!

Some points to reflect on:

How to Adore the Lord in the Chapel

There are no hard and fast rules to follow, and Jesus will be there to help. However, here are some tips to ease your anxiety about your initial trip to visit with our Lord.

OH, one last thing… leave all electronic devices home or most certainly TURNED OFF!
The Lord has yet to answer a cell phone or send a text message!

Reposing and Exposing the Eucharist

As was said before, whenever the Body of the Lord is exposed, a Catholic adorer must be present. So while the goal of Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration is never to have to repose the Eucharist, sometimes unusual circumstances arise when it is necessary to repose. Normally this is done by a priest, but our chapel has been given a special allowance. So, if an adorer must leave the chapel, and there is no one else there, then he or she must repose (i.e., cover) the Eucharist. It is simple to do, and there is a sheet in the chapel which has a prayer and the instructions. Also, look at the video clip below. Link video to clip below!

If you come into the chapel and the Eucharist is reposed (i.e., covered), you can expose the Eucharist and then adore. Instructions for Exposing are also in the chapel. It is nothing to worry about… the Lord understands!

Chapel Security!

The Adoration Chapel at St. Matthew Church is open for all Catholics to visit from 6:00 am until 6:00 pm. After 6:00 pm the doors to both the building and the Chapel are locked. Access to the Chapel during the night hours is possible only for those Catholics who have signed up for a scheduled hour of adoration. In addition to the electronically secured doors for both the building and the Chapel, all doors and vestibules are video monitored, and emergency phones are available. Finally, access to the restrooms is secured at night, as well. The Chapel is a safe place to be with our Lord!

What is a Scheduled Adorer and a Substitute Adorer?

To have the Blessed Eucharist exposed (not in a tabernacle), a Catholic must physically be present to adore our Lord. This means that if an adoration chapel wants to have the Lord exposed, then each minute of each hour of every day, a Catholic must be present. Adorers are signed up for each hour of every week. This means that a scheduled adorer comes to be with our Lord at the same hour each and every week of the year. Of course, this is very difficult for most of us to accomplish. The Lord and we, your Adoration committee, both understand this. To help you and keep adoration perpetual, we have a list of people who are substitute adorers. They might also be scheduled adorers, but some are only substitute adorers. Substitute adorers love to get the call from a fellow adorer for help. We give each scheduled adorer a list of substitute adorers, but you will not find this information on the web, nor will you find a list of scheduled adorers on the web.

How to Become a Scheduled Adorer

Becoming a scheduled adorer is a fantastic way to grow closer to God, while receiving grace from God!

There are 168 hours in a week: it takes about 336 people to keep adoration going 24/7, and another 75 adorers as substitutes. That is a total of 411 people.

It is best if there are two or more adorers for each hour. This way, when you need to be absent, your co-adorer can cover for you.

You can help perpetuate adoration of our Lord, and do it on your schedule.

First, go to the chapel, make regular visits and become familiar with it.

Ask yourself, your family, and the Lord when (not if!) you can best fit an hour of adoration into your weekly schedule.

While perpetual adoration is forever, one's life changes over time. The Lord understands this. Don't be afraid to commit to adoration, even if you might have to change your commitment in the future.

How can you become a scheduled adorer and help the Lord reach more Catholics? Contact Jane Walsh or Linda Ross at St. Matthew Parish Office (217-359-4224 or Adoration@StMatt.net) or sign up on the web and we will respond back to you.

The Appointments in the Eucharistic Chapel

The Eucharistic Chapel is modestly adorned with artwork selected to help adorers pray and interact with Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament.

The monstrance is a beautiful creation that is on loan from Holy Cross parish. It is made of brass, silver and adorned with precious stones. It is in a locked position on a solid cherry wood altar. Surrounding the monstrance is a revolving tabernacle door. This door is composed of bronze and granite and was created by a local artist. The altar and tabernacle were a gift by the Knights of Columbus.

The stained glass windows were donated by adorers, and their names are inscribed beneath each window. The windows were designed by adorers under the guidance of Monsignor Merdian. The saints in each window were specifically chosen for their dedication to the Holy Eucharist. There is a brochure in the vestibule of the chapel that explains each window.

The Holy Water font, located on the wall as you enter the chapel, was hand-made for the chapel by a local artist.

The Vestibule of the Chapel

Immediately outside of the Chapel is a vestibule, but not an ordinary one! In the vestibule are two statues: the Virgin Mary and St. Anthony of Padua, and accompanying prayer sites. In addition, there are racks of votive candles ($4) that will burn for several days.

The sign-in station is located in the vestibule, and you will find special things there:

Stop by the vestibule… it is full of very spiritual offerings!

The Top Ten Reasons YOU Should Share One Hour a week with Jesus!

  1. It's FREE, there is no collection!
  2. It's not an appeal by the Bishop, it is from GOD!
  3. Nobody will talk to you, and unlike the Mass you can doze off a bit!
  4. Who else but JESUS WANTS to hear all your problems!
  5. If you could have an hour with the Pope you would line up… this is the Pope's boss that is WAITING FOR YOU!
  6. The only "person" taking attendance is Jesus!
  7. It's a great way to give more to the Church than a dollar a week!
  8. The Cubs aren't gonna win the pennant; and hell ain't gonna freeze over: so you still need Jesus for life eternal!
  9. If you are reading this, you still have both the time and the need for adoration!
  10. If Jesus didn't give you an excuse, then YOU do not have one!

For more information: call the Parish Office at 359-4224!

Testimonials:

Father Anthony Co on Adoration

I never planned on being a part of the adoration chapel. In fact, I was a little uneasy about it. I think because even though I take time to quietly think about my life, I've never really taken quiet time to think about and be with You. Now when I come to the chapel, even though I'm sometimes reluctant to get here, once I do, I feel like I'm at home. You make me feel at home.
I was feeling horrible today because of how I treated a friend. The situation was all my fault and there is nothing much I can do to take back what I said. I was sick to my stomach and so I came to the chapel. It wasn't even my hour but I came. After a long time of thinking over and over again about the things I said and how my friend responded, I finally got exhausted of thinking and then turned to You. I don't know what took so long. I put the situation all before You and something happened. The anxiety lifted. Peace was restored. I know I still need to make amends to both You and my friend, but You reminded me that You love me. I could even hear You saying it in my heart. That's the first time I remember that happening in my life… You clearly telling me that You love me.
Lord, I have no idea what I am doing when I "pray" in this chapel. I have my rosary and a prayer book my mom gave me. They're both not doing it for me and I can't wait to get out of here. I often look at the clock on the book shelf. But the other day I tried something different. I thought about when I used to sit on the porch with my grandpa and just look at the farm and the fields. We didn't talk, but it was one of my favorite memories because I was with him. Then I imagined that You were on that porch with me and we were just enjoying each others' presence while looking at nature. Something happened for me when I did that. Prayer became a whole lot easier, at least at that moment. We were just chilling out. The hour seemed to go a little bit faster.