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Sometimes it is just nice to escape the hustle and bustle of this crazy world we live in and spend time in prayer and meditation. Friday night’s Eucharistic Adoration at Saint Ann’s gave me such an opportunity.
This was the first time we attempted to get more people to attend. The idea came about after Mary Kunz Goldman threw out the idea of having people go to Saint Ann’s on Friday and then heading over to the R&L Lounge. Though this month only saw three of us go…Mary, Charlie Penasack and me, I consider it a success.
We went over to the R&L Lounge afterward for dinner…it was awesome as usual.
Next’s month’s adoration date will be posted soon…consider joining us!
I think this is a wonderful idea and links Eucharist to a meal and fellowship. I really tip my hat to you for thinking of this and I hope it grows and flourishes. I think I will try this at my own parish. This is really a superb idea. God bless you for this.
Chris, Great to see you at the R&L!
Marty, it would have been nice to see you at church for something besides an annual tour. That goes for everyone who showed up to the R&L but couldn’t be bothered – even though they’re admittedly Catholic -to spend even a few minutes in prayer in a beautiful, historic church that they can feature to get reservations on a tour bus, but can’t be bothered with otherwise.
Do you know how many people showed up, besides St. Ann’s parishioners (4, including me) who volunteered to be there through the whole adoration for the dual purpose of prayer/security? A whopping 3! Yes, 3. Of course at the foot of the Cross on Calvary there were also only 3 while everyone else deserted Jesus and ignored Him, abandoned and suffering, so it’s not the first time…
To Chris Byrd, Mary Kunz Goldman and Charlie Penasack, thank you for being that 3. Thank you for actually, sincerely “putting your money where your mouth is,” in a sense. You truly made an effort even for a few minutes to truly be at a historic Broadway-Fillmore church and keep it going, even in a small way, for the purpose for which it was built: prayer, not tours.
Please note that this is not a message from St. Ann’s, but it is strictly, a personal comment from a parishioner. However I dare to say that many parishioners would feel the same way…
Does it matter if people come in for a tour or prayer? The more exposure the better!
Yes, it does matter. Tours bring in people once in a while and then most of those people never come back to the churches for anything else. They do not come back to pray at holy hours, attend masses or support the churches social functions or fundraisers like dinners. Then the churches will end up on Bishops Kmiec list of churches to close. St. Ann’s is going to close sooner or later due to the diocese. St. Adalberts will close sooner or later once they hear from the Vatican. St. Stanislaus could close because of a big financial problem they have due to Bishop Grosz spending millions of dollars renovating and restoring the church including things that did not need to be renovated like moving the altar or bringing in lights from Spain. Exposure is important but the people supporting these churches with their time, presence, talent and money like I do at my parish of st. Stanislaus means more than just a few tours here and there which does not give much to the church, but more to the taverns. If we pray more than maybe the churches will flourish and the Broadway Market will get the help it needs and more people will come to it more often, not just at Easter time and the neighborhood will be something it was when I grew up there. Yes, it does matter.