An Overview and Introduction

Friendship and Justice is starting the New Year with a new program, combining spirituality and social time. We wanted to provide a monthly way to come together as LGBT Catholics with our allies, friends, and family to deepen both our bonds in God and with one another. So we are hosting every third Thursday of the month* an hour of Eucharistic Adoration, followed by a time for fellowship and socializing. We will be meeting at St. Margaret of Scotland’s parish, in the Eucharistic Chapel from 7pm-8pm. (Enter the Church through the door on the side of the Church between the Rectory and the Church itself). Then we will gather at MoKaBe’s, (corner of Arsenal and South Grand) at 8:30 pm for time to meet and socialize.

*Our first Adoration/Social Hour will be the Fourth Thursday of Lent (March 31st). After that, all of them will be on the Third Thursday of each month.

Since not everyone may be used to praying for an hour at a time, I want to offer several ways to enter into this time of prayer and adoration so it is not overwhelming. Additionally, if you, for whatever reason, do not feel you can come to the hour of adoration, still feel free to join us for the social.

Ways to Pray

First off, just because we are hosting an hour of prayer, if your schedule does not permit you to attend the full hour, or you would prefer to start for a lesser period of time, feel free to come for a half hour or even for 15 minutes. You can always increase the time later! We don’t want the thought of praying for an hour to keep anyone from joining us.

Some of the simplest ways of praying is to bring a prayer book or your Bible or another book on spirituality or a saint and use it during the prayer time. (There are prayer books and spiritual books at the chapel.) I also encourage you to bring a journal to write down your thoughts and reflections and inspirations. In this way of praying, begin praying the prayer or reading, and stop when a word, a phrase or an image strikes you. Ask yourself, two simple questions

1.      What does this image, word, or phrase show me about God?

2.      What does this call me to do? Or how does it invite me to respond to God in my everyday life?

As you ponder these questions, write down the responses in your journal. After you have done so, start the prayer or reading again, until another word or image or even a sentiment is stirred in you, and again repeat the process of asking the two questions and jotting the reflections and inspirations in your journal. Feel free at times to repeat the word or hold the image in mind and just savor it for a while. This is especially true if you get an image for or insight into “who” God is for you. Savor and rest till you feel ready to move one.

I actually have a book especially written for Holy Hours of Adoration that uses reflections and popular devotions as a way to pray a holy hour. The book is Life for the World: A Way of Eucharistic Adoration for Today, by Marie Paul Curley, FSP. You can get a copy at the Pauline bookstore in Crestwood on Watson Road. It has 12 different ways to pray a holy hour, prayers, and an introduction to Eucharistic devotion and adoration related to Pauline spirituality.

At our first Adoration/Social event, we will be providing a handout on how to use the Sunday Liturgy for praying a Holy Hour.

These are just a few ways to approach and pray an hour of Eucharistic Adoration. As we go along, we will share other ways and provide handouts at future Adoration/Social hours. Also, feel free to email ways to us you find helpful to pray a Holy Hour. We will share these with others on this site, without using your name. This is one way to build our community and be manna for one another!