County Catholics hoping to institute Perpetual Adoration
An effort is underway among Catholics in Fayette County who make up Deanery 6 of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Greensburg to institute the practice of Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration. “Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration is having the Blessed Sacrament on the altar for public adoration and prayer,’ explained the Rev. William Kiel, pastor of St. John the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church in Uniontown. “It gives the people an opportunity to pray quietly and more intensely on a one-to-one basis with God, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.’
The deanery will need permission from Bishop Anthony G. Bosco of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Greensburg to institute the practice. Angela Burrows, spokeswoman for the diocese, explained that is a requirement from the Vatican. No other part of the diocese has Perpetual Adoration at this time.
No formal request has yet been made from Deanery 6, but Bishop Bosco did grant the deanery permission last October to study the proposal.
Since then, local efforts have focused on informing the people and attempting to garner interest. Those who participate will be asked to give one hour a month to Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration. Committee meetings have been held since last fall. The next committee meeting will take place on Sunday, March 16 at 2 p.m. at St. John Parish in Uniontown, which is the proposed site for the Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration.
Officials have selected St. John the Evangelist parish Center Chapel on Pennsylvania Avenue in Uniontown as the proposed site because churches cannot accommodate Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration because of Masses and other services, including baptisms.
The priests of Deanery 6, along with Dorothy M. Roger, a parishioner at St. John Church, are coordinating the effort. The Rev. Kenneth Zaccagnini, pastor of St. Therese Church in Uniontown, is head of the deanery.
Deanery 6 is one of six geographical areas called deaneries within the Roman Catholic Diocese of Greensburg, which includes Fayette, Westmoreland, Armstrong and Indiana counties. It runs as far south as Point Marion, as far east as Farmington, as far west as Masontown and Maxwell and as far north as Grindstone. The Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration project will also include St. George Maronite Catholic Church in Uniontown and St. Anthony Friary in Uniontown.
The churches involved in the proposed Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration will include All Saints in Masontown, St. Anthony Friary in Uniontown, St. Cecilia Church in Grindstone, Ss. Cyril and Methodius in Fairchance, St. George Maronite Catholic Church in Uniontown, St. Hedwig in Smock, Holy Rosary in Republic, St. Hubert in Point Marion, St. James in LaBelle, St. Joan of Arc in Farmington, St. John the Evangelist in Uniontown, St. Joseph in Uniontown, Church of the Madonna in Cardale, St. Mary of the Nativity in Uniontown, St. Mary/Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Leckrone, St. Mary in Brownsville, St. Peter in Brownsville, St. Procopius in New Salem, St. Therese in Uniontown and St. Thomas in Footedale.
Rev. Kiel said the idea of Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration came up last year at a deanery meeting.
“We were speaking of the priest shortage. In other dioceses in the United States where they have (Perpetual Adoration), there has been an increase in vocations,’ said Rev. Kiel.
“And an increase in daily Mass,’ said Roger.
“Stronger faith developing in the people as well,’ noted Rev. Kiel.
All of the participating parishes have been asked to send representatives to the committee meetings. Petitions are circulating to see if enough people are interested in participating.
There will be a sign-up the weekend of April 5-6.
“All the churches will have forms in the pews and pencils to fill out times. They’ll be collected and start to organize,’ said Roger, who noted that Pope John Paul II has called for Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration.
Officials need 900 people to participate before they can go back to the bishop for permission to start Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration, Roger said. Deanery 6 officials would like to start the practice on Sunday, June 1.
“Probably the hours between 1 and 5 a.m. are the most difficult to fill,’ said Roger. “We already had several men tell me they might do midnight to 1 a.m. We have 168 hours a week that we have to fill.’
Rev. Zaccagnini explained there would be security at the chapel at night.
“The doors will be locked from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. and there will be a phone there,’ he said, adding, “You’re probably going to be more secure there than at your own home.’
Officials need only one person an hour to carry on the Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration.
“But we’re hoping to have more – at least two at night to be more secure,’ said Rev. Kiel.
“We’re asking for people to give an hour a month, but if you can give an hour a week, we’ll take it,’ said Roger. “We will block time out for prayer groups or youth groups.’
The chapel can hold up to 18 people at a time.
But there is always room for people who feel a sudden need to be there.
“Absolutely,’ said Rev. Zaccagnini. “Drop in or call. Drop-ins would be potential new people.’
“We’re always recruiting,’ said Roger.’
“We won’t have to do much,’ said Rev. Kiel. “One experience and we’ll have new recruiters.’
Said Rev. Zaccagnini, “It’s going to be a beautiful thing.’
Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration would be open to the public. Anyone who wants to be a part of it can contact their parish rectory or call Dorothy M. Roger at 724-437-5401.