Pastoral Letter & Feedback Form Below Regarding Adoration and Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament.
Pastoral Letter
Greetings in the Lord to all our OLOF parishioners. As part of the Eucharistic Revival (ER), the Parish Liturgy Committee requested the Diocesan Liturgist, Fr. Randy Stice, to review our current facilities and processes used for Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. Fr. Stice is an expert in Liturgy and has served both the Diocese of Knoxville and the USCCB as an expert in liturgical matters.
Fr. Stice has identified and informed the Liturgy Committee of a few gaps. The Liturgy Committee has reviewed the gaps and is working together with the Eucharistic Revival Committee to remedy those gaps. The gaps identified are as follows:
- For the safety of the Blessed Sacrament, only one tabernacle may be in use in a specific building.
- For the safety of the Blessed Sacrament, tabernacles must be lockable, fully opaque, and unbreakable.
- There must be two adorers present at all times when the form of Adoration in use is Exposition either in a Monstrance or Ciborium.
The Liturgy Committee has concluded that these gaps must be remedied in order to ensure that the Blessed Sacrament is safe and inviolable. We also recognize the need to maintain Adoration as a vital part of the spiritual needs of our parish family. We will implement a plan to resolve the current gaps while enabling and strengthening our dedication to Eucharistic Adoration.
Please note that the chapel will continue to be accessible for prayer as it is currently available.
Plan highlights are as follows:
- Beginning on Ash Wednesday, February 14th, the Blessed Sacrament will no longer be housed in the repository in the chapel. The repository will become a place to display relics of some saints.
- Daily Adoration will occur in the main body of the Church. Access to the church is through the chapel door between 7 AM and 8 PM. The door code can be requested from the parish office.
- Adoration will take the form of adoring the Eucharist for personal devotion in the tabernacle.
- Exposition will begin Friday, March 1st, (and each Friday afterwards) in the chapel from 8:45 AM and conclude at 5 PM with Benediction…if there are a sufficient number of scheduled adorers.
Our parish has participated well in the synodal process. While I am working with both the Liturgy Committee and the Eucharistic Revival Committee and approve these changes, I desire to receive your feedback and suggestions as we move forward. Lent is a period of changing our practices to get closer to God. These changes will certainly evoke thoughts and feelings from many of you. I invite you to share them with the clergy and/or members of the ER Committee. We will invite a more formal opportunity for you to give feedback during Lent.
Please continue to pray for good fruits of the Eucharistic Revival which includes a parish mission in April. The mission will be centered on the Eucharist.
May God continue to bless each of you and our wonderful parish.
Fr. Pete Iorio
Pastor