“Most
Blessed Virgin, Dawn of new times, help us to look with faith on the history of
the past and the year that is beginning. Star of the third millennium, guide
our steps toward Christ, who lives ‘yesterday, today, and forever,’ and grant
humanity, which advances with trembling into the new millennium, more and more
fraternity and solidarity” (Pope
John Paul II, Epiphany homily, January 6, 2001). Let us pray that Our Lady,
Star of Evangelization, may guide humanity to her Eucharistic Son in Communion
and Adoration in this new year.
St. John Neumann: American Saint of Eucharistic Adoration
St. John
Neumann had a tremendous devotion to Jesus in the Holy Eucharist. Since he knew
from personal experience the great value of this ‘Devotion of Devotions’ he had
an intense desire to help lead others to prayer before Jesus in the Most
Blessed Sacrament exposed in a monstrance. Because of this ardent dream of leading others to adore Jesus, St. John
Neumann wanted to institute the Forty Hours Devotion when he came to the United
States. The devotion began centuries earlier in Europe.
This idea
of adoration of Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament and Forty Hours Devotion
encountered much resistance and numerous objections of every kind. There had
been hostility and violence toward Catholics in his Diocese of Philadelphia at
that time. One night, after nearly abandoning his dream, St. John Neumann fell
asleep, from total exhaustion, while writing at his desk. A little while later
he awoke to the smell of smoke, a lit candle had overturned and started a
fire.Before him were the charred remains of his papers. There was only one
letter remaining, that had not burned, the letter he had written about the
Forty Hours Devotion! As he knelt to thank God for sparing him from harm a
voice seemed to tell him “As the flames are burning here without consuming or
injuring the writing, so shall I pour
out My grace in the Blessed Sacrament without prejudice to My honor.
Therefore, do not fear profanation and do not hesitate any longer to
carry out
your designs for My glory.”
The rest is
history. In 1853 Bishop John Neumann
began the Forty Hours Devotion on the feast of Corpus Christi (The Body of
Christ) in the Church of St. Philip Neri,the saint who started the Forty Hours
Devotion in Rome. It was implemented in such a way that it would be held in
churches throughout the entire year. The Forty Hours Devotion was St. John
Neumann’s way of insuring that his flock would remain rooted in the source and summit
of the Catholic faith, Jesus in The Most Blessed Sacrament. The faithful came in droves to adore our
Lord exposed in the monstrance, and other dioceses quickly followed his
example, by beginning adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament. To the honor and
glory of God, and the help of our needy humanity, adoration of the Blessed
Sacrament continues to be strong in the United States and many countries
throughout the world today! St. John Neumann please pray that Perpetual
Eucharistic Adoration may spread to every diocese and parish in this new
millennium.
PRAYER OF ST. JOHN NEUMANN, FEAST DAY, JAN. 5
“How much
I love You, O my Jesus! I wish to love You with my whole heart; yet I do not
love You enough...I have one desire, that of being near You in the Blessed
Sacrament. You are the sweet bridegroom of my soul. My Jesus, my love, my all,
gladly would I endure hunger, thirst, heat and cold to remain always with You
in the
Blessed
Sacrament...”
In the United States we are blessed to have over 1,100
chapels of Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration. Please
be generous with your monthly tax deductible donations so that we may continue
our Eucharistic evangelization mission.
Pray that Jesus may be loved through PEA in every country and Church
throughout the world.
(Copyright 2001,
Missionaries of the Blessed Sacrament.
All rights reserved)
To
schedule a Missionary, obtain information, and materials in starting PEA
contact:
PO
Box 1701, Plattsburgh, NY 12901
Phone:
(518) 561-8193 Fax: (518) 566-7103
E-mail:
info@acfp2000.com http://www.ACFP2000.com/