St. Patrick Parish is blessed, being the site of the Deanery's Perpetual Adoration Chapel and our York Deanery is blessed by having a place of prayer and devotion available, 24/7, where the faithful may gather for prayer and adoration before the Blessed Sacrament.  But the Adoration Chapel is in desperate need of additional Adorers to assure that every hour of every day of every week is covered.  Those many people who come to the chapel, day or night, know first hand of the countless blessings that they receive through their times of prayer and adoration though, I believe, it is not about what they can "get" that draws them to the Real Presence of Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament but rather what they can "give" to Him.  Recruiting new Adorers is difficult.  For one who has never committed to an hour of prayer and reflection before the Blessed Sacrament there can easily be the fear or concern "what will I do for a whole hour?".  Those who faithfully come before the Blessed Sacrament can testify that in most instances, the hour goes very quickly and they cherish those quiet minutes of prayer, thought and reflection. 

      I often pray the Liturgy of the Hours and the Rosary; others read the Bible or some other spiritual writings; some just sit and ponder the presence of the Lord; some read what others have written in the Book of Intentions.  The options are many.  But the more immediate need, right now, is to recruit additional Adorers, particularly young adults, married and single. 

Recently I have taken a much more “assertive" (aggressive) stance when meeting with engaged couples for marriage preparation, indicating to them that we [the Church] NEED married couples who are strong in the living of their Catholic faith to assure that they will be empowered to pass that faith along to future generations.  Unfortunately, too many young adult couples today are, at best, lax in the practice of the faith.  When meeting with couples there seems to be a desire to "become" more active in living the Catholic faith but no real plan as to how to do that.  Adoration before the Blessed Sacrament can aid in that process of renewal of faith in action.  And so I say, I invite, I exhort, I beg:  You young adults out there---single, engaged, married---PLEASE give an hour a week for prayer in the Good Shepherd Adoration Chapel. Interested, call me, 848-2007. Fr. Houser