Catholic churches all over the world encourage their parishioners to participate in a holy hour, also known as Eucharistic Adoration, at least one hour per week.  If you are a Catholic, you are probably familiar with holy hour, but are you aware of the significance of what this is and why it was started?

THE HISTORY OF HOLY HOUR

Bishop Fulton J. Sheen was interviewed on national television a few months before his death.  The interviewer said, "Bishop Sheen, you have inspired millions of people all over the world.  Who inspired you?  Was it a Pope?"

Bishop Sheen responded that it was not a Pope, another priest, a cardinal, or even a nun that inspired him.  It was a little Chinese girl of eleven years of age.  Bishop Sheen explained that when the Communists took over China, they imprisoned a priest in his own rectory near the Church.  After they locked him up in his own house, the priest was horrifed to look out his window and see the Communists proceed into the church, where they went into the sanctuary and broke into the tabernacle.  In an act of desecration, they threw the ciborium onto the floor, spilling out all of the Sacred Hosts.  The priest knew exactly how many Hosts were in the ciborium - thirty-two.

When the Communists vacated the Church, they failed to notice a young Chinese girl praying in the back of the Church who witnessed everything that happened.  Later that evening, the little girl came back, slipped past the guard at the priest's house, and went inside the Church.  There she made a holy hour of prayer, an act of love to make up for all of the hatred and desecration she witnessed earlier that day.

After her holy hour, the little girl went into the sanctuary, knelt down, bent over and with her tongue received Holy Communion.  (At that time, it was not permissible for layman to touch the Hosts with their hands.) 

The little girl continued to return to the church each night and make her holy hour of prayer and receive Holy Communion on her tongue.  On the thirty-second night, after she had consumed the last and thirty-second Host, she accidentally made a noise and awoke the guard who was sleeping.  He ran after her, caught her, and beat her to death with the butt of his rifle.  This act of heroic martyrdom was witnessed by the grief-stricken priest, who watched from his bedroom window.

When Bishop Sheen heard this story, he was so inspired that he promised God he would make a holy hour of prayer before Jesus and the Blessed Sacrament everyday of his life.  If this frail, little child could give testimony and witness to the world concerning the presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, then the Bishop was certainly bound by all that was right and true, to do the same.  His sole desire from then on was to bring the world to the burning Heart of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.

The little girl showed the bishop what true courage and a zest for life really was; how faith could overcome fear and how true love for Jesus must transcend life itself.  What is hidden in the Sacred Host is the glory of his love.  The sun in the sky is symbolic of the Son of God in the Blessed Sacrament.  This is why most monstrances are in the form of a sunburst.  As the sun is a natural form of energy, the Blessed Sacrament is the supernatural source of all grace and love.  The Blessed Sacrament is Jesus, the light of the world.

HOW TO MAKE A HOLY HOUR

Pope John Paul II decreed 2005 as the eucharistic year of adoration as a worldwide spiritual renewal campaign.  His expressed goal was to rekindle a "Eucharistic amazement" among Catholics.

Holy hour can be spent in the church, the chapel, or even in your own home if you are elderly or disabled. The purpose of this special hour is to spend quiet time in prayer and reflection.  Keep in mind the perspective of being in the presence of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist.  Pray for special problems you are concerned about, or pray for others.  You will find much motivation and inspiration through prayer.  There is no structured format as to what should transpire during this time.  Some people spend this time saying the rosary, praying for the intentions of others, reflecting on family issues, or reading the bible or a holy book.

STARTING A HOLY HOUR IN YOUR CHURCH

If your church does not currently have a holy hour, discuss the idea with your parish priest.  Try to find other parishioners who would be interested in participating.  Make arrangements for the church bulletin or pulpit announcements to explain the holy hour and invite all parishioners to attend.

The Real Presence Association, Inc. located in Chicago, Illinois has good references for setting up a holy hour in your parish; they also have a listing of all adoration chapels in the United States and Canada that currently maintain a holy hour schedule. 

Craftymule