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Analysis & Recommendations

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Preamble

This paper, presented as an appendix, was drawn up by Mr. Dennis Arroyo, Rev. Mr. Barth E. Bracy, Mr. Raul Gonzalez, Ms. Deanna Marie "Didi" Olaguer, Ms. Chia Jen Tsay and Mrs. Priscilla "Ching" Zapanta1 and submitted to the Rev. Msgr. Josefino S. Ramirez, H.P., on Divine Mercy Sunday in the Jubilee Year, 2000 Annum Domine. The paper served as the starting point for the founding of the League of Eucharistic Guardians.

Objective

The objective of this paper is two-fold: to assist the Archdiocese of Manila in formulating a plan of action to address the immediate and urgent problem wherein many chapels of Eucharistic adoration are left unattended yet with the Blessed Sacrament exposed, and to present an effective plan of action for reinvigorating the apostolate of parish-based Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration (PEA)2 throughout the Archdiocese. The study presumes, on the part of the readers, an appreciation of the value and importance of PEA.3

Methodology

We adhered to a see, judge, act methodology wherein we addressed the current situation regarding PEA in the Archdiocese of Manila, noting both the "lights and shadows"4 that were seen to coexist in this devotion, and, subsequently, analyzed the situation with an eye towards the final step in which we formulated a comprehensive yet SMART (specific, manageable, attainable, relevant, time-frame) plan of action which draws from the experiences of parish-based PEA in the Archdiocese of Manila since the devotion was introduced in 1986.

Current Situation5

While numerous chapels of Eucharistic adoration have sprouted in the Archdiocese of Manila since 1986, parishes are currently experiencing difficulty in maintaining a viable program of adoration. Many parishes have chosen to close their adoration chapels during the night hours. Some parishes have open chapels with the Blessed Sacrament exposed and yet with no adorers in attendance for protracted periods of time; a situation which, in and of itself, is grievously wrong yet which is made urgent as it provides the opportunity for profanation of the Blessed Sacrament. Yet, there remain a significant number of parishes that have successfully established and continue to maintain a viable program of PEA.6 Other observations regarding PEA are given below; the lights followed by the shadows:

Lights:

  1. Devotion to the Blessed Sacrament in the Archdiocese of Manila is significantly greater than it was prior to the establishment of the many chapels of adoration7 and, one can reasonably conclude, than it would be without them.
  2. The value of a single holy hour of prayer cannot be overstated8 and, therefore, these chapels are, in the light of faith, seen to be fountains of immeasurable grace for the parish, the Archdiocese of Manila, the country9 and the whole world10 since even the least attended chapel has some visitors every day.
  3. An overwhelming number of adorers report that they have gained a deeper meaning in life, that their faith has grown and that they have become better persons as a result of their visits to Jesus in the adoration chapel.11
  4. Due to the accessibility of the adoration chapels, many lay groups have embraced, or formed with, the charism of adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, some even during the night hours.
  5. The fact that parish-based PEAcontinues to be an unqualified success in a significant number of parishes in the Archdiocese is positive proof of its viability. This fact is worthy of special attention as no true catholic would argue against the desirability of PEA;12 the question, rather, is only one of feasibility.

Shadows

  1. Visits to the Blessed Sacrament have decreased in many parishes during the past five years, especially during the nighttime hours. Many parishes have responded by limiting the hours during which the chapel is open, most often closing the chapel during the night.
  2. PEA organizational structures in most parishes have deteriorated, if not completely disappeared, since efforts towards parish-based PEA began in 1986. Consequently, many parishes have open chapels with the Blessed Sacrament exposed and yet with no adorers in attendance for protracted periods of time.
  3. There exists a common and improper usage of terminology regarding PEA. Many in the Archdiocese, amongst the clergy, religious and lay faithful, incorrectly use the term "PEA" or "perpetual adoration" when speaking of Eucharistic adoration on a limited basis, sometimes even when speaking only of a communal holy hour.13
  4. The apostolate of promoting Eucharistic adoration, especially that of promoting an organized program of parish-based PEA, has all but disappeared in recent years. 14
  5. Incidents of theft and profanation of the Blessed Sacrament have been reported.

Analysis

It would be difficult, if not impossible, to address all the factors pertaining to the current state of Eucharistic devotion in the Archdiocese of Manila and this paper is not intended to be such an exhaustive study.15 The scope of this paper is to address factors directly related to the establishment and maintenance of a viable program of parish-based PEA and, specifically, with regard to the lights and shadows discussed in the previous section.

  1. Faith and praxis cannot be separated.16 Devotion to the Blessed Sacrament is both the manifestation and the proof of one's faith in the Real Presence. Measured by the number of visits to the Blessed Sacrament, devotion increased during the period in which PEA was being actively promoted and, subsequently, decreased during the period in which the active promotion of PEA had ended. It is reasonable to conclude, then, that there exists a direct relationship between faith in the Real Presence and the active promotion of PEA.17 This relationship between evangelization and response is most striking during the night hours.18 Considering St. Paul's observation that "faith comes through hearing",19 this conclusion should not be surprising since the promotion of PEA is an effective, i.e. response-evoking, form of Eucharistic Evangelization. It is, however, important to note as it is a clear and compelling imperative for the continued and active promotion of PEA.
  2. Parishes without an organized adoration program experience frequent and protracted periods of time during which the chapel is left unattended even though Jesus remains exposed in the Blessed Sacrament, whereas parishes that have a high degree of organization experience few, if any, such lapses.20 There is a clear and unmistakable relationship between organization and constant attendance in the chapel. This relationship has proven so strong that one can easily assume, a priori, that a parish without an organized program of PEA will inevitably experience lapses in coverage. It should, thus, be mandatory for every chapel of adoration to implement an organizational structure based upon responsibility and accountability.
  3. The current state of Eucharistic adoration in a parish is largely dependent upon the manner in which the program was initially established. It seems that there was a period of time, after the initial introduction of parish-based PEA, during which the devotion spread more rapidly than the apostolate was then able to coordinate. Though literature was printed and disseminated on how to establish and conduct PEA21, it is apparent from our research that many parishes erected an adoration chapel without conducting a thorough evangelization and without implementing an effective organizational structure. As a result, accessibility to Jesus exposed in the Blessed Sacrament is now taken for granted by many instead of being understood as a gift and privilege which requires a response by the parish. Future efforts in promoting PEA should be accompanied by a team of trained individuals who will assist the parish in establishing or "overhauling" their program in an effective manner.
  4. Because parishioners pass away or relocate over time, there is a natural attrition in the number of PEA devotees. Parishes that responded to attendance problems by curtailing the hours of adoration have had to continue revising their schedule. This observation is consistent with the position of military science that a strategy of retreat without counter-offensive only leads to further retreat. It is advisable for parishes to conduct annual "renewals" of their PEA program. Assistance should be made available to parishes in formulating effective strategies to maintain their PEA program.
  5. The decision to erect protective barriers around the Blessed Sacrament, though solving an immediate security problem, may exacerbate the situation as the adorers feel that their presence is somehow less required. A more effective response may be to create an "inner court" and an "outer court"; the inner court, wherein the Blessed Sacrament would be exposed and "vulnerable"22, would be reserved for committed adorers and those who are staying for at least one hour whereas the outer court would be for the use of individuals making a brief and unscheduled visit. Further study and discernment by ecclesiastical authorities is recommended in order to formulate appropriate guidelines.

Recommendations

Our recommendations are given in two sections. The first section proposes recommendations and a methodology for a Eucharistic Evangelization to be conducted on the Archdiocesan level. The second section proposes specific recommendations for the establishment of PEA in a given parish or group of parishes and includes a corresponding set of goals for the short, medium and long term. It is recommended that an apostolate be established to implement these recommendations.

Eucharistic Evangelization

  1. A pastoral letter from His Eminence, Jaime Cardinal L. Sin, DD, discussing the importance of faith in the Real Presence and inaugurating a renewed effort at promoting PEA.23
  2. Recruit one or more priests who will assist the evangelization whether on the Archdiocesan, District or Vicariate level.
  3. Provide resources and assistance to parish priests by giving presentations during the monthly meetings held at the District or Vicariate level.
  4. Create a resource center that will maintain a comprehensive lending library for the use of priests and catechists.
  5. Network with other lay organizations as well as with the mandated parish organizations through the Council for the Laity, helping them to insert the importance of adoration and the invitation to PEA into their particular charism.
  6. Produce and disseminate inculturated24 and pedagogically sound materials including, but not limited to:

Establishing PEA

Whereas the previous section dealt with recommendations for a broad based evangelization, efforts for establishing a successful program of PEA must be specific yet comprehensive, taking into account both the need for motivation, i.e. recruiting adorers, and organization.

According to the communications literature, the trial and repeated use of any "service" only follows a process in which a person is:

Thus, an effective method of recruiting adorers should:

In short, it must be an informative, inspirational and inculturated campaign. Such a campaign must also have the widest possible audience and, therefore, presentations should be given during the Sunday Liturgy. Also, and because people are not inclined to make quick decisions but would rather have some time to deliberate before making a commitment, the campaign should be carried out over a period of four weeks. During the first two weeks, brief announcements and Communion reflections would be given to introduce PEA and to recruit leaders. Meetings would be held for the purpose of establishing the organizational structure and assigning responsibilities. The final two weekends would include longer (12-15 minutes) presentations during all the Sunday Masses and invitations would be extended for individuals to make a commitment to the program. Because the night hours are the most difficult, the first weekend would be devoted to the night-hours and would discuss the value of sacrifice. The second weekend would be a general invitation.

It is imperative that the evangelical message be clear, consistent, compelling and comprehensive. Thus, it is recommended that standard talks be created and utilized.26 It is better that the talk be given by a priest or deacon but, in the absence of one that has the time and desire to rehearse and master such a talk it is recommended that it be given by a lay person. In such a case it may be best for the talk to be introduced as being a message from the Cardinal.

An equal, and perhaps greater, effort must be made regarding the organizational structure. The importance of responsibility and accountability must be stressed as should the message that being an adorer is a privilege that one should not take for granted. For these reasons, it is recommended that an orientation meeting be scheduled during the week after the general invitation, attendance being mandatory for all parishioners who wish to participate in the PEA program.

Goals

Short term

At least one "model" PEA program in each District of the Archdiocese. We feel that there are easily enough committed adorers to accomplish this goal immediately. Implementation would revolve, primarily, around organizational efforts. To guarantee coverage of the night hours we would coordinate with and recruit those organizations and prayer groups that are already making weekly or monthly overnight vigils. The target date for accomplishing would be 3 months from the implementation of the program.

Medium term

At least one successful PEA program in each vicariate of the Archdiocese which would draw upon the faithful from all of the parishes in the vicariate to cooperate in establishing a central chapel of PEA. This approach should easily provide enough committed leaders and adorers to amply cover all the hours of the day and night. The target date for this goal would be one to two years from the implementation of this program.

Long Term

A successful program of PEA in every parish. As our efforts proceed, the pool of adorers should grow, making it possible to have a chapel of PEA in every parish. The target date for this goal would be five to ten years from the implementation of this program.

Conclusion

We believe that our recommendations can provide a good starting point for the renewal of this devotion. It would be advantageous for a committee of priests to be immediately formed for the purpose of reviewing and refining our recommendations and for developing a clear plan for the implementation thereof. It may also be advantageous to conduct an Archdiocesan wide survey to determine the exact status of the chapel in each parish so that informed decisions can be made regarding interim measures that may need to be taken in a given parish while this campaign is being implemented.

Ultimately, it is our conviction that PEA will work because Jesus wants it! We entrust our efforts to Our Lady of the Most Blessed Sacrament and ask St. Joseph to give us a share in his own courage, dedication and zeal.

Endnotes:

1 The submitters of this paper are founding members of Perpetual Adoration Worldwide Mission, a Manila based organization of lay Catholics devoted to the active propagation of parish-based Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration in the Philippines and, by prayer and example, throughout the whole world.
2 Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration is defined as continuous and uninterrupted (24 hours, 7 days) adoration of Jesus exposed in the Most Blessed Sacrament, on an organized basis by the members of a given parish or community.
3 Considering the numerous and strong statements of support for PEA both from His Holiness, Pope John Paul II and from His Eminence, Jaime Cardinal L. Sin, DD, we felt it unnecessary to justify the value, importance and desirability of PEA in this paper.
4 An apt phrase borrowed from the Second Plenary Council of the Philippines, 20 January - 17 February 1991, Conciliar Document, Article 9.
5 Our observation of the current status of the adoration programs in the Archdiocese was limited by time constraints in preparing this study. It is based upon two studies (included as appendices), our experiences promoting PEA in the Basilica of San Lorenzo Ruiz and Immaculate Conception Parish in Tayuman, extensive personal experience with PEA in Manila, interviews with devotees and organizations involved with PEA since 1986, informal parish surveys/inquiries, and interviews with a few pastors, most notably the Rev. Msgr. Josefino S. Ramirez and the Rev. Msgr. Arsenio Bautista.
6 We estimate that this number is currently between five and ten. To our knowledge, the shrine of St. Joseph in Cubao maintains the most successful parish-based program of PEA, especially in terms of organizational structure.
7 According to the Summary Report on Two Regional Conferences (Loyola Papers 16, 1986), by the Rev. Fr. Pedro S. de Achutegui, S.J., the practice of visits to the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament had, as of 1986, "declined considerably almost everywhere". Contrast this with the results of a 1993 study of the PEA program at Holy Sacrifice Parish on the campus of U.P.Diliman (page 15) which found the average number of visits per week to be in excess of three thousand! A copy of this study is attached as Appendix A.
8 In chapter 18 of his book The Angel & The Ants (Ignatius Press), Dr. Peter Kreeft, a professor of philosophy at Boston College, writes: "Adoration is more powerful for construction than nuclear bombs are for destruction".
9 In a letter dated 2 June 1992, then President Corazon Aquino wrote: "I believe the Philippines has risen from the rubble of abuse and plunder because it has been lifted by abundant grace flowing from the Blessed Sacrament."
10 In a letter for the Feast of Corpus Christi, (L'Osservatore Romano 28 May 1996), Pope John Paul II writes: "Through adoration, the Christian mysteriously contributes to the radical transformation of the world..."
11 Appendix A page 34, #25.
12 In a message for the book Letters to a Brother Priest, by the Rev. Msgr. Josefino S. Ramirez, His Eminence, Ricardo J. Cardinal Vidal writes: "I cannot understand why anyone should question it [PEA]. The only one who would not want Jesus to be adored day and night, and the only one who would do anything to prevent it, is Satan himself."
13 It is not uncommon to hear comments such as: "We have perpetual adoration every Friday from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m".
14 Though a few small lay organizations do promote adoration and some pastors speak of visits to the Blessed Sacrament, there is currently no organized effort by the Archdiocese to promote the apostolate of PEA since the closure of the PEA apostolate at the Pius XII Center. Neither is there a concerted effort to provide support and assistance to the pastor or devotees of a given parish who are interested in maintaining a program of PEA.
15 A more comprehensive study accomplished by Mr. Dennis Arroyo in 1994 and entitled PROMOTING EUCHARISTIC DEVOTION AMONG THE FILIPINO PEOPLE is attached as Appendix B.
16 James 2:14
17 It could be argued that the increased number of visits to the Blessed Sacrament was due to the increased accessibility that came with the erection of many chapels of adoration. This position is refuted, however, by the decrease in the number of visits to the Blessed Sacrament that has been witnessed in recent years.
18 The vast majority of devotees who visit the chapel at night made the commitment as a result of an intense and directed evangelical campaign conducted either by the former PEA apostolate or by other smaller lay organizations in recent years. Many of these nocturnal adorers belong to groups of some form.
19 Romans 10:14
20 The best example of an organized program of PEA that we witnessed was the Shrine of St. Joseph in Cubao where the chapel itself was designed in such a way as to encourage the implementation of the organizational structure.
21 The pamphlet PERPETUAL EUCHARISTIC ADORATION, printed by the Apostolate of PEA in 1987, is included as Appendix C.
22 Through the Incarnation, God chose to make Himself vulnerable and entrusted Himself to the care of human beings. This divine vulnerability is, in itself, a powerful appeal for our love and vigilance.
23 An example of a similar letter issued by the Bishop of Providence, Rhode Island, is included as Appendix D.
24 Filipino values that can be used to assist the evangelization should be identified and integrated into our evangelization campaign. The most immediate value that comes to mind is the strong value placed on the family.
25 Presbyterorum ordinis, 2nd Vatican Council
26 Two sample talks, Karapat Dapat ang Kordero and Tala ng Umaga, are given as Appendices E and F.

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LEG Manual

LEAGUE OF EUCHARISTIC GUARDIANS

Analysis & Recommendations

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