At previously appointed announced times, this silence is broken for the community to come together and, with one heart and in one voice, give thanks to God for His Presence among us.
This Public Prayer will include:
• Recitations of the rosary ( including bi-lingual )
• Celebration of the Liturgy of the Hours.
• Celebration of Liturgy of Word with Hymns (Holy Hours)
• Special liturgies with homilies and song designed for the children of the parish school. (The children should be encouraged to be apart of the opening and closing ceremonies.)
What is the Forty Hours Devotion?
The Forty Hours Devotion is an opportunity to gather as a community before the Blessed Sacrament and to pray before the Lord in solemn adoration. It gives us time to deepen our appreciation of the importance of the mystery of the eucharist in our lives. Traditionally it begins with a celebration of Mass. At the end of this opening Mass the Blessed Sacrament is exposed and over a period of a few days the faithful are given the opportunity to assemble in prayer before the exposed Blessed Sacrament. The form of prayer to be prayed can be done in diverse ways. The celebration then will end with the celebration of Mass.
In the celebration of the Forty Hours Devotion we are able to witness a fuller expression of our theology of the Eucharist. It is first and foremost about our participation in the Paschal Mystery through our celebration of Mass. In the celebration of Mass we participate directly in the saving acts of Christ and by the grace of the Holy Spirit unite the sacrifices of our lives with the one sacrifice of Christ on the cross. It is in this way that we give praise and thanksgiving to God for Jesus and participate in the true worship of our God by which we are sanctified as His holy people. This leads us then to live out our lives more fully in Christ. This devotion also gives an opportunity to give voice to our belief in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharistic elements. As the community gathers in prayer before the exposed Blessed Sacrament, it witnesses to our belief, as a Church, that what is before us is bread no longer but truly the Body of Christ.
Video of Solemn Benediction
Tiempo para escuchar a Dios.
A time to listen to God.
