Our priests had announced that there would be all-night prayer and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament on Monday night to pray for the election, starting with Mass at 10 pm and going till the 6 am Mass the next day. I figured I'd be one of the few diehards going to the 10 pm Mass.
But when I got there the church was almost packed! St. Peter Chanel is very large but I had to sit way over on the side. Fr. Fernando was the celebrant (with two others concelebrating) and he was moved by how many people had shown up to pray for our country.
It was the feast day of St. Martin de Porres. I expected Fr. Fernando to ignore that and preach something about the election, but instead he spent a lot of time on St. Martin, emphasizing his extraordinary humility and charity. It was strange (and good) to hear, like counterprogramming. Elections are competitions with so much at stake that pride and hate are more familiar at such times.
He did get around to the election too, and spoke of thanking God no matter what and always interceding for those, especially the unborn, who cry out in pain. "May He give us grace and perseverance to consider every human being as worthy of our service.... You and I are the blessed ones. We should be extremely happy because we have Christ and He is the good shepherd who never abandons His sheep."
After the Mass nearly everyone in the crowded church stayed to pray the Rosary (the Joyful Mysteries are so pro-life) and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy (ya'll should learn that one; it's beautiful), and three different election prayers. Then after a half hour's silent prayer Fr. Fernando came back at midnight to lead us in praying it all again (Sorrowful Mysteries this time, for the new day). There were still about two hundred people praying in the church when I left. It was very good to see! I know we weren't the only church that had all night adoration on Monday, too.
Actually, St. Peter Chanel has adoration EVERY night, round the clock; it's just that on Monday it was for that special purpose. You may now envy me my church. :)
4 comments:
hehehe :)
church envy...all the way...and glad the election is over and you're posting again!! =)
There will always be a holy remnant for the Lord. It is time for we remnants to gather close together and cling to each other in the storm. Viva Cristo Rey! Viva Peter Chanel!
I like that, jimaroo... maybe even better is how the very early Church thought of themselves in spite of persecution-- spreading out in wild apostolic zeal to convert all the pagans!
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