St. Philip Students Embracing Eucharistic Adoration

St. Philip Catholic School students are getting closer to God through Eucharistic adoration – and they’re embracing it!

While maintaining our regular Catholic school traditions and customs – and working hard to build a solid faith base in our students – we have added this new-to-them experience. Students in grades K-8 are spending a time in the Adoration Chapel each month.

Father Dusty Burns has visited each class to explain the importance of the monstrance and the uniqueness of St. Philip’s adoration chapel, which is one of the few area chapels that maintains perpetual Eucharistic Adoration. A committee of people works to keep the schedule current and ensure there is someone in the chapel 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Perpetual adoration has been in place since June 18, 2006; and when the students visit the chapel, they share their time with the person who is scheduled to be there. The chapel is large enough for about 10 people at any given time. As a result, whole classes do not attend together. For most groups, no more than six students visit the chapel at a time. Each visit enables them to reflect away from their peers and spend some quiet time in adoration with Jesus.

Some students have visited the chapel three or four times already this year, and their comments suggest they are really embracing adoration:

"That is just beautiful!”

"You know how when sometimes you walk into a room and it feels awkward or that you are not welcome? Well, in there you feel like this is where you will always belong.”

"Surprisingly, I feel a lot better – like on my First Communion Day"

"It feels like walking into Jesus' arms."

"I really heard Jesus talking to me."

"It is just so peaceful; and I loved reading the bible while it was so quiet because I could concentrate."

"I am going to have my Dad bring me before football practice again tonight.  That was awesome!"

It’s clear that the children have really been impacted by this experience. Many of them express interest in bringing their parents to the chapel and praying together with them. If they have one great memory from this school year, we hope it is of spending time with God in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament.

Dickel is principal of St. Philip School.