Anita Draper
Catholic Herald staff
Promoting adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is one intention of an upcoming parish mission at St. Joseph, Hayward.
Fr. Victor Warkulwiz, a priest with the Missionary Priests of the Blessed Sacrament and resident of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, will celebrate regular weekend Masses Saturday, Sept. 19, and Sunday, Sept. 20, and he will give talks on prayer and reconciliation at 6:30 p.m. the evenings of Sunday, Sept. 20; Monday, Sept. 21; and Tuesday, Sept. 22.
The Knights of Columbus and the parish’s adoration committee are co-sponsoring the event, which is a reprisal of the mission that took place 15 years ago when perpetual adoration was first introduced at the parish, explained Bob Ornberg, a member of the adoration committee.
During his weekend homilies, Fr. Warkulwiz will make an appeal for new adorers to pray in St. Joseph’s perpetual adoration chapel.
“Things every Catholic should know about prayer” is the title of his Sunday evening talk. Fr. Warkulwiz will review many types of prayer – Biblical, liturgical, repetitive, intercessory, etc. – and discuss the importance of maintaining a personal relationship with Jesus.
Monday and Tuesday topics include prayer and reconciliation; confession will be available Monday night, and Tuesday’s talk will conclude with exposition and benediction.
The mission is open to all; organizers also plan to promote the event in surrounding parishes.
“We consider this to be a wonderful opportunity for anyone who can attend to hear these inspiring and informative presentations from a dedicated priest who has brought his messages to nearly every state in the U.S.,” Ornberg said.
Ornberg personally devotes two hours of each week to adoration. He’s been involved since spring 2000, when the program started; the perpetual adoration chapel opened Jan. 1, 2001.
“When the program began, I was a recent convert to the Catholic Church,” he explained. “It was certainly a faith-builder and a pathway to prayer, and although Holy Mass is the center of our faith, I came to realized how privileged it was to have a dedicated adoration chapel.”
Others have shared similar stories with Ornberg.
“I recall a young mother of four who explained that her hour in the chapel was one of those very special times in her very hectic week when she could spend some quiet time with our Lord in prayer and reading Sacred Scripture,” he said.
St. Joseph was the second parish in the diocese to open a perpetual dedication chapel, he said. Our Lady of Lourdes, Dobie, was the first.
Although St. Joseph has adorers every day of the week, they do not have perpetual adoration in the strict sense of having every hour covered.
“We hope that participation will be enhanced from the mission,” he added.
Call 715-699-1287 for more information on the event.
