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To sit in the presence of Christ, is a privilege deeply felt by many St. Michael's parishioners since the Adoration Chapel was consecrated on 25th March 2001.
Eucharistic Adoration is one of the highest forms of prayer and earnestly recommended by the Holy Father. So important is it, that depite the demands of each day, Mother Theresa set aside a Holy Hour every day for her Sisters.
Contact:
Cynthia Paitaki at 072-205-2661 or Renata Puccini 021 685-1297
Experiences by our St Michaels community who have dedicated time each week to our Adoration Chapel have generously been shared with us:
"I have never found waking up and starting the day a very easy thing to do so I chose an hour which was a bit too early - knowing it would in itself be a devotion to achieve. However, it was not a problem, even in the darkest rainiest days of winter. The strangest thing too, is that I wake just a few seconds before my alarm goes off. Ten years later I am still astounded by it, it is so unlike me. I humbly praise You my Lord and my God."
"Since devoting an hour a week to the Adoration Chapel, I have found my spiritual needs growing and awakening in me a communion with God that weaves more into my daily life now than ever before. I am changing too. Areas that I have struggled with in myself no longer consume and take over leaving me feeling really down the next day. Situations have arisen which I am fully aware would freak me out, blood would rise to my head and I would be pure reaction. I am now able to be fully in control of myself and to respond calmly while in my head I am thinking “I can't believe this, thank You for being here with me my Lord” "
When I first started coming to Adoration, I was unemployed - today I am a foreman. - Gained employment shortly after beginning Adoration.
My Adoration hour is, next to Holy mass, the most important appointment of the week. How could it be otherwise for a Catholic? As Ghandi reportedly said: "If you Catholics truly believe that Jesus Christ is really present in your Chapels and Churches, why is it that they stand empty most of the time?" Jesus waits patiently for me to visit and rewards me with overwhelming graces that inform every aspect of my life. When I am down, He uplifts me, when I am happy, he lifts me even higher... For over 3 years Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, the Real Presence, has shown me that He is fundamental to my existence - all else is merely transitional.
"Miracle Through Prayer" My husband Chris and I have been keen adorers since the opening of the adoration chapel at St Michaels. We saw the adoration chapel as an opportunity to spend valuable time together as a couple, in God's presence. Having been married for almost 4 years at the time, we thought of asking God to bless us with a family of our own. I thought that by simply asking God would make the process of falling pregnant quick and easy and because we asked God I simply expected it to happen in a flash.
I quickly realised that God and I were not on the same page because after a year of trying I was still not pregnant. Tragedy struck when we were diagnosed with infertility, which was very hard to cope with. I spent many hours in the chapel bitter and angry with God asking how He could be so cruel to us? How could He be so mean when we were good Catholics who went to Mass every Sunday and on top of that we spent a whole hour in the adoration chapel, surely that would warrant God favouring our request?
After numerous failed fertility treatments I became very angry and resentful towards God; drifting away from him even further. My time in the adoration chapel was consumed by bitter and angry thoughts and most of the time I just sat there staring at the burning candles asking the same question over and over again, WHY? At some point I even contemplated cancelling our adoration hour as I saw it as a wasted hour of my precious time and why should I continue when God was clearly not listening to me. Through all this Chris remained strong in faith and persuaded me to keep going back week after week even if it meant me just staring into nothingness.
During another treacherous hour I picked up a little blue book called "St Philomena" and started reading about this amazing little Saint whom, through God's intercession, was able to perform the most amazing miracles of which one was blessing numerous childless couples with a baby of their own. Through her I found my long lost faith and started praying to God, Mary and my newfound friend, St Philomena. Every day I would recite 3 Hail Mary's, 1 Our Father and the prayer of St Philomena asking her to graciously hear my plea and to obtain from God a favourable answer to the request which I humbly lay before her every day, namely the miracle of a normal, healthy baby.
In August last year we decided to give another fertility treatment cycle a try and for the first time I placed all my hoped and fears in God's able and capable hands. Whenever I felt overwhelmed or anxious I would find peace and comfort in the adoration chapel, knowing that God would carry me whenever I lacked strength and courage. One thing I never sacrificed was my prayer time, which kept me strong in faith and hope.
I am now pregnant and expecting our little miracle to make an appearance in May.
Dear Lord thank you for granting Chris and I the miracle of a baby and Lord thank you for giving me the patience and knowledge that you make everything beautiful in YOUR time, not mine.
Your humble servants
Claudia and Chris Sobolewski."
If you have an experience you would like to share, write to me:
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and I will share it from here. :-)
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