Adoremus: the Eucharistic Congress marked a beginning in the revitalisation of Eucharistic devotion in this country. How beautiful it was to see hundreds of people processing through the streets of Liverpool behind Our Blessed Lord, truly present in the most Blessed Sacrament!
For those unable to travel to Liverpool, there was a day of Adoration here at Corpus Christi, Maiden Lane which is also the Diocesan Shrine of the Blessed Sacrament on Saturday 8th September. It was a particularly beautiful surprise to see a group of people standing outside, waiting for the doors to open at 7am. The church was filled with people coming and going, spending either a few minutes in silent Adoration, or even several hours.
Fortuitously, the day coincided with the Nativity of our Blessed Mother and so we were able to celebrate this feast as well, with Mass at noon, celebrated by Dom Hugh Somerville-Knapman OSB, a Benedictine monk of Douai Abbey. The church was overflowing with people and Dom Hugh reminded us in his homily that it is ‘in Mary’s flesh the Word becomes flesh’ and that ‘Mary [was] the first tabernacle of Christ’s Body and Blood’.
It is part of the Shrine’s vocation to encourage a greater devotion and love of Christ. Beside the daily Holy Hour here, we have founded the Sodality of the Blessed Sacrament. This confraternity now has several hundred members from all over the world, from New Zealand to Colombia. The sodality meets on the first Thursday of each month at 6.30pm for Mass and Adoration. The Masses are offered for the intentions of members and there is a different guest preacher who offers some reflections on different aspects of the Blessed Sacrament. For those unable to attend the Masses, there is a monthly newsletter which has the homilies in full, as well as other articles on the Mass and the Eucharist.
What better way to honour our Lord, than by praying with hundreds of other Catholics around the world in quiet devotion of this, his greatest gift to us? You can find out more about the sodality and join online at www.sodality.co.uk.
