Monday, August 10, 2009

Boston: The Return of Perpetual Adoration

St. Clement's Eucharistic Shrine was reopened when I was a novice here in Boston. (We sang for the Mass, and then for the ordination of the OMV deacons that same year.) Gradually, the Oblates of the Virgin Mary have made St. Clement's a dynamic Catholic presence, with a big base population of students from the nearby music schools. They've had adoration for several hours a day, and as of Saturday, have lined up the necessary committed adorers to inaugurate ongoing adoration, 24/7.
An equally committed group has been promoting the event through billboards and ads on public transit. This hasn't escaped the notice of the Boston Globe, which gave the story front-page, above-the-fold coverage today. The article seems quite accurate and well-researched. But I was taken aback at the way the writer repeatedly used the word "wafer" to refer to the Eucharist. I understand that a secular newspaper is going to want the most objective language possible, but there are other appropriate ways to refer to what we Catholics call the "Blessed Sacrament." "Sacrament," "eucharist" or "host" would all be acceptable in a secular paper. And would allow for better writing than the drip, drip, drip of the unimaginative word "wafer." I got the impression that this is the writer's first contact with Catholic worship; he may not even know any practicing Catholics who are literate in their faith!
Be that as it may, the article is inspiring overall. I especially liked the quote from the USCCB's Sr. Mary Ann Walsh, referring to "the real presence of people before the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist." If you are in the Boston area, be sure to stop in the Back Bay's Eucharistic Shrine.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

It's so uplifting to read your entries, they show that our Church is not so dormant as I think it is.
And since you do travel much it's also nice to see things are happening to enrich our faith and our need to do our part too, to keep our faith alive. Thanks for your time spent in sending us you views.