Question:
One parishioner writes, “I’m excited about having our own chapel, but the fee is big, a big undertaking and I am worried about how many people are going to be involved. We are worrying about too much going on in the building when you want to just stay focused in a quiet place. What about other parishes in our area that have adoration chapels? Will that interfere with our own?”
Answer:
You are right about this: bringing to completion the build of an adoration chapel is a big undertaking for us. It goes without saying that, in these days, it is expensive to build. It is also true that the more a project is delayed the more expensive it quickly becomes. About the environment of silence. The adoration chapel, I think, should be designed to absorb noise (carpeted floors, padded pews, higher ceilings with no distractions from ground level window viewing, etc.) But if there is much movement to and from meetings, this should be music to the ears of the adorers. Others join you in worshipping the same Lord and God. We remember that we are a parish family of faith. I remember how St. Theresa of Lisieux complained to God when a certain nun from her community came into the chapel to pray. Her rosary would bang against the pew as she prayed. The Saint taught herself to hear those little knocks as offerings of love to God from someone in deep prayerful union. With our faith we can offer God a similar example of piety.
Noisefree environments are helpful to many but we can’t promise that will happen. God appreciates our struggles to patiently endure the imperfections of our time down here. Actually, we grow in virtue when we exercise restraint towards our initial thoughts and impulses–and this is also pleasing to God.Having our own adoration chapel is not about creating conflict with activities of other adoration chapels. It’s taking care of our own needs here at Holy Cross within our own community.
One of the points of spirituality that the Mother of Sorrows Adoration Chapel at Holy Cross intends to provide is a venue to pray for others who feel trapped, afflicted, or who have sensed some sort of bondage to evil. As adorers we will have opportunities to intercede on behalf of these souls who sense some hopelessness, and through our prayer we intend to alleviate or reduce this part of suffering in Christ’s mystical Body.
Peace, Fr. Larry
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