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Friday, November 9, 2012

Forty Hours Devotion Begins at Assumption Grotto



Forty Hours Devotion Begins today.  The exact hours of Exposition over the next three days have not be stated, but I am presuming they are the same as last year.  One thing I do know is that the 9:30 will not be in the Extraordinary Form because the Traditional Latin Mass moves to the Noon timeslot for the closing ceremony.  Also interesting to note is that Mass will be celebrated at the side altar on Friday and Saturday mornings, during Exposition.  This is one of a few times when it is permitted.  No mention this year of any kind of meal.  I would  imagine bewteen the 9:30 and Noon there will be the usual - hamburgers, hot dogs, and donuts.  I'm not sure about after the Noon Mass. 

Here is part of what Fr. Perrone wrote last November in his Sunday column:


Next weekend is that period of parochial grace known as The Forty Hours, the observance of which has passed into near oblivion in post-conciliar (i.e., Vatican II) days. The proffered reason for this falling off of Eucharistic piety, unexpected and unintended, was to allow for a greater flexibility for parishes in choosing the manner, time and frequency of Eucharistic adoration. The result of the change was disastrous, at least in so far as its said purpose was a failure. But there was something positive that emerged from those dark days, from the grass roots up, and that was the opening of Eucharistic chapels for adoration, and even for perpetual adoration in various places. This was a popular effort, not having been initiated by the higher ups of the Church and yet it was highly commended by the Church officially when it did begin to flourish.

Every parish is, even now, supposed to set aside a time each year for Eucharistic adoration. We have elected to retain the practice of the Forty Hours because of its longer extension than the Eucharistic day and because of its time-honored usage.

Accordingly, we will open the devotion this coming Friday morning at the 7:30 a.m. Mass with the Eucharistic procession and litany following the Mass. Saturday will open with Exposition at 6:30 a.m. and the 7:30 a.m. Tridentine Mass will take place at the side altar. Friday and Saturday adoration will end at 9:00 p.m. Sunday morning begins with adoration at 6:00 a.m. The Sunday Masses are held at their usual times with moments of adoration in between. Note that the 9:30 Mass next week will be a simple Latin Mass in the new rite; the solemn closing Mass will be in the Tridentine form at noon with the closing procession and prayers following it. Booklets for this will be provided. Thus the Forty Hours Devotion will end Sunday afternoon, around 2:00 p.m. There will not be, as there was in recent years, a later afternoon closing ceremony. Take note!

My annual exhortation is to urge your participation in the prayers and a personal time of adoration in the period of these three days. You owe it–literally–to your Lord to give Him adoration and praise, let alone to make time for presenting your needs material and spiritual in His presence.
What is Forty Hours Devotion?  I can find no better write-up than the one done by Fr. William Saunders.  It is broken up into two parts at the Catholic Education Resource Center (CERC). 


The closing of Forty Hours Devotion is quite ceremonial.  In fact, in an old moral theology book I recently purchased, I found this tucked inside:




I wrote more on the invite here: Dear Father: You are cordially invited...

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