Catholic Life Television producing video on adoration

Eucharistic adoration is perhaps one of the greatest gifts the Catholic Church offers, allowing adorers to spend private time with the Lord.

Adoration may also be one of the church’s best kept secrets and perhaps one of its most misunderstood.

Recognizing those mysteries and attempting to educate viewers, Catholic Life Television is producing a 30-minute video scheduled to debut in October that will delve into adoration, how to pray while in the chapel and the spiritual graces it offers.

According to CLTV director Steve Lee, the show will feature interviews with clergy members, adorers and others explaining adoration and how to pray while in the chapel.

“I would hope the show invites people to spend some time with Jesus,” Lee said. “You spend in time with church as a community. This would be one-on-one time (with Jesus).”

Lee said the video was born out of a casual conversation with his wife, who is a fourth grade teacher in the Diocese of Baton Rouge. The couple was discussing adoration and how few young people do not know what it is or how to participate. Many have never heard of it, they reasoned. 

They also discussed the importance of introducing children to adoration so it can become the foundation of their spiritual lives as they mature. 

Adding to the conundrum is that many parents are also unaware of the graces to be derived from adoration.

“I thought it would be great if there were a show that would inform people,” Lee said, adding that the video is being produced in conjunction with the three-year Eucharistic Revival announced earlier this year by Pope Francis. 

“It seems adoration is not a popular part of our faith these days,” he said. “Many people may be anxious about what to do or how much time to spend in adoration.”

Along with helpful ways to pray before the Lord, the video will also include the history of adoration in the diocese. Also to be included are times and locations of  adoration chapels.

The video features Father Matthew Graham, Father Miles Walsh and Father Mathew Dunn. Daryl Ducote, director of the office of Marriage and Family Life, is the narrator.

Father Walsh was originally charged by Bishop Stanley J. Ott to launch adoration in the diocese.

Father Graham, pastor at Immaculate Conception Church in Denham Springs, discusses bringing young people to the adoration chapel.
At least seven adoration chapels touching every corner of the diocese are also featured.

“By talking to the (priests and adorers) I felt more interest in developing a TV program to educate our Catholics and being able to introduce them to adoration,” Lee said. “There are different ways to go about adoration and I learned much about that.”

He said many people told him they were unsure what to do once they were in the chapel.

“There are differing ways to go about adoration. We touch on all of those topics,” he said. “I learned that for five minutes I can sit there in silence, communicating with Jesus.”

Lee said the goal of the show is to invite Catholics to attend adoration to experience and embrace the peace and joy that comes from spending only a few minutes or perhaps much longer alone with Christ.

“As we spend time with Jesus, our attachments to sin and our desires for worldly comforts begin to decrease and our love for Jesus begins to grow,” he said. “Maybe this program will touch the hearts of some to turn to the eucharistic presence in adoration.”