Come!

On November 30, with the beginning of Advent, Holy Cross Church here in Winnipeg is embarking on a very special journey.

Led by our pastor, Fr. Martin Bradbury, we are establishing what we Catholics know as "Perpetual Adoration."

This means that in a special chapel, we will always have somebody praying before the Lord in the Holy Eucharist.

For the past couple of months, we have successfully held an hour-long Adoration service on Friday nights, specially tuned for families. The turnout has consistently been at least forty people, sometimes more. And it's growing.

Every other time we have tried to organize this or be a part of it in another parish - at one point even the Archbishop of St. Boniface considered hosting it in his private chapel - it has dwindled away for the lack of a willing pastor or for insufficient numbers of devotees.

So I challenge all my Catholic friends in the Winnipeg area: sign up. And don't just say, "I'll just fit in at whatever time you need." What we need is for you to pick one hour per week - more if possible - and commit to it. If you can't make it for that hour, find a replacement.

The rewards of this constant prayer in our parish, in our diocese, in our city, and in our country and even our world will be unbelievable. Guaranteed. And even better, you get to spend your own quiet time with Jesus. No telephone interrupting you, no TV to watch, no Facebook pokes to send. YOU AND JESUS.

We've been saying as a faith community over the past years that we want this. Well, now's the time people. To quote the American president-elect (but in better English), "We are the ones for whom we have been waiting." Sign up. Devote your hour. Pray hard. But most of all, be with Jesus. It's an incredible experience.