Catholics adore the Blessed Sacrament in the adoration chapel at St. Patrick Parish in Iowa City.
By Anne Marie Amacher
The Catholic Messenger
Continuous adoration and recitation of the rosary on the hour are set to take place in Davenport and Iowa City Oct. 4-10 as part of the Eucharistic Rosary Congress.
Father Nicholas Akindele, pastor of Holy Family Parish-Davenport, and Father David Paintsil, pastor of St. Joseph Parish-Hills, St. Mary Parish-Lone Tree and St. Mary Parish-Nichols, took the lead for the Davenport and Iowa City deaneries, responding to a request from Bishop Dennis Walsh.
The Rosary Congress began in Poland in 1979 to coincide with Pope St. John Paul II’s visit to the former Communist country. Since then, the event has spread throughout the world, according to the Eucharistic Rosary Congress website. “The intentions are offered in a spirit of reparation to restore the sanctity of life; to establish peace in our hearts, our families, our Church, and our nation; and to console the hearts of Jesus and Mary,” the site states.
In this Jubilee Year of Hope, “We are encouraged to renew our relationship with Our Lord Jesus Christ in the Eucharist and to encounter healing grace,” said Father Paintsil. “We have the perfect opportunity to do so during the Eucharistic Rosary Congress.”
Father Akindele said the Rosary Congress offers the opportunity to make reparations for the sins of one another, the community, and the world at large. Mary is a wonderful intercessor. “She has never lost favor with God.”
Each Rosary Congress opens with a Mass on Oct. 4, followed by a week of perpetual adoration with recitation of the rosary on the hour and concludes with Mass on Oct. 10.
Both priests encourage the faithful from all parishes to sign up for adoration. The two hosting parishes need 168 adorers each to sit with the Blessed Sacrament. Additional adorers are welcome to sign up or show up.
Davenport — Holy Family Church
Bishop Walsh will open the celebration at Holy Family, presiding at the 4 p.m. Mass Oct. 4. Adoration and rosary on the hour begin after Mass until the closing. On Oct. 7, a Eucharistic procession for the Feast of the Holy Rosary begins at 6 p.m. in the church and moves throughout the neighborhood with Bishop Walsh in attendance. A closing Mass Oct. 10 begins at 6 p.m. with a meal to follow.
Iowa City — St. Patrick’s Sacred Heart Chapel
An opening Mass begins Oct. 4 at 8:30 a.m. at St. Patrick Church. Daily Mass takes place Monday through Friday at 8:30 a.m., perpetual adoration and rosary on the hour will take place in the Sacred Heart Chapel beginning at 6 a.m. Oct. 4 and continue through midnight Oct. 10. Chapel attendees will recite a rosary each hour. Bishop Walsh will preside at the closing Mass Oct. 10 at 6 p.m.
Attendees will pray a public rosary in English Monday through Friday at 8 a.m., prior to daily Mass in the chapel, and a public rosary in Spanish Monday through Friday at 6:30 p.m. in the main church.
Father Paintsil believes St. Patrick is an ideal location for the Rosary Congress “because of the Sacred Heart Perpetual Adoration Chapel and its central location in Iowa City, which will encourage greater participation.” Father Troy Richmond, pastor of St. Patrick “graciously accepted to host it and help to facilitate.”
Maribeth Green is coordinating the Davenport Deanery event and Christine Martin is coordinating the Iowa City event. Adorers are asked to sign up for an hour — or more. Parish captains are encouraged to do four-hour shifts. People are welcome to stop by but those signing up need to commit to an hour, Green said.
Adoration pamphlets for use in the church and at home will be available as well as literature on how to recite the rosary.
For more information on the Davenport event, contact Green at 563-468-7202, email greenmm1417@gmail.com or sign up at https://tinyurl.com/ytt9mm98. For the Iowa City event contact Martin at irish3721@mchsi.com or sign up at https://forms.gle/ktXLze9ZPhfSFbhYA
