On Thursday, Feb. 11, the parish community of Our Lady of Lourdes in Mountainside celebrated the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes and the 16th Anniversary of their Perpetual Adoration Chapel with a Mass at 7:30 p.m., followed by a reception. Approximately 200 guests from towns throughout Union County attended.
The Mass’ main celebrant and homilist was Father William McDonald, Associate Spiritual Director & Adjunct Professor of Pastoral Theology at Immaculate Conception Seminary, and weekend assistant at Our Lady of Lourdes. Throughout his years of service as priest, Father Bill has enjoyed preaching both in the parish and through conducting parish missions for other parishes in the U.S. and has led courses in preaching at the seminary.
The Adoration Chapel first opened on Feb. 11, 2000 and has remained a place where the faithful visit with the Blessed Sacrament 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. There are always scheduled adorers present while the Holy Eucharist is exposed. It is very fitting that the chapel opened on the Feast Day of Our Lady of Lourdes and shares its anniversary with the Feast Day each year. The Parish of Our Lady of Lourdes is extremely proud of its Adoration Chapel and of the hundreds of people from within and outside the parish who devotedly keep their scheduled hour each and every week and to those who fill in when the need arises.
Irene Ciccarino, the chapel’s coordinator for these 16 years, states that “There is no other place to find peace and devotion like one finds in the Adoration Chapel and no other people like those special individuals who spend their time in the Chapel.”
The small chapel adjacent to the church sanctuary at 300 Central Ave. in Mountainside is open for anyone who wishes to visit with the Holy Eucharist and spend some quiet time in prayer. It features a library of devotional literature for anyone to use while visiting.
If interested in spending an hour in quiet prayer or meditation with our Lord, don’t hesitate to volunteer an hour a week as a regularly scheduled adorer or as an occasional on-call adorer. With a partner, you can spend an hour every other week if each week doesn’t work for you. Adorers are always needed and always welcomed.
For information or to volunteer, call Irene Ciccarino at 732-574-0064.
(above) Father Richard J. Carrington, OLL’s pastor, leads the congregation in the novena to Our Lady of Lourdes.
(above and below) Guests of all ages, including members of the Caminiti, Zipeto & Kisciras families, joined in the celebration!
(above, l-r) Enjoying the celebration are Joan Bieszczak, Rosemarie Graziano, Pat Knodel and Amelia Theodos.
(above) Irene Ciccarino, Chapel Coordinator, thanks Father Bill McDonald for his inspiring homily.
