Our Lady of Fatima Church in Benton marked 25 years of perpetual adoration, a feat few parishes can claim.
More than 250 Catholics — including clergy who have served the parish since 2000 — filled the pews Feb. 26 as Bishop Anthony B. Taylor celebrated Mass.
Taffy Council, perpetual adoration coordinator, said the celebration wasn’t just for adorers but for the entire parish.
“Our whole parish has been blessed immensely for 25 years in a really special way. Anybody who’s been here long enough to understand perpetual adoration would feel that way,” she said.
Council helped create our Lady of Fatima’s perpetual adoration ministry with other parishioners March 5, 2000.
“I acquired the habit of stopping in our little adoration chapel on my way to work. I would sit on the floor at the tabernacle and have a little prayer time. At that time, we were having 24 hours of adoration every first Friday of the month, so I had become accustomed to making a holy hour,” she said.
Council said one day during adoration, she felt God calling her to work alongside other parishioners to create the perpetual adoration ministry. She called the late Father Michael Bass, who had just been assigned to Our Lady of Fatima from St. Paul the Apostle in Pocahontas — a parish with perpetual adoration. He gave Council the green light to give it a try.
She worked with other parishioners to build a team of division leaders and “24-hour captains” so that the Blessed Sacrament was never left alone.
“That team concept has been a huge factor in our successful continuation,” Council said, describing the sign-up forms and website that the perpetual adoration team has used to streamline the teamwork.
“We have a wonderful system of substitution that we utilize. We’ve always been very dependent on our substitutes because we’re a small parish … our website that we use is tailored to our needs.”
Parishioner Edelia Olvera, who is involved with perpetual adoration, told Arkansas Catholic that she became involved to help the Hispanic community become more familiar with perpetual adoration.
“I have realized throughout the years that coming to the Blessed Sacrament is like coming to a school of sanctity — it has enriched my family life and has been a constant in my marriage and in keeping my children close to me,” she said through an interpreter, Wendy Brown, parish secretary. “… This has kept me close to the culture I grew up with, to a space where I feel like I could continue with what I learned when I was younger … This is something that connects me back to my roots.”
Olvera said adoration has grown in popularity among the Hispanic community, especially in recent months.
“People are coming to pray because most of the Hispanic community that comes to adoration cannot vote. So the only thing they had left was prayer,” she said. “So they were coming here. I saw more people coming in to pray for God’s will — whatever God’s will is, please let it happen.”
Olvera said if you’re not sure how to navigate adoration, coming in and spending time with Jesus is the first step.
“I have invited people into the adoration chapel to just sit. I mainly tell people to sit in front of the Blessed Sacrament and close their eyes. Of course, at first, it might just look like a piece of bread. But if they close their eyes, they will feel the Real Presence. … If we all knew the greatness that we have in there, in the Blessed Sacrament,” she said, “The chapel would be so crowded we would need someone to help us take turns.”
Council and Olvera said that parishioners strategized and overcame challenges presented to perpetual adoration during the pandemic. Council is thankful that their priests and deacons throughout the years have been so supportive of perpetual adoration.
“Our pastors encourage people to be prayerful, making references to perpetual adoration in their homilies and really drawing people into it,” she said.
The front pew at Our Lady of Fatima was reserved for all of the clergy who had served at Our Lady of Fatima for the past 25 years and who played a role in perpetual adoration. In attendance and helping celebrate the Mass alongside Bishop Taylor were Father Bill Elser of Hot Springs Village; Father John Marconi and Father Phillip Reaves, both of Little Rock; Father Luke Womack, the current pastor; and Deacons Dan Cartaya, Ronald Steven Lee and Marcelino Luna.
“One of the things that I’ve promoted throughout my priesthood over the course of 44 years is Eucharistic adoration,” Bishop Taylor told those present during his homily. “And of course, today, you’re thanking the Lord for the many blessings you have received over the course of 25 years of eucharistic adoration in your parish. Over the years, my daily holy hour, which I spend whenever possible before the Blessed Sacrament, has brought many blessings to me personally.
“And like with you here at Our Lady of Fatima, I can attest that eucharistic adoration has also brought many blessings to the parishioners of the parishes. I have heard that adorers feel closer to Jesus and are more fully aware of his Real Presence among us in the Eucharist. Moreover, adoration is not only for the especially pious. Indeed, it is we who have problems who most need the strength and comfort we find in spending time with Jesus.”
Parishioner Diane Brenkus, who visits the adoration chapel and and helped plan the parish’s celebration, called the 25th anniversary “a miracle in itself.”
“I want to honor the Lord. I want to give all the awe and praise and blessing to have him with us 24/7,” she said. “It’s just a miracle in itself with our small parish, and I think it’s an honor that we are able to go be with him. … There are 168 hours in a week. All 168 hours, there are people in there praying for themselves, for other adorers and our parish. And I really believe that those prayers have benefitted the entire parish.”
Council agreed.
“What a gift it is,” she said of perpetual adoration. “Not only for yourself and for your family, but for the Church and for this country and the world.”
CORRECTION: The original publication of this article stated that this event was held Feb. 28. It was actually held Feb. 26. This online version has been corrected.
