40 Hours Adoration
Clonfert Family Centre
Brackernagh, Ballinasloe, H53 NX59
5.15 pm Friday 31st January – 10.15 am Sunday February 2nd 2025
All Welcome
Introduction
Ballinasloe & Creagh parish, supported by various Church groups of the parish and Greater Ballinasloe area (see below), will begin a special time of continuous prayer known as ‘The 40 Hours Adoration’ on Friday 31st January.
After an Opening Mass, scheduled to begin at 5.15 pm, members will take turns keeping Jesus company, present in Blessed Sacrament. All will be delighted to be joined by others, so please consider participating … be it for five minutes, fifteen minutes, an hour or longer.
This extended time of prayer will conclude with a special prayer service known as ‘Benediction’ at 10 am on Sunday 2nd February. The word ‘Benediction’ derives from the same word as ‘blessing’.
What is the Forty Hours Adoration?
The Forty Hours Adoration is a special time of prayer, offering all who participate opportunities to gather with the Lord Jesus in a spirit of loving adoration. It gives each participant time to draw close to the Lord.
Why is Ballinasloe-Creagh parish undertaking The 40 Hour Adoration at this time?
The 40 Hours Adoration has been requested by various groups in the parish, e.g. Legion of Mary, Knights of St. Columbanus, St. Francis’s Prayer Group, Pioneer Youth Club. They would like to give thanks to God for the many blessings bestowed on us all, to pray God’s blessing on the year ahead, and to remember in a special way all who are negatively impacted by wars, climate change, poverty etc.
Their membership are also conscious of the many parishioners of many nationalities who may like to avail of this opportunity for their own personal intentions.
What is the history of The 40 Hour Adoration?
No one knows exactly. There are historical records indicating that such times of prayer were encouraged by St. Anthony Zaccaria in Milan and St. Philip Neri in Rome as early as 1530. St. Ignatius Loyola, founder of the Jesuits, was also a strong advocatte of it in the 1560s.
Why 40 hours? Why not 20 or 30 or 50 hours?
The number 40 has ‘sacred’ overtones for Christians. The rain during the time of Moses lasted 40 days and nights; the Jews wandered in the desert for 40 years before reaching the Promised Land; Jesus fasted and prayed for 40 days before beginning his public ministry and our season of Lent extends over 40 days. Many Christians also hold that 40 hours passed between Christ’s burial in the tomb and His resurrection on Easter Sunday morning.
Will there be a rota?
Yes! The organisers are keen that the Lord Jesus not be left without human company throughout the 40 hour period.
If you are willing to commit to a particular half-hour or hour period please contact the co-ordinator for the time period that best suits you (see below) . You can also see below the hours to which other women and men have committed. They are identified by their initials.
Youth Involvement
Persons under 18 years are welcome to paricipate but must be accompanied by an adult family or approved club member, i.e. in terms of Safeguarding best practice.
Young people are also encouraged to participate in the special hour for young people from 8 to 9 pm on Friday 31st January.
Rota (as of 13th December 2024)
If you would like to be included in the rota please contact the co-ordinator for the hour or hours you are interested in taking:
TF – Theresa Foley 086 3241269
JC -John Coughlan 086 8600987
JH – Justin Harkin 087 6171526
JDM – Josephine & Deirdre Mulryan 087 4949124
MMc -Eimear 087 2381111
MCo – Michael Colohan – 087 7703805
Should you commit to an hour, and then discover you cannot honour your commitment, it will be your responsibilitty to source a person to take your place.
FRIDAY (31st)
5.15 – 6 pm Opening Mass
6 – 7 pm TF
7 – 8 pm TF
8 – 9 pm TF
9 – 10 pm JC
10- 11 pm JC
11 – 12 mn JC
SATURDAY (1st)
12 – 1 am JH
1 – 2 am JH
2 – 3 am JH
3 – 4 am JDM
4 – 5 am JDM
5 -6 am JDM
6 – 7 am EMc
7 – 8 am EMc
8 – 9 am EMc
9 – 10 am MCo
10- 11 am MCo
11 – 12 md MCo
12 – 1 pm TF
1 – 2 pm TF
2 – 3 pm TF
3 – 4 pm JC
4 – 5 pm JC
5 -6 pm JDM
6 – 7 pm JDM
7 – 8 pm JDM
8 – 9 pm EMc
9 – 10 pm EMc
10- 11 pm EMc
11 – 12 pm MCo
SUNDAY (2nd)
12 – 1 am MCo
1 – 2 am MCo
2 – 3 am JH
3 – 4 am JH
4 – 5 am JH
5 – 6 am JH
6 – 7 am JC
7 – 8 am JC
8 – 9 am TF & JDM
9 – 10 am TF & JDM
10 am Concluding Benediction
Time-table
While silence, supporting personal prayer, will be the dominant characteristic of the 40 Hours Adoration, there will be moments of shared prayer. These are indicated here.
Friday, January 31st
5:15 PM
Mass, followed by Exposition
7:00 PM
Evening Prayer of the Church, including a short Eucharistic Meditation
8:00 PM
Youth Prayer & Praise (Singing)
10.00 PM
Chaplet of Divine Mercy
11:30 PM
Night Prayer of the Church
Saturday, February 1st
1.00 AM
Scriptural Rosary (if adorers favour)
2.30 AM
Way of the Cross (if adorers favour)
4.00 AM
Holy Hour drawing on the writings of Mystic Catalina Rivas (if adorers favour)
5.30 AM
Office of Readings of the Church (if adorers favour)
7.00 AM
Rosary
8.30 PM
Morning Prayer of the Church
10.00 AM
Chaplet of Divine Mercy
11.30 AM
1.00 PM
2.30 PM
Way of the Cross
4.00 PM
Holy Hour drawing on the writings of Mystic Catalina Rivas
5.30 PM
Office of Readings of the Church
7:00 PM
Evening Prayer of the Church, including a short Eucharistic Meditation
8:30 PM
Taize Prayer
10.00 PM
Chaplet of Divine Mercy
11:30 PM
Night Prayer of the Church
Sunday, February 2nd
1.00 AM
Scriptural Rosary (if adorers favour)
2.30 AM
Way of the Cross (if adorers favour)
4.00 AM
Holy Hour drawing on the writings of Mystic Catalina Rivas (if adorers favour)
5.30 AM
Office of Readings of the Church (if adorers favour)
7.00 AM
Scriptural Rosary
8.30 PM
Morning Prayer of the Church
10.00 AM
Benediction
Participating Church Groups
Our thanks to the following for their commitment to this initaitive:
- The Legion of Mary
- St. Grellan’s Council of The Knights of St. Columbanus
- St Francis Prayer Group
- The Legion of Mary
- Ballinasloe & Creagh Parish Pastoral Council
- Ballinasloe & District Pioneer Youth Club
- Ballinasloe & Creagh Ministers of the Word
- Ballinasloe & Creagh Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist
- Creideamh Book Club
- St. Michael’s Church & Our Lady of Lourdes Church Altar Societies
Other groups welcome to participate and to be identfied here.