By Teresa Golden
For Proclaim!
Our Lady of the Alleghenies Parish in Lilly, under the pastorate of Father Matthew Reese, hosted a 40 Hours devotion from September 10-12, featuring opportunities for continual adoration and nightly devotions from a guest homilist.
The devotion opened on September 10 with Mass and exposition of the Blessed Sacrament. It continued through the evening of September 12th and closed with a beautiful outdoor procession around the parish grounds.
The faithful from across the diocese attended the devotion at various times throughout its entirety, including lay people and religious from many different parishes in the diocese.
All who attended were invited to bring their intentions before the Lord and to pray and adore Christ truly present in the Eucharist, as well as participate in the devotional services, attend Mass and receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
Father Justin Treon served as the guest homilist for the 40 Hours devotion. He spoke each evening during the devotional service and emphasized the importance of Eucharistic Adoration in daily life.
On the second evening of the devotion, Father Treon emphasized the beauty of Eucharistic Miracles and how they were documented by Blessed Carlo Acutis into resources that people worldwide can access today. He spoke during the devotional service on all three of the evenings that it took place.
The event closed on Tuesday, September 12 with Benediction and a solemn Eucharistic procession around the parish grounds. Joined in the procession were many priests and religious of the diocese as well as dozens of parishioners and attendees of the devotion.
The 40 Hours devotion is a beautiful way to adore Christ truly present in the Eucharist. This event is one of many events that is an important aspect of the ongoing Eucharistic Revival that is currently taking place in the Catholic Church as outlined by the USCCB.
