Devotional Practices
As the Diocesan Cathedral, we do all we can to ensure that our Liturgies – the official public worship of the Church — are well celebrated. Mass and all of the sacraments, as well as the Liturgy of the Hours, are carefully planned and prepared. We want no less to be true of our devotional practices.
The Directory on Popular Piety and Liturgy: Principles and Guidelines (issued April 9, 2002 by the Vatican Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments) defines devotional practices as those expressions, gestures, and attitudes that manifest a personal relationship with God. They give expression to the more affective side of our life of faith.
On the first Friday of each month, exposition of the Blessed Sacrament takes place following the 6:30 am Mass, from 7am-3pm. The Catholic Bishops list three purposes for exposition of the Blessed Sacrament: “to acknowledge Christ’s marvelous presence in the sacrament; to lead us to fuller participation in the celebration of the Eucharist, culminating in Holy Communion; to foster the worship which is due to Christ in spirit and in truth” (Holy Communion and Worship of the Eucharist Outside Mass). We hope you will take advantage of the opportunities provided for adoration here at the Cathedral.
On the first Saturday of each month, exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, rosary, and confessions take place following 8am Daily Mass.
Each Wednesday, Adoration and the Rosary are held at 6pm in the Cathedral.
In the West Transept stands our larger than life statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.The Fathers of the Church in its earliest centuries seem to have been attracted to the reality of Jesus great love for humanity as they meditated on a number of passages in the Gospel according to John. Chief among these were Jesus’ proclamation in chapter 7 that whoever came to him in thirst would be given rivers of living water from which to drink, and the passage in chapter 19 describing the blood and water flowing from his own side when pierced by the soldier’s lance. The Fathers could not help linking these two passages in a spirituality of Christian life based on the pierced open heart of Christ, which to this day symbolizes for us the total self-giving love of Jesus for us. We invite you to take time to respond in gratitude as you pass the statue.
Join a group of parishioners in the West Transcept of the Cathedral on Wednesday nights at 6:30 pm to pray the Rosary.