October 16, 2024 // Diocese

‘Ador168’ Aims to Increase Devotion to the Eucharist

“Familiarity makes our appreciation of things lessen over time,” Deacon Joe Dietz told Today’s Catholic. “People who work at the Louvre in Paris don’t stare at the ‘Mona Lisa’ every day, despite how beautiful it is.”

Deacon Dietz paused and then concluded, “But, this makes no sense when it comes to the Eucharist – the body, blood, soul, and divinity of Jesus Christ.”

Christ the King Parish in South Bend has adopted a new initiative, Ador168, aimed at increasing the community’s devotion to the Eucharist. Despite the parish’s lack of a perpetual adoration chapel, the parish aims to spend a total of 168 hours each week – equal to seven days a week, 24 hours a day – with the Blessed Sacrament. Members of the community record their hours spent either in Eucharistic adoration or prayer in front of the tabernacle to contribute to the total.

Photos provided by Deacon Joseph Dietz
Eucharistic adorers from Christ the King Catholic Church in South Bend pray in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament. Through a recent initiative led by Deacon Joe Dietz, known as Ador168, Christ the King parishioners are tracking the hours they spend at adoration or praying before the tabernacle with the goal of achieving 168 hours per week.

Deacon Dietz came up with this endeavor after reflecting on the solace he receives from the Eucharist.

“For quite some time now, I’ve kept a daily Holy Hour. Usually, I come in before Mass at 8:30 a.m.,” Deacon Dietz said. “I’ve been lamenting the fact that Christ’s body, blood, soul, and divinity is vastly underappreciated in the Church today.”

Christ the King, like many other parishes, does not offer perpetual adoration. Often, parishes will schedule a few hours a week to expose the Blessed Sacrament, but many parishioners are unable to attend.

“It’s all or nothing,” Deacon Joe Dietz said, explaining his frustration that parishes either have perpetual adoration or very limited hours for it. “As I was reflecting on that, I felt God say, ‘Yeah, but I’m not bound by time and space,’” Deacon Dietz said.

Then came Ador168, a way for the parish to collectively track hours spent with the Lord. Their aim is to give parishioners more flexibility when it comes to time with the Eucharist. Spending time in adoration or simply praying in front of the tabernacle counts toward the 168-hour goal each week – the equivalent of having perpetual adoration at the parish.

“You don’t need to have someone here at 3 in the morning if you have people praying 168 hours a week – all the hours in a week,” Deacon Dietz said.

This new devotion aims to bring Catholics closer to Christ, choosing to be with Him throughout the day.

“He created us to live in this tension of … choosing God or not God throughout our days,” Deacon Dietz said. “He gave us His Son to be an intimate part of our lives.”

Deacon Dietz found reliance on the Lord’s power to be the most freeing thing in his life.

“If we can internalize, ‘Lord you know me better than I know myself,’ it’s very freeing. To me, not taking advantage of time in front of the Blessed Sacrament is like telling an athlete to not work out,” he shared.

Michael Lupa, a parishioner at Christ the King, shared his thoughts on the Ador168 initiative with Today’s Catholic, saying: “It’s about time. Here He is, and all He has done for us, and so little is given back to Him,” said Lupa, who spends regular time with the Eucharist before daily Mass. With Ador168, the active member of Christ the King is now recording his time.

“Now that Deacon Joe started this, I’ve been adding my time to the Ador168 program,” Lupa explained.

He encourages young people to take advantage of Ador168 in order to explore the profound mysteries found in a strong devotion to the Eucharist.

“The Catholic Church has so much to offer,” Lupa said. “It’s filled with secrets not always exposed to normal people out there.”

One of those secrets is that the King of the Universe rests in tabernacles around the world, Lup said, adding: “He is there in the tabernacle, alone in an empty church, just waiting.”

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