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In 2020, Bishop Athanasius Schneider called for a lay-led ‘Crusade for Eucharistic Reparation’ in response to profanity against the Eucharist which has become increasingly more evident, especially during and since Covid. Answering this call, lay and clerical, volunteers from around the globe, alongside the team at OnePeterFive, have been steadily growing the ranks of Eucharistic Crusaders.
A Eucharistic Crusader commits to at least once a month praying the prayer of reparation composed by Bishop Schneider while dedicating a holy hour in Eucharistic Adoration. Many go above and beyond. All the prayers and materials required for having your pastor install you into the Crusade, like being installed with a scapular, can be found here.
The volunteers of the Crusade are rallying all faithful to join these prayers throughout June and, if possible, to organize local prayer events to gather others specifically for public prayers for the Reparation to the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus.
Here are five steps to kick-start your event:
1. Start with your own Personal Prayer
The readers here at OnePeterFive are serious about their prayers and praying for the Church, yet it is one thing to pray in private and participate in the liturgies of the Church, and it is another to organize for prayer events. Some do it all the time and some really do not know where to begin. As Catholics we know prayer makes everything better, and we can draw on the rich history of reparation prayers of many great saints from over the centuries.
Specifically consider Fatima, where the Angel of Peace taught Lucia, Francesco, and Jacinta, the five prayers of Eucharistic Reparation and Pardon for our own sins and the sins of the world.
During the month of May, it is always helpful to turn to Mary, seeking her guidance in discerning your role in the Crusade. Personalize your discernment with devotions like a novena of rosaries or invoking the aid of Eucharistic saints like St. Thomas Aquinas or St. Padre Pio. The clarity prayer brings to so many of life’s endeavors will surely help here as well.
2. Recruit Allies
Wondering who to approach? Start with your family or prayer groups. Integrate the Reparation Prayer into family rosary nights or suggest it to other faithful prayer and church groups that you belong to. If you are part of a homeschool cooperative you can have the parents and children join you in reparation prayers in June.
Within your parish, approach those already deeply engaged in prayer, like daily Mass attendees or those participating in devotional prayers or chaplets. The call to this prayer Crusade resonates strongly with those who are already well-catechized and sensitive to the need for reparative prayers. They will be open to your polite invitations and explanations to what you are doing and how they may join in and help.
Buy one of the Crusade prayer cards (here and here) and give them out to invite others to join.
3. Plan Your Event
Once you realize you can organize an event, decide on the type and location of your event. Given the intimate link between the Crusade and the Eucharist, many will immediately consider options like requesting a special Mass, Adoration, or a Eucharistic Procession. If feasible, collaborate with established parish prayer groups to host a large event within the parish.
If resources or support are limited, opt for the simplicity of less formal gatherings that can break the ground this year and pave the way for future events next June. Remember when planning your event without the benefit of Church liturgies your focus is on offering prayers in a serene and reverent way for reparations due to the sins against the Eucharist.
You can start a monthly gathering now to build momentum for next June, or you can start something larger this June in order to gain momentum for a regular weekly or monthly prayer gathering.
4. Engage Your Pastor
Seek permission and support from your pastor if your planned event is to be held or advertised on church property.
It is always best to approach the pastor with a well thought out plan with options so he can check calendars and see how much time he may need to dedicate to help.
While some pastors may not want to perform a special liturgy for you and your new group, they may grant permission for you to organize the event within the parish facilities. If the priest does not have time for another holy hour of exposition and benediction, then ask if he can just have the church open for an hour so your group may simply visit and pray before the Tabernacle.
5. Overcoming Obstacles
If you are met with reservations or overt opposition, respectfully acknowledge the pastor’s wishes. Remember, prayers of reparation are often necessary due to the actions of clergy as well as the thoughtlessness of the world.
Refer to resources like Timothy Flanders’s 2023 article on restoring reverence to the Sacred Heart in the month of June. This article explains very clearly the role of lay organizations and the wealth that lay sodality brings to the Church.
Lay people do not need the permission of the pastor to engage in acts of prayer such as:
- In a low voice pray Bishop Schneider’s reparation prayer, every time you and family attend Mass during the month of June.
- There is nothing stopping you and your fellowship from praying together in a way that is not disruptive to others at the local adoration chapel or in the church when you make holy hours.
- There is nothing stopping you from organizing a pilgrimage walk, from one parish to the next, praying the rosary as you visit Christ in the tabernacles of your town, even if it is after hours and you have to remain on the sidewalk because the church might be locked.
- There is nothing stopping you from hosting a dinner at your house that begins with Vespers and the Reparation Prayer followed by the social of Christian fellowship.
You get the picture.
In the month of June, organizing prayers for Eucharistic Reparation are essential for addressing the challenges facing society and Church. When we make the effort to host our own local event for Eucharistic Reparation we answer a call from Heaven. Keeping it simple is a great way to start, since everyone can do it.
Check out even more resources and ideas on the Crusade Header at OnePeterFive to get your event planning started today.