By John Rohlf, The Message assistant editor
After celebrating Mass at the Basilica of St. Francis Xavier in Vincennes, Bishop Joseph M. Siegel inaugurated the newly renovated St. Rose Adoration Chapel, which is located in the courtyard behind the basilica.
The St. Rose of Lima Adoration Chapel, which is now available for perpetual adoration after the renovation, was built in 1847 under Bishop de la Hailandiere, second bishop of Vincennes, to serve seminary students and later orphans and school students of the Catholic School of Vincennes. Part of the original St. Rose Academy, it was operated by the Sisters of Providence from 1848-1876. It was deconstructed and moved across the street in 1983, which is where it is now located.
Father Tony Ernst, pastor of St. Francis Xavier Parish in Vincennes, said they have offered several days of adoration at St. Vincent de Paul Church in Vincennes for many years. They wanted to expand the opportunity for adoration and needed a space dedicated solely for that purpose, he said.
“We know that many graces come through spending time with our Lord in Eucharistic adoration,” Father Ernst said. “We hope that through this ministry, many individuals, families and our entire community will be drawn closer to the heart of Jesus and led to serve Him more fully.”
During his homily at the March 13 Mass, Bishop Siegel said sometimes we can take coming to Holy Communion for granted, forgetting that it is Jesus the son of God who comes to us in the Eucharist and remains with us in the tabernacle. This sacred encounter sometimes becomes something routine rather than something amazing and awesome, Bishop Siegel said, forgetting the profound mystery and the power present in the sacraments.
Bishop Siegel said that is why it is so wonderful that they were inaugurating the new St. Rose Adoration Chapel March 13. What a precious gift this adoration chapel will be for the parish and surrounding community. One can only imagine the graces Jesus has prepared for those who come before him in adoration and those blessings will flow for the adorers through all those whose lives they touch, Bishop Siegel said.
Father Clint Johnson, parochial vicar of St. Francis Xavier Parish in Vincennes, said prior to entering seminary, he was contacted by Father Ernst about meeting to discuss designing the chapel renovation. Father Johnson noted the building was already in a perfect location but had not been used for many years and needed a lot of work on the inside.
“Sam Worland and Deacon Ron Cardinal took me on a tour of the chapel and what would be necessary to fix it up,” Father Johnson said. “We then sat down with Father Tony and Father Garrett (Braun) and thought about the elements that made a great chapel. We even spoke to Father Chris Forler in Daylight about what made their chapel so successful.”
Father Johnson said he began sketching ideas when he got home from work in the evenings and eventually 3D modeled a space with several design options for consideration.
The chapel is modeled directly off the Basilica of St. Francis Xavier, which only sits a few yards away, Father Johnson said. Components of the chapel modeled after the Basilica include red carpet, wooden wainscoting, sandstone colored walls, the ceiling design, the altar rail and the red upholstery.
Father Johnson said having a perpetual adoration chapel is important because it puts our faith into practice and centers us on the most important mystery of our faith.
“When we give up an hour of our day to be at the feet of our Lord, our lives are ordered rightly,” Father Johnson said. “Everything we do is ordered towards Him. When individuals, one-by-one, are constantly being transformed by the love of God, eventually the community will be transformed, as a whole, by the love of God.”
Father Johnson said before the chapel even opened, the daily Mass and Sunday Mass attendance has continued to increase. He has never seen the Basilica as crowded during his 1.5 years at the parish than the day they opened the adoration chapel.
“The people just want Jesus,” Father Johnson said. “And so the more we get out of the way and let the Holy Spirit do the work, the more people he will draw to himself.”
