Resources for Parishes and Schools

Resources for Parishes and Schools

Get Your Parish or School Involved

In the past two decades, we have heard many incredible stories of parish families uniting around this mission and deepening their faith and sense of community by uniting with one another in the love of God for the good of the Church and the conversion of the world.

We encourage all parishes to begin scheduled or perpetual Eucharistic Adoration in support of this worthy mission. The fruits of such a rich spiritual practice in your parish will be nothing short of miraculous. Let us help you get started!

Devotions for Your Parish

Key Factors Contributing to the Successful Institution of Perpetual Adoration and Increased Participation in Eucharistic Adoration 

  • Pastor’s firm belief in the graces of Eucharistic Adoration and communication of these graces to his parishioners,
  • Primary responsibility for Eucharistic Adoration resting with a lay coordinator and a committee, which report to the pastor or his designee,
  • Six to eight people meet once a week to pray for success,
  • Regular, eye-catching bulletin notes (see below, “Promotion and Publicizing in the Parish”),
  • The expertise of an experienced coordinator from another successful parish (Also see sign-up weekends),
  • Confidence that Perpetual Adoration is easier to initiate more than 1-2 days a week,

Assistance from an experienced guest homilist to promote adoration on sign-up weekend (please refer to list below and also see sign-up weekends)   

Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration Manual

This Manual includes step by step instructions for organizing and sustaining Eucharistic Adoration in your parish. Topics include:

  • Pastor Information Packet  
  • Head Coordinator – Organization Information Packet 
  • Sign-up Sunday Weekend Preparation
  • Chapel Preparation
  • Adorer Information Packet
  • Eucharistic Adoration Resources

This manual was created and is offered by the Real Presence Eucharistic Education and Adoration Association

For information or to begin the process of establishing a Confraternity of the Holy Rosary in your parish, please follow this link.

Eucharistic Apostles of The Divine Mercy Cenacles and Spiritual Formation

If you want to start a Divine Mercy Cenacle, we suggest that you:

  • Make an appointment with your pastor and ask for his advice and support.
  • Advertise an introductory meeting by parish bulletin, posters, and written invitation to Eucharistic ministers, religious education staff, ministers to the homebound, service groups, participants in parish Eucharistic adoration, and prayer groups.
  • Show the video “I am a Voice Crying for Mercy” or another video about the relevance of Divine Mercy for our hurting world—then ask for a response and propose a meeting day and time for regular meetings whether weekly or bi-weekly.
  • Order materials through the Marian Helpers Center. 
  • Call 1-800-462-7426.
  • View a Sample Cenacle Format and Guidelines

Requesting a Mass to be offered

The Church considers the Mass the greatest possible prayer of intercession because it is the perfect offering of Christ to the Father by making present the Paschal Mystery of His death and resurrection. 

It is a longstanding tradition in the Church that a priest may be requested to offer a Mass for a specific intention, even when one cannot be physically present at the Mass. 

The faithful make a free will offering, called a stipend, to a priest or religious community in order to apply the Mass to a specific intention. By making this offering, the faithful, by making their own offering, associate themselves more intimately with Christ who offers Himself in the Sacred Host, and obtain thereby more abundant fruits (refer to Pope Paul VI’s letter “Firma in Traditione” of June 13, 1974). 

The offering of a stipend is also a means whereby a Catholic may contribute to the upkeep of the priest, serving in a diocese or religious community.

More about Mass Intentions

Building up the community of the faithful around prayer and sacrifice is at the core of the IWOPF movement. We encourage you to reach out to other members of your parish about this year’s event to encourage and uplift one another in generosity and fervor for the good of the Church and the world. Here are some ways you can come together:

  • Hand out or display sign up sheets before and after Mass.
  • Assign a coordinator and plan different devotions for each of the nine days.
  • Connect with your parish members of the Knights of Columbus or other pious associations and ask them to get involved.
  • Have a parish festival at the end of the nine days to celebrate and thank God for His mercies and faithfulness of all who turn to Him for help.
  • Share your stories with us! We love to hear about the beautiful fruit of these nine days in the parish communities who join us in prayer and fasting.
  • Remember to post your parish commitment on our pledge wall!

Don’t forget to Join the Movement by making your parish pledges through our pledge form!

Devotions for Your School

This is a great opportunity to deepen the devotion of your parish school children to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.

He is waiting for them and always says, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” – Mt 19:14 

Consider these options:

  • Arrange an adult and children holy hour (program/schedule).
  • Encourage teachers to bring students to visit Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.
  • Encourage parents to bring their children to their Holy Hour.

“Say the Rosary every day to obtain world peace and an end to war.” ~ Our Lady of Fatima, 5/13/1917

“Would you like me to tell you a ‘secret’? It is simple, and after all, is no secret: Pray, pray much. Say the Rosary every day.” ~ St. Pope John Paul the Great

“The Rosary is the most beautiful and richest of all prayers to the Mediatrix of all grace; it is the prayer that touches most the heart of the Mother of God. Say it each day.” ~ Pope St. Pius X

The children of Mary love her Rosary.

This is a beautiful opportunity to plant in the hearts of the children of your parish school a love and devotion to Mary through the daily recitation of the Rosary. Here are a few ways you could organize this devotion in your school:

  • For older grades, say a novena of rosaries as a class (a five-decade Rosary each day for nine days).
  • For the younger children, have them offer one or two decades per day as their capabilities allow.
  • Gather with the staff before school and say the Rosary together as a faculty.
  • Have a Marian procession and recite one decade of the Rosary.
  • Have the class walk to a statue of Our Lady and offer her flowers on each of the nine days.

The Divine Mercy message is a beautiful synthesis of the power of God’s Mercy.  It is an invitation to us to work with Him for the conversion of those who reject Him or do not know how to pray for His forgiveness and healing.

The prayer of the innocent is precious in the eyes of God and powerful in obtaining his mercy. The Divine Mercy Chaplet and the Divine Mercy Novena are a beautiful way to invite the children in your parish school to join in the IWOPF movement and to draw them closer to the Merciful Heart of Jesus. 

The Pilgrim Queen of the Family is a network of Catholic families united by the desire to live and share the Gospel and to promote the devotion of Our Lady of Guadalupe. The importance of praying together, especially the Holy Rosary, is paramount in our lives. Our world and our individual lives need Our Lady’s intercession, always united in prayer for our families and friends. 

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