The Catholic Man Show Holding a Moment of Mass: Eucharistic Adoration
Recording on the move along the Adriatic, the guys sit down in Italy with their spiritual guide and friend Fr. Stuart Crevecour to talk about Eucharistic adoration—what it is, why it matters, and how to begin. From stories of Eucharistic miracles in Cascia and Orvieto to practical advice for dads bringing kids to the chapel, this episode explores how adoration “holds a moment of the Mass” so Christ can transform our week. Along the way: pilgrimage anecdotes, incorrupt saints, and a few dad-joke detours.
Segment Guide
On the Road (and Sea): Why This Episode Is Different
First-ever episode recorded in transit—pilgrimage vibes, College GameDay energy, and what a Jubilee year in Italy feels like.
Eucharistic Miracles: From Casual Irreverence to Deep Conversion
The bleeding breviary in Cascia and the miracle preserved in Orvieto become cautionary tales—and catalysts—for reverence and faith.
What Adoration Is (and Isn’t)
Fr. Stuart offers a simple frame: adoration as a moment of the Mass held in contemplation—the elevation “stretched” so we can gaze and be changed.
Does It Really Do Anything? Why Go
From “just try it” to “I can’t live without my hour,” we hear how steady time before the monstrance re-centers a life and renews prayer.
Awkward at First: How to Start a Holy Hour
Bring a rosary or a good spiritual book. Expect silence to feel long. Keep going. Over time, conversation gives way to presence.
Spiritual Communion: When You Can’t Receive
Making a spiritual communion at home or in church keeps us oriented toward the tabernacle—especially helpful in seasons of waiting or constraint.
Benediction: A Different Kind of Blessing
Why the blessing at the end of adoration is unique: you’re being blessed by Christ himself, truly present in the Host.
Family Adoration (Without the Panic)
Practical ideas: parish “family holy hours,” short come-and-go windows, and training kids gently in reverence (yes, even page-turning).
If Your Parish Doesn’t Have Adoration
How to ask your pastor for a weekly hour or occasional exposition—and ways laity can help make it happen.
From Medieval Piety to Today’s Renewal
How devotion blossomed after Corpus Christi and grew again in recent decades—feeding vocations, parish life, and personal holiness.
Key Takeaways
- Adoration deepens Communion. It doesn’t replace the Mass; it disposes us to receive the Eucharist more fruitfully.
- Start small, stay steady. Twenty minutes grows into an hour; over time, you won’t want to miss it.
- Bring the kids. Create kid-friendly windows or family hours; let children encounter Jesus and learn chapel habits gradually.
- Spiritual communion matters. If you can’t receive sacramentally, orient yourself to the tabernacle and keep showing up.
- Benediction blesses uniquely. The blessing is given with Christ himself, not merely by the priest.
Memorable Lines
- “Adoration is a moment of the Mass held in contemplation.”
- “You can’t outgive the Lord—show up and let Him do the work.”
- “Hang out with Jesus often; we become like the people we’re with.”
- “Correct the [Eucharistic] abuses, but don’t throw out the baby with the bathwater.”
How to Begin a Holy Hour (Simple Plan)
- Arrive and acknowledge: a slow Sign of the Cross; “Lord, I’m here.”
- Read briefly (5–10 min): a Gospel passage or trusted spiritual classic.
- Pray a decade or the whole Rosary.
- Rest in silence: “I look at Him and He looks at me.”
- Finish with gratitude and one concrete resolution for the week.
Resources & Places Mentioned
- Basilica of St. Rita of Cascia (Eucharistic miracle)
- Orvieto (miracle tied to the Feast of Corpus Christi)
- Sacré-Cœur, Paris (longstanding perpetual adoration)
- St. Thomas Aquinas (Eucharistic hymns for Corpus Christi)
- St. John Vianney (on simple adoration)
- St. John Paul II (modern renewal of adoration)
- St. Peter Julian Eymard (19th-century apostle of the Eucharist)
For Dads & Grandfathers
- Keep expectations age-appropriate. Five or ten minutes is a win.
- Prep gently before you enter; debrief after with hot chocolate or a donut.
- Rotate one-on-one holy hours so each child sees Dad pray
Listener Challenge
Commit to one adoration visit this week. If your parish lacks exposition, pray before the tabernacle—or make a daily spiritual communion at home, oriented toward your parish church.