Last year, the Diocese of Columbus began an annual tradition of 40 Days of Adoration. Every day for the 40 days of Lent, different parishes throughout the diocese hosted exposition of the Blessed Sacrament for Adoration throughout the day.   

Last year, 54 parishes participated. This year, 68 parishes will host Adoration at their churches. Much has changed since last year’s 40 Days of Adoration, which makes the need for turning to Jesus Christ in prayer and Adoration more urgent.  

First, we are without a local bishop. Bishop Robert Brennan called for the 40 Days of Adoration so that the whole diocese might pray for the needs of the local Church embarking on the Real Presence Real Future initiative.  

Bishop Brennan’s presence and visionary leadership are greatly missed, but the time spent before Our Lord in the Eucharist is precisely what is needed. We turn to the Lord as sheep in need of a shepherd. We recognize in Jesus Christ our ultimate Shepherd.  

As we approach the Good Shepherd in prayer and adoration, we pray for the successor of Bishop Brennan. Real Presence Real Future and the 40 Days of Adoration are ultimately about refocusing and re-centering the diocese on Jesus Christ.    

The second reason is that the Real Presence Real Future planning initiative is now focusing on difficult decisions in creating proposals for the next bishop. The diocese must address the reality of the declining number of Catholics and priests. This will require radically rethinking the infrastructural needs of the diocese, including the closing of parishes and schools. 

No one looks forward to facing these difficult issues. Moreover, the local Church must address how we can become a more mission-driven and evangelical Church through personal conversion. Turning to Jesus Christ in the Eucharist, we remember Who really matters, and that no matter what the future holds He remains with us. Again, 40 Days of Adoration is even more important this year.  

Finally, this year we embark on a new initiative proposed to the universal Church by Pope Francis. This spring, the diocese will host listening sessions for the Synod on Synodality. The Synod has obvious connections to the Real Presence Real Future initiative.

Real Presence Real Future is concerned with looking at the needs and problems in the local Church. Since 1980, more than 50% of people baptized Catholic have left the Church.  Since the COVID shutdown, even though the obligation to attend Sunday Mass is restored, Mass attendance is down more than 25% throughout the diocese.  

Everyone in the diocese has witnessed departures from the Catholic faith. The Synod, amid our diocesan Real Presence Real Future initiative, gives us the opportunity to ask difficult questions as to why the Church has, and continues to, hemorrhage members.  

The people who have left are unlikely to give us answers. But those who remain have an obligation to honestly ask these questions personally and as a local Church. All the answers are essential; we cannot just summarize them or pick the top five.  

Perhaps we cannot address some of those answers, but many more must be addressed or else we might be doomed to repeat parish and school consolidations in five to 10 years.  

The 40 Days of Adoration this Lent gives us the opportunity to honestly kneel before the Lord and account for how we have failed as a local Church to live and proclaim the Gospel. This is essential to allowing Christ to renew the local Church in evangelical boldness and mission. 

The 40 Days of Adoration campaign is even more important than it was last year. It gives us the time to turn to Jesus Christ, repent where we need to and turn to Him in our need. Thus, it is fitting that we turn to the sacrament of confession on Reconciliation Monday, the day after Palm Sunday and the conclusion of the 40 Days of Adoration.  

Parishioners and families of host parishes, neighboring parishes and Catholic school communities are encouraged to volunteer for shifts to pray before the Blessed Sacrament on the parish’s designated day.  

Even though local parishes are sponsoring each day of Adoration, the entire Diocese of Columbus is asked to participate. The people of the Church of Columbus are invited to visit and spend time with Jesus in the Eucharist at host parishes on their day of Adoration. The schedule of host parishes is available at www.columbuscatholic.org/40days

Father Adam Streitenberger is coordinator for evangelization in the Diocese of Columbus.