The First Adoration Chapel

“St. Joseph established the world’s first Adoration chapel: Bethlehem.” from the book “Consecration to St. Joseph: The Wonders of our Spiritual Father” by Father Donald H. Calloway, MIC

I am in awe of St. Joseph. I have always been in love with our Blessed Mother, but I was not very close to her spouse. After spending 21 days reading and hearing about him, the more I want to learn about him. 

On this 21st day of my Consecration Journey, I learned something that makes a lot of sense, but it had never occurred to me. “Wherever St. Joseph traveled with his wife and Son, his home became an Adoration chapel.” How awesome is that. “St. Joseph is the founder of Adoration chapels.”

Little Flower has an Adoration chapel which is open 24/07. You just need a 4-digit code to enter. What do you think it is? Hint, hint: I just shared it. Every time I have the opportunity to go, I stop for a few minutes. It’s so peaceful in there. Next time I go, I will thank St. Joseph for being the founder of Adoration chapels.

The very first Adoration chapel was established in Bethlehem. Think about that and just be amazed. “Saint Joseph went in haste with Mary to Bethlehem which means ‘house of bread,’ so that the bread of eternal life might be born there.” — Venerable Joseph Mindszenty. “How fitting it is that the first public exposition of the Living Bread from Heaven took place in Bethlehem.” 

I visited Bethlehem in 2018, and I learned that Bethlehem meant “house of bread,” but truly, I had never made the connection to the Eucharist. It makes sense, though. The Eucharist is the living bread. During the transubstantiation, a piece of plain bread becomes the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Christ. And that Bread was born in the “house of bread.”

“The first Adoration chapel was visited by local shepherds, followed closely by Wise Men who came from a distant land to pay homage to the newborn God-King.” Today, the Adoration chapels are open to anyone, and yet, many times, they are empty. “Mary, God’s tabernacle, is replicated in every tabernacle in a Catholic church. What is often missing in front of these tabernacles, however, are souls who resemble St. Joseph — souls who adore Jesus present and hidden in the tabernacle. The Church needs more people like St. Joseph.”

Will I be like St. Joseph and adore Jesus the way he did? Or will I take the Eucharist for granted? I am so blessed that in Miami I have the opportunity to visit many Catholic churches with an Adoration chapel that is open 24/07 (hint, hint). Even though we currently cannot visit the places where Jesus was born, lived and died, He is present, Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity, in the Blessed Sacrament of every Catholic Church around the world. “The Eucharist is Jesus Christ. The Blessed Sacrament is the source and summit of the Christian faith, and St. Joseph wants to lead you to a deeper relationship with Jesus in the Eucharist.”

Papa Joseph, pray for us. 

This meditation was inspired by “Adorer of Christ” from the book “Consecration to St. Joseph: The Wonders of our Spiritual Father” by Donald H. Calloway, MIC. All sentences in quotes were taken directly from the book. 

Copyright © 2024 Christy Romero. All rights reserved.

St. Joseph, Guardian of the Eucharist

“Go to Joseph and do whatever he tells you!” — Gen 41:55

During Lent, I did the Eucharistic Consecration led by Matthew Kelly which was amazing. I’m still in awe of what an incredible miracle the Lord left us in the Eucharist.

Now, I am doing the Consecration to St. Joseph using the book written by Donald H. Calloway, MIC. Keeping up with the readings and videos has been a bit of a struggle because I have been extremely busy with the end of tax season. By the time I get home exhausted from a long day, the last thing I want to do is read the book and listen to a 45-minute video. I had fallen six days behind and was ready to call it quits, but yesterday,  I had the opportunity to catch up. I  have not watched the videos yet, but I read the six chapters back to back. How much I would have missed if I had given up. 

One of the things that I have found most inspiring is the connection of St. Joseph to the Eucharist. Father Calloway compares St. Joseph to Joseph of Egypt from the Old Testament. The story of that Joseph is well known. There’s even a broadway musical about him: “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.” After being sold into slavery by his brothers, Joseph ends up in Egypt. Pharaoh puts him in charge of all the granaries in Egypt after Joseph tells Pharaoh that there will be seven years of famine. “Joseph collected grain like the sands of the sea, so much that at last he stopped measuring it, for it was beyond measure.” Gen 41:49

St. Joseph also ends up in Egypt after being warned by an angel in a dream that he must flee in order to save the baby Jesus from being killed by Herod. St. Joseph protected and preserved the Bread of Life for us.

St. Joseph now desires that we receive the Bread of Life at Holy Mass. There is no greater intimacy with Jesus possible in this life than when we receive the Eucharist. The Blessed Sacrament is the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ. Without St. Joseph, we would not have the Living Bread of the Eucharist. Mary kneaded the dough in her sacred womb; St. Joseph lovingly preserved the Bread in Egypt. He made it possible for all his children to receive the Bread of Everlasting Life. According to Venerable Fulton J. Sheen, St. Joseph is still charged with guarding the Living Bread. He continues to guard and preserve the Bread of Life in every tabernacle in the world. 

I was able to attend mass daily during Lent. As a cradle Catholic, I had been taking the Eucharist for granted. But after consecrating myself to the Eucharist, I have come to realize what a privilege I have to be able to receive the Bread of Life every single day if I want to. I am blessed to be surrounded by churches that offer masses at different times during the day, so it’s up to me to make the time to receive the Bread that feeds my soul. 

The Joseph of the Old Testament became the guardian of the bread in Egypt and St. Joseph became the guardian of the Eucharist. St. Joseph’s Heavenly Bread is more numerous than the sands of the sea. This Heavenly Bread is able to feed all the multitudes and satisfy every soul. Thanks to St. Joseph, we have the bread of life today. 

This meditation was inspired by “Wonder 2: Ite Ad Joseph” from the book “Consecration to St. Joseph: The Wonders of our Spiritual Father” by Donald H. Calloway, MIC

Copyright © 2024 Christy Romero. All rights reserved.