40 Hours Devotion
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Forty Hours Devotion is a special 40-hour period of continuous adoration before the Most Blessed Sacrament. Beginning after 4:00 PM evening Mass on Saturday, June 21st, the Holy Eucharist will be continuously exposed in the sacred monstrance atop the altar of Saint Anne church, pausing only for the celebration of Sunday Masses. The devotion will close with Mass on Monday, June 23rd, at 6:30 PM.
This special devotion will be a powerful sign of our parish’s gratitude for the Eucharist, and of our desire to worship God Present in the Sacrament. Further, it will provide us as individuals significant time to simply be with the Lord, dialogue with Him, consider His action in our lives, and present to Him our most special intentions.
Please set aside some time – both night and day – from June 21st- 23rd to be a part of this devotion, and attend the closing Mass, Fr. Mike's last one as pastor of our parish, at 6:30 PM on Monday, June 23rd. Click HERE to sign up for a time slot for prayer. Watch the bulletin for dates to sign up in person or call the parish office for more information. (412) 531-5964
Schedule:
Saturday, June 21
4:00 PM Opening Mass
5:00 PM Exposition and Choral Postlude
5:15 PM to Midnight Adoration
Sunday, June 22
Midnight to 7:50 AM Adoration
6:00 AM The Angelus and Morning Prayer
7:30 AM The Holy Rosary
8:00 AM Mass (Adoration will pause for Mass)
10:00 AM Mass (Adoration will pause for Mass)
11:00 AM to 5:30 PM Adoration
Noon The Angelus
3:00 PM The Chaplet of Divine Mercy
6:00 PM Mass (Adoration will pause for Mass)
7:00 PM to Midnight Exposition followed by Adoration
Monday, June 23
Midnight to 7:50 AM Adoration
6:00 AM The Angelus and Morning Prayer
7:30 AM The Holy Rosary
8:00 AM Mass (Adoration will pause for Mass)
8:30 AM to 6:00 PM Adoration
11:30 AM Children’s Holy Half Hour
Noon The Angelus
3:00 PM The Chaplet of Divine Mercy
6:00 PM The Angelus followed by Benediction
6:30 PM Closing Mass (Reception to follow)
Why Is It A “40” Hours Devotion?
The significance of the number 40 in Scripture cannot be overstated. It appears nearly 150 times and has been associated with major events throughout Salvation History occurring in both the Old and New Testaments.
Most significantly, in regards to our upcoming Forty Hours Eucharistic Devotion, 40 is traditionally considered to be the number of hours that Christ’s body rested in the tomb until being raised. In fact, in the Middle Ages there was a practice whereby the Blessed Sacrament was reposed in a repository for the 40 hours from Good Friday until Easter morning to signify the time our Lord spent in the tomb.
But there are other well-known events where the number “40” takes on special significance and is associated with great manifestations of God’s power and goodness. Some examples:
- The rains of the Great Flood lasted 40 days and nights.
- Moses fasted for 40 days and nights before he received the Law.
- The Israelites wandered in the desert for 40 years on their way to the Promised Land.
- Jesus fasted in the desert for 40 days and nights after His Baptism, in preparation for His public ministry.
- Jesus ascended to the Father in Heaven 40 days after His Resurrection.