From the Desk of Father Nathan

St Gabriel Catholic Church | Pompano Beach
God Bless You All

A Message from Father Nathan

My dearest people closest to my heart!
God bless you and your generous heart

Eucharistic devotion

Why do we have Eucharistic devotions like “Benediction of the Holy Eucharist?”

There is a great need now for the Eucharistic devotion. Why do we have Eucharistic devotions like “Benediction of the Holy Eucharist?”

Exposition of Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament is a very old devotion in our Church. Its purpose is to highlight the fundamental mystery of the Holy Eucharist

– that our Lord is truly present, body and blood, soul and divinty in the Blessed Sacrament.

In his Holy Thursday letter to priests, “Dominicae cenae” (1980), Pope John Paul II wrote,

“Since the Eucharistic mystery was instituted our of love, and makes Christ sacramentally present, it is worthy of thanksgiving and worship. And this worship must be prominent in all our encounters with the Blessed Sacrament”.

While emphasizing the importance of the Mass, the Holy Father then recommends various forms of Eucharistic devotion like personal prayer and periods of adoration before the Blessed Sacrament, exposition, and benediction.

Forty Hours of devotion, Eucharistic processions, Eucharistic Congresses, and a special observance of the Solemnity of Corpus Christi.

All of these devotions which focus on the Blessed Sacrament help us in our spiritual union with our Lord.

As Jesus said,

“I myself am the Bread of Life. On one shall ever thirst” (Jn 6:35).

In the ritual exposition and benediction, the priest takes the Blessed Sacrament in a small ciborium or Luna and places it reverently on a monstrance or ostensorium on the altar for adoration. All this time, a hymn of praise (such as O Salutaris Hostia) is sung as the priest incenses the Blessed Sacrament.

Periods of Adoration

  • During the period of adoration, the faithful may pray in quiet and foster a deeper spiritual communion with the Lord.
  • Liturgy of the Hours novena prayer, rosary, and readings from the sacred Scripture may be included.
  • At the end of the period of adoration, the priest again incenses the Blessed Sacrament as a hymn of praise is sung (such as Tanatum Ergo), and then blesses the congregation with the Blessed Sacrament, making the sign of the cross.
  • After the blessing, the priest reposes the Blessed Sacrament in the tabernacle.

May we all have love and devotion to the Eucharistic Lord. May he nurture us.

With lots of love and blessings,

Ever wanting to be faithful to your service,

— Fr. Sahayanathan Nathan

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Past Messages from Father Nathan

From The Desk Of Father Nathan | April 13, 2025

From The Desk Of Father Nathan | April 13, 2025

Holy Doors Pilgrimage Trip Report. We are back, healthy and renewed. We had a great pilgrimage to Rome and Assisi. Everyone stayed healthy. The places we visited were more than I expected! I have realized that I have yet to learn an ocean of knowledge about our Catholic faith.

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From The Desk Of Father Nathan | April 06, 2025

From The Desk Of Father Nathan | April 06, 2025

Become a Prayer Warrior. Time is Precious & With Age we Gain Time. There is no doubt that most of our parishioners are age 63 plus. Some may be quick to assume that because of our age, we cannot do a lot to contribute to the community and to society. It’s so unfortunate to think that.

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From The Desk Of Father Nathan | March 30, 2025

From The Desk Of Father Nathan | March 30, 2025

I am in Rome on the Holy Doors Pilgrimage with a Group of Parishioners. Please keep us in your prayers. Preparations have begun for Holy Week and Easter. We have planned the liturgies and all the details they involve. I wish and pray that our people have a meaningful celebration of Holy Week and Easter.

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From The Desk Of Father Nathan | March 23, 2025

From The Desk Of Father Nathan | March 23, 2025

We made our ABCD Goal!!! Thanks to our amazing Parish. From the bottom of my heart, I want to thank each and every one of you, for your contribution, collaboration, and involvement in achieving our goal for the ABCD. We made it!

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