SAN DIEGO — A special monstrance once blessed by Pope St. John Paul II will travel throughout the Diocese of San Diego in August and September, with the goal of fostering vocations to the priesthood and religious life.
It will be used for Eucharistic adoration at local parishes between Aug. 20 and Sept. 27.
The monstrance is one of six that Pope John Paul blessed on Nov. 24, 2004, for use during the special Year of the Eucharist. One monstrance each was sent to North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia.
According to the website of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), the North American monstrance traveled to more than 45 dioceses in the United States and Canada within one year. It was decided that it would continue to travel among U.S. and Canadian dioceses, even after the Year of the Eucharist concluded in October of 2005.
The USCCB entrusted the monstrance to the care of Serra International, an organization that exists to promote priestly and religious vocations.
Serra Club of San Diego-North Coast, the local chapter of Serra International, requested that the monstrance come to the San Diego Diocese.
The monstrance is scheduled to spend about five days in each of the diocese’s seven deaneries, or geographical clusters of parishes. This includes the Oceanside (Aug. 20-24), Escondido (Aug. 25-29), Mission (Aug. 30-Sept. 3), Cathedral (Sept. 7-11), El Cajon (Sept. 14-18), El Centro (Sept. 19-21) and South Bay (Sept. 22-26) deaneries.
“We’re excited that San Diego is going to have this monstrance,” said Dianna Pacheco, who serves on the communications committee of the local Serra Club.
The first scheduled stop will be her own parish, St. Patrick Church in Carlsbad, on Aug. 20, from 2 to 6 p.m. In addition to parishes, the monstrance is also expected to make stops at Catholic high schools and at colleges.
“I think, for everyone that is able to spend time in adoration, making holy hours, that there’ll always be fruit,” Pacheco said, expressing hope that the monstrance’s sojourn in San Diego will not only foster vocations, but also will grow the membership of the local Serra Club and contribute to the spirit of “Eucharistic revival” in the diocese.
Pacheco said that Auxiliary Bishop Ramón Bejarano has been “very enthusiastic” about this effort and was instrumental in bringing the monstrance to San Diego.
In a June 21 letter to priests and deacons, Bishop Bejarano described the upcoming tour as part of an ongoing effort “to build a culture of vocations” and of “inviting the faithful to pray for vocations.”
“I invite our parishes to consider having the monstrance for solemn exposition and prayer,” wrote Bishop Bejarano.
Prior to its arrival in the San Diego Diocese, the monstrance will be present at the Serra International Convention, to be held Aug. 8 to 11 in New Orleans. After San Diego, it will continue on to Mt. Angel, Oregon, where another Serra conference will be taking place.
For more information about when the monstrance will be at a nearby parish, contact Dianna Pacheco at diannapach@hotmail.com.
