40 Hours Devotion

Historical Background

It is not certain as to the exact date that the practice of adoring the Blessed Sacrament for forty continuous hours began. It is popularly documented throughout France and Italy in the sixteenth century, especially in Milan, Italy in the 1530’s, even though its practice seems to go back further. It is likely to be an extension of the Easter practice of reserving the Eucharist for veneration for the forty hours that Christ lied in the tomb. “Forty” also eludes to a time of preparation and renewal, recalling the flood of Noah, the Israelites wandering in the desert, Jesus’ fast before his public ministry, and Jesus’ time in the tomb.

The Forty Hours Devotion is referred to by prominent priests such as Pope Paul III, Saint Ignatius of Loyola, Saint Charles Borromeo, Saint Anthony Zaccaharia, Saint Francis de Sales, Pope Clement VIII, and Pope Clement XII. Saint Philip Neri introduced Rome to this devotion, and Saint John Neumann (+1860), bishop of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, encouraged this practice in the United States of America.

At times, the Forty Hours Devotion included the Eucharist being moved from one church to another, but it is common today for the Blessed Sacrament to be exposed for a forty hour period in one location, minus the time taken for Mass.  It may be accompanied by prayers, rosaries, litanies, chaplets, reflections, guided meditations, processions, etc.

PROCESS FOR IMPLEMENTATION

• Choose a forty hour period that could possibly be attended by various parish groups, and then decide on the time. Keep in mind liturgical feasts such as the Feast of the Body and Blood of the Lord, Christ the King, and the patronal feast day of the parish as well as times during the year which would enable a variety of parishioners to attend. If you were to begin in the early evening, for example, you would end two days later in the midmorning.  One could begin with 5pm evening prayer or mass with exposition on Sunday and end with Tuesday morning mass at 8, closing the devotion at 9am with benediction.
• Plan if there are to be any talks, liturgies, rosaries, chaplets, or processions during the devotion.
• Provide the sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation during the devotion.
• If there is a school, invite various grades for prayer, which may include song, Scripture, litanies and prayer.
• Invite parish groups and families to have an hour.
• Publicize it.
• A Sample Schedule:

A General Outline for this Devotion

Opening Mass with a homily centered on the Eucharist

40 hour Period of exposition and adoration

During this exposition, parishes may include…

Celebration of the Liturgy of the Hours

Celebration of the Liturgy of the Word with hymns

Quiet time of meditation on Scripture

Guided meditation for children

Sacrament of reconciliation

Public Praying of the Rosary

Closing Celebration of Mass

Sample Schedule for Continuous 40 Hours Devotion

Thursday

 7:00 pm Holy Mass followed by Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament for 40 hours

 8:00 pm Confessions

 8:15 pm Litany to the Sacred Heart

10:00 pm Recitation of Scriptural Rosary - Sorrowful Mysteries

11:00 pm Communal Night Prayer (Liturgy of the Hours)

Friday

 1:00 am Scripture Reading

 3:00 am Divine Mercy Chaplet

 5:00 am Scripture Reading

 7:00 am Communal Morning Prayer (Liturgy of the Hours)

 7:30 am Office of Readings (Liturgy of the Hours)

10:00 pm Holy Hour guided meditation for Middle School students

11:30 am Communal Daytime Prayer (Liturgy of the Hours)

 1:00 pm Holy Hour guided meditation for Elementary students

 3:00 pm Divine Mercy Chaplet

 5:00 pm Stations of the Cross

 5:30 pm Liturgy of the Word with Communion

 6:00 pm Confessions

 7:00 pm Communal Evening Prayer (Liturgy of the Hours)

 9:00 pm Recitation of Scriptural Rosary - Sorrowful Mysteries

11:00 pm Communal Night Prayer (Liturgy of the Hours)

Saturday

 1:00 am Scripture Reading

 3:00 am Divine Mercy Chaplet

 5:00 am Scripture Reading

 8:00 am Communal Morning Prayer (Liturgy of the Hours)

 8:30 am Office of Readings (Liturgy of the Hours)

11:30 am Communal Daytime Prayer (Liturgy of the Hours)

 1:00 pm Anointing of Sick (Sacrament)

 3:00 pm Divine Mercy Chaplet (Confessions start)

 4:00 pm Recitation of Scriptural Rosary - Sorrowful Mysteries

 4:20 pm Reposition of Blessed Sacrament

 4:30 pm Holy Mass

Sample of 40 Hours Devotion with No Late Night Hours

Friday

7:00PM - Mass for the beginning of 40-Hour Devotion

Stations of the Cross

Adoration until 9:00PM

Saturday

8:00 - Mass

8:30 - Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament

1:00PM - 1:30PM - Devotion for the children

4:00 - Occasion for confession

5:00 - Mass

6:00 – 9:00 - Vigil for the youth

Sunday

Mass schedule as in every Sunday

Lamentations after 11:30AM Mass and adoration until 4:00PM

4:30PM - Solemn Mass at the end of 40-Hour Devotion

Available resources

Order for the Solemn Exposition of the Holy Eucharist. The Liturgical Press; Collegeville, MN: 1993.

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06151a.htm

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