The Source and Summit at Catholic Colleges| National Catholic Register

Imagine hundreds of students kneeling to adore Christ.

At The Catholic University of America’s move-in day — before buying textbooks and mapping out class routes — students attended an outdoor Eucharistic adoration night.  

Dominican Father Aquinas Guilbeau, university chaplain and VP of ministry and mission at CUA, posted an image on X capturing the campus’ first Eucharistic adoration night of the year.  

“We’re continuing to put first things first at @CatholicUniv: outdoor Eucharistic Adoration is now a part of student move in and orientation.” 

Hundreds of students were pictured kneeling in front of the Eucharist in the middle of CUA’s campus. Dominican Father Joseph Hagan, CUA’s undergraduate chaplain, gave opening remarks during that evening of prayer.  

“We are here not just because we have good weather …” Father Hagan said. “Very practically, Jesus brings too many people for us to fit in a chapel. Jesus is doing something wonderful tonight. He is letting us know that he has plans for this year.” 

Father Hagan underscored that Jesus has a plan for the students.  

“Some of those plans we’ll only find out as the year progresses,” he said. “Even just tonight, Jesus wants to reveal his heart for you. He wants you to know his plans for you. Jesus wants to be the love and Presence that always abides with you.” 

Each year on the Saturday of orientation week, the first day freshmen are on their own and when other students move in, CUA hosts a praise-and-worship Holy Hour, according to senior Danielle Schmitz, a member of campus ministry.  

“It’s a great welcome back to campus where we can start off the year right by giving it to Our Lord,” she said.  

Last year, the chapel was overflowing because so many students attended the Holy Hour. This year, in the spirit of Eucharistic revival, Jesus was processed to a field on campus large enough to fit everyone, Schmitz said.  

“Adoration on campus is a really big thing,” Schmitz said. “There was a lot of excitement because it was outside this year. The students and staff were excited because it’s such a public expression of our faith. We were excited for the ways the Lord might move. Just the fact that we were outside, students might hear the music when walking past and would make eye contact with him.”  

During the night, religious brothers stood around the field welcoming students in, and six priests heard confessions.  

“We have so many seminarians that come. It was so beautiful and so powerful,” Schmitz said.

Adoration nights continue throughout the academic year at CUA, including on Oct. 16.

“Adoration is also an opportunity to meet people outside of your bubble — and such a beautiful witness to vocations,” Schmitz added.

Adoration All Around   

On some Catholic campuses, such as Franciscan University of Steubenville or Ave Maria University, adoration is just down the hall from a student’s dormitory room.  

At Franciscan, “nearly all residence halls at Franciscan University have a chapel where the Blessed Sacrament is reserved so students have a convenient place to pray,” according to its website. “The presence of the Blessed Sacrament is greatly respected, with many students lowering their voices as they pass by and pausing to genuflect.” 

“Having a chapel in my dorm was one of the highlights of my whole year,” said junior Jessie Bacon. “It was so profound in ways deeper than I can comprehend. It was so cool to literally be living in the same building as Jesus.” 

Bacon would often stop in the chapel before going to bed, she said.  

“One of my friends shared a wall with Jesus. Unless you’re religious, I don’t know where else you would experience that,” Bacon said. “Just to have him there in the Blessed Sacrament is so beautiful. Now, living off campus, it’s one thing I definitely miss.” 

Ave Maria University also started the school year in devotion to the Eucharist, with an opening weekend Mass. This academic year, Ave Maria is offering 40 Masses and 20 hours of confession each week across campus.  

“We start at the source and summit, beginning the school year united as a community in the Eucharist,” Ave Maria’s Instagram post about the prayer event read. “Our Opening Mass was a blessing and we eagerly anticipate all that Jesus Christ has in store for AMU this year!” 

For some, adoration on campus is a daily option. For others, it may be a weekly or monthly occurrence. But for all, it’s a gift.  

“The comment I heard more than anything else at the adoration night was that peoples’ faith was so built up,” Schmitz said. “I believed that Jesus was there. I knew Jesus was seeing everyone respond in faith and worship.”