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A few weeks ago, in a bulletin column about the real presence of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist, I mentioned our lower church as a place of adoration and prayer. Because of my bulletin column, several people spoke to me of their experiences of prayer in the lower church so I thought I would share some reflections on our lower church.

When people visit our upper church, they invariably exclaim that it is a place of exceptional beauty. Our lower church is much more humble and simple, but it is open for many more hours each week than the upper church. People come to the lower church for daily Mass. Confessions are available in the lower church for more than 6 hours each week. People come to the lower church to light candles, especially at the grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes. And the lower church is open many hours each week for quiet prayer. During the afternoons, Monday to Saturday, the Blessed Sacrament is exposed in the monstrance for adoration. Saint John's is a beautiful church for Sunday Mass and we have lovely vibrant Sunday liturgies. But Saint John's also has a special mission to serve those who come to Center City on weekdays to work, shop, visit hospitals and government agencies. Our lower church is an oasis of peace and silence in the midst of a bustling Center City.

In my recent bulletin column, I recommended that you consider stopping in to the lower church often to pray. In years gone by, there were always people in the lower church when it was open. After the 7:45 Mass when the church is open but without the exposed Blessed Sacrament, the church is mostly empty until the 12:05 Mass. After the midday Mass, the Blessed Sacrament is exposed in the monstrance until the 5:15 Mass. Usually there are people at prayer in the afternoon, but not always. At times these days, the only person in the lower church is our paid security person. The church should not be empty when the Blessed Sacrament is exposed. I commit that I personally will visit the lower church for quiet prayer during weekday afternoons when I can. I urge you to take time for prayer in our church. The presence of each one at prayer is an encouragement to all others who come to pray.

At times our homeless neighbors come to the lower church to pray or rest. Sometimes disruptive mentally ill people enter the church and bring with them noise and disturbance. We try our best to balance welcome for all with a need to keep the church quiet and safe for those coming to pray. This is not easy. We don't usually allow people to sleep in the church or to make noise. We don't allow panhandling inside the church. We don't allow eating and drinking in the church. We try to set merciful boundaries so that all are welcome, including poor and homeless neighbors and people who are mentally disturbed. However, we also have to draw limits so that people can also find silence in the church for prayer.

Sometimes we are criticized because we set limits. People who perhaps don't value our mission of creating a quiet sanctuary for prayer believe that the church ought to be a daytime drop in center with a bathroom for poor, homeless and mentally ill neighbors. On bitter cold winter days, we relax our rules, but we try always to balance charity to our poorest neighbors with charity to those seeking prayer and quiet. It is not easy, but we do our best. Our security personnel often confront difficult people who are unwilling to follow reasonable rules.

Our lower church is a wonderful asset to our neighborhood. I urge you to visit the church, to spend time in silence and prayer. I had asked for volunteers who would commit to one or more hours per week of adoration during the afternoons when the Blessed Sacrament is exposed. Only two people came forward to volunteer. So we will have to move forward with those who do come and with our paid security personnel. However, if those reading this column would resolve to spend time regularly in the lower church, it would enhance the spiritual experience of all our visitors.