Father Marcel Amadi elevates the Blessed Sacrament during adoration at Wake Forest’s Davis Chapel on Sept. 10. (Photos provided)WINSTON-SALEM — Only a day after thousands of faithful from across the Diocese of Charlotte gathered for the 19th Annual Eucharistic Congress in Charlotte, Father Marcel Amadi, chaplain for Wake Forest University’s Campus Ministry, decided to bring the Real Presence of Our Lord to his students as well.
“Many students are excited about having Adoration on campus now, which we started to coincide with the Eucharistic Congress,” said Father Marcel after the evening Mass on Sept. 10 at Wake Forest’s Davis Chapel. “There has been such a huge response from students, and their testimonies of what it means to them are truly beautiful and inspiring. We plan to keep it going for a long time.”
In union with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ call for a three-year National Eucharistic Revival last year, Father Marcel wished to bring such revival to where students are. The aim is to inspire, educate, and unite the faithful in a more intimate relationship with Jesus in the Eucharist. With the stresses and pressures of academic life, and the distractions of the modern world, Father Marcel heard students’ desire to grow deeper in their faith, right there on campus.
“Adoration is when I can spend quality time with Our Lord without outside distractions,” said Kristen O’Sullivan, a senior at Wake Forest University. “During the busy, stressful, and often isolating times in college, having this time to spend with Our Lord is priceless. I can cry, smile, and laugh in His presence, knowing and feeling His love for us.”
The U.S. bishops hope to change the lives of Catholics and non-Catholics alike through a series of Eucharistic events and pilgrimages across the nation. Father Marcel hopes to do his part through his ministry, helping students grow in their devotion to Our Lord.
“There are many ways to deepen your relationship with God,” Father Marcel wrote in an invitation email to students, both Catholic and non-Catholic alike. “You can hear the 
words of the Pope, bishop, priest or deacon at Mass. You can meditate on the Scriptures. Yet the Church offers us this wonderful opportunity to pray and worship Jesus in a more intimate, present, and real way during Eucharistic Adoration.”
For many students, like sophomore Claire Scarcella, Eucharistic Adoration on campus has been a fruitful blessing.
“In college, finding those moments to spend alone with Jesus can be challenging. Adoration provides my peers and me the time to focus on Jesus without distractions,” Scarcella said. “Having that time of meditation and prayer provides me with the peace and gratitude I need for the weeks of school ahead of me. My faith keeps me grounded and allows me to stay true to who I am.”
For Sophia Damian, a freshman, it has been a vital help in her transition to college life.
“I went to a Catholic high school with an Adoration chapel, so whenever I wanted, I could go and sit with Jesus. Wake Forest is a huge adjustment for me because I’m not used to the completely secular nature of the school. It definitely feels like something’s missing,” Damian said. “I loved the ability to be with Jesus for an hour last Sunday - it felt so normal in the midst of such a big transition in my life, and it was beautiful to have a time where I could pray and listen somewhere other than my dorm room. I hope we can make Adoration more frequent on campus!”
Eucharistic Adoration will now be offered on the Wake Forest Campus in Winston-Salem at the Davis Chapel the second and fourth Sundays of the month from 5-6 p.m., with the exception of scheduled academic breaks and holidays. Masses and Adoration on campus are open to all who wish to attend.
— Spencer K.M. Brown
Learn more
Learn moreAt www.eucharisticrevival.org: Find Church resources, videos, educational materials, prayers and more at the National Eucharistic Revival movement’s website – designed to restore understanding and devotion to the Eucharist