Eucharistic adoration throughout Olympic Games

(Aug. 01, 2012) Unnoticed despite the saturation media coverage of the Olympic Games, Catholics are engaged in 24-hour adoration of the Blessed Sacrament at St. Francis of Assisi church in East London for the duration of the games. The perpetual adoration is part of a pastoral plan that includes hospitality centers for athletes, at St. Francis church and Westminster cathedral; the furnishing of chaplains for the Olympic village, and a program of talks for any interested parties. It was announced before the Olympics began that a twenty-four hour exposition of the Blessed Sacrament would be held in St Francis of Assisi’s church, Stratford, east London, throughout the Olympic Games. Not just in London but throughout the country, the Church has geared itself for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Priests and religious are on hand in the Olympic Village for athletes, coaches and officials, with chaplains available for visitors to the Games. Spiritual and pastoral hospitality centres at St Francis’s church and at Westminster Cathedral offer Masses in different languages, talks by priests, and also provide a place for volunteers at the Games to “chill out”, according to Frank van Velzen, assistant Catholic coordinator of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. He said the Church is a leading participant in “More Than Gold,” an ecumenical venture to involve Christians in the Olympics, supporting competitors and visitors with “outreach”, hospitality and service. There are festivals both in London and around Britain, and Christian witness on the streets, with “street pastors” at stations around London. In just one of many activities being planned, four Christian theatre groups will put on plays related to the Olympics. The Church is also promoting Christian activity at sports fields around the country. Van Velzen said “Sports mission is about taking the Church outside the building in the hope of getting people back into it. It’s meeting the people where they are.” Major sporting events often lead to an increase in prostitution, and with the Olympics, thousands of athletes, journalists and spectators will converge on London, as will people traffickers. “More than Gold” will raise awareness of this issue and provide safe havens, said Van Velzen.