VIGIL STARTER KIT
SETTING UP AND RUNNING A VIGIL
0. First, DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT, EVER get discouraged by the turnout. To get discouraged is the work of the devil trying to get you to quit. Don’t give in to him. Even if only ONE person shows up and it’s you, your heart will be transformed and you will receive many graces from God for not only attending, but for leading the effort and organizing the vigil. He will be so pleased with you! I have been advised by various spiritual directors who ALL said this same thing to me. Pray a Memorari every day for its fruitfulness and success and get others to join you.
1. Get permission from Pastor. This will be the biggest obstacle to starting a Vigil. If the Pastor says “no,” then you cannot proceed. You need his permission. If he says “no,” try the following:
a. Explain to him that this is a lay apostolate and his involvement will be little; perhaps a mass here and there until the Vigil builds up whereby you have a pool of priests to draw from to celebrate the mass. Some pastors feel so overwhelmed with their duties that they might feel that the work will fall on their shoulders. Reassure him that the work will mainly be done by the laity.
b. Perhaps the pastor will say “not now, or wait.” Then be patient, pray for him to change his mind, and follow-up with him every now and then. Be persistent but patient.
c. If the pastor is simply not open to the idea, then have a group of people pray for him regularly that he will change his mind and be open. There was one priest that was completely closed to the idea of Eucharistic Adoration. A group prayed for him for nine years and he finally came around. Now he is their biggest supporter. God sometimes has us wait. Sometimes it is the evil one trying the thwart God’s plan.
2. Formulate schedule throughout the night – See our Vigil Schedule.
3. Create flyer to hang up in area churches – See a sample flyer.
4. Put ads in area church bulletins – See a sample bulletin ad.
5. Give talk at masses or have the pastor give speech of the Vigil’s importance and purpose.
6. Make an announcement at the masses at least once a month reminding people to attend the Vigil. See sample of announcement.
7. Have sign-up at the end of masses and at the Vigil for adorers throughout the night. – See a sample sign-up sheet.
8. Arrange an organist for the opening mass.
9. Arrange a priest for the mass(es) and a Deacon for the Benediction if there is no closing mass.
10. Get a vigil team together. This team will meet once a month the week following the vigil to assess the vigil, make recommendations for improvements, distribute tasks to members to facilitate the next vigil, review previous months objectives and tasks. See sample of Vigil meeting form. The team members will also cover part of the night and serve as prayer leaders for their hour(s). That is, they will lead the prayers from the pulpit during their covered hours.
11. Arrange for alter boys for the opening mass.
12. Arrange for a lector for the mass(es) to do the reading and psalm.
13. Arrange, if necessary, a Eucharistic Minister to help the priest at communion time.
14. Arrange, if necessary, two people to take up a collection at the masses.
15. Prepare petitions for the mass(es) – See sample petitions.
16. Get a binder with adorer sign-in/sign-out sheets. See sample of sign-in sheets.
17. Get the Knights of Columbus involved for back-up support and security. The role of the K of C members will be to participate fully in the Vigil but also to be available to walk someone to their car if necessary and to handle any security issues that may arise.
18. Invite other priests to come celebrate the mass.
19. Prepare prayer packets to distribute at the Vigils. See the section on this website which shows the Vigil prayers. You may view and print these prayers for use at your Vigil.
20. Send email the week of the Vigil to adorers with attached list of adorers. See sample email. and schedule.
21. Send email the week of the vigil to the Knights of Columbus Vigil members with attached list of K of C adorer schedule. See Sample email and adorer schedule.
22. Send email the week of the Vigil to adorers reminding them which prayers they are leading. (optional)
23. Send email the week of the Vigil to the Deacon reminding him to do the Benediction at the Vigil. See Sample email.
24. Send email the week of the Vigil to Vigil email list. The Vigil email list is like a mailing list. Instead of mailing out current information about the Vigil and happenings through traditional mail, it is accomplished, instead, in an email. See sample. Have people sign-up to be on the emailing list at the Vigil.
25. Send email the week of the Vigil to the Priest reminding him that he is celebrating the mass at the upcoming Vigil. See sample of email to priests.
26. Advertise your Vigil in the Catholic newspapers, local papers, and local Catholic radio station.
27. Arrange for a stipend to be paid to the priests celebrating mass. $35-$50 is customary.
28. You may want to give a stipend to the organist. The collection taken up at mass will be helpful in this endeavor.
29. Once the Vigil is over, send a thank-you note in the mail to the celebrating priest thanking him.
ONGOING TASKS FOR VIGIL
1. Create flyer to hang up in area churches.
2. Advertise your Vigil in the Catholic newspapers, local papers, and local Catholic radio station.
3. Put ads in area church bulletins.
4. Make an announcement at the masses at least once a month reminding people to attend the Vigil.
5. Have sign-up at the end of masses and at the Vigil for adorers throughout the night.
6. Arrange an organist for the opening mass.
7. Arrange a priest for the mass(es) and a Deacon for the Benediction if there is no closing mass.
8. Arrange for alter boys for the opening mass.
9. Arrange for a lector for the mass(es) to do the reading and psalm.
10. Arrange, if necessary, a Eucharisic Minister to help the priest at communion time.
11. Arrange, if necessary, two people to take up a collection at the masses.
12. Prepare petitions for the mass(es).
13. Prepare opening greeting prayer.
14. Prepare intentions for mass.
15. Prepare any announcements to be made following Vigil mass.
16. Schedule regular monthly Vigil meeting.
17. Send email the week of the Vigil to adorers with attached list of adorers.
18. Send email the week of the vigil to the Knights of Columbus Vigil members with attached list of K of C adorer schedule.
19. Send email the week of the Vigil to adorers reminding them which prayers they are leading. (optional)
20. Send email the week of the Vigil to the Deacon reminding him to do the Benediction at the Vigil.
21. Send email the week of the Vigil to Vigil email list. The Vigil email list is like a mailing list. Instead of mailing out current information about the Vigil and happenings through traditional mail, it is accomplished, instead, in an email.
22. Send email the week of the Vigil to the Priest reminding him that he is celebrating the mass at the upcoming Vigil.
23. Arrange for a stipend to be paid to the priests celebrating mass. $35-$50 is customary.
24. You may want to give a stipend to the organist. The collection taken up at mass will be helpful in this endeavor.
25. Once the Vigil is over, send a thank-you note in the mail to the celebrating priest thanking him.
MONTHLY ALL-NIGHT VIGIL SCHEDULE
FRIDAY EVENING & SATURDAY MORNING
9:00 PM Confessions
10:00 PM Holy Mass
Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament until conclusion of Benediction
11:15 PM Opening Prayers: Holy Spirit prayer, Prayer for Life, Prayer for Marriages, Prayer for the Family, Litany for Priests prayer.
11:30 PM Talk or reflection followed by Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary & the Memorare & the Magnificat.
12:30 AM 15 prayers of St. Bridgitte followed by prayer for priests, leaders and country (Will move to 2:30 AM if we get behind schedule).
1:40 AM Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary followed by St. Michael the Archangel prayer and Novena for Priests.
3:00 AM Chaplet of Divine Mercy followed by prayer for Priests recited by St. Therese and Prayer for Vocations.
3:30 AM Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary followed by Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary prayer.
4:30 AM Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary followed by the Litany of the Sacred Heart prayer.
5:00 AM Stations of the Cross for Victims of Abortion.
6:00 AM An American Prayer to Mary, and prayer to Our Lady of Guadalupe to End Abortion.
6:45 AM Benediction (Tantum Ergo) followed by Holy Mass.
7:00 AM Vigil concludes.
(Sample email to Priests explaining Vigil)
Dear (Name of Priest),
It was so nice speaking with you on the phone recently. Thank you for agreeing to celebrate our First Friday Mass on Friday, (Date). Below is a detailed explanation of our Apostolate, mission, and purpose. This will help you as you prepare your homily.
Should you have any further questions, please don't hesitate to contact me at (Phone #). I look forward to seeing you around 9:30-9:45pm at (Name of Parish) in (City) on (Date). I will send you a reminder email as the date gets closer.
In the Service of Jesus & Mary,
(Name of Director)
MISSION STATEMENT OF THE ST. THERESE MARIAN VIGIL SOCIETY (www.vigilsociety.org)
The St. Therese Marian Vigil Society is an emerging Catholic apostolate aimed at starting and promoting First Friday all-night Eucharistic Vigils and nationwide in order to bring America back to God. In specific, it is oriented towards gathering groups of people to pray once a month on late Friday evening to Saturday morning in order to renew the Church and society through the restoration of the four root pillars—life, marriage, family and priests/religious and vocations. These elements are essential in the cultivating a culture of life and the restoration of Church and society on various levels.
These are Vigils of Love and for Love.
The greatest commandment is that "You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself." (Mathew 22:37-39). St. Therese exemplified and honored this commandment to such a high degree as she did everything as an act of Merciful Love for God. She says, “The justice of God is satisfied with very little when Love is the motive of our reparation; even then He mitigates, to an excessive degree, the temporal punishment due to sin, for He is gentleness itself.” With Love as our motive, these Vigils become Vigils of Love for Love, that one Perfect Love, which is Jesus.
THE RESTORATION OF THE FOUR ROOT PILLARS, THAT BEING, LIFE, MARRIAGE, FAMILY, AND PRIESTS/RELIGIOUS, ARE ESSENTIAL TO THE PROMOTION OF A CULTURE OF LIFE AND THE RENEWAL OF CHURCH AND SOCIETY.
- Respect for LIFE from conception until natural death. Life is sacred at all ages and stages. We pray for an end to all actions against life: abortion, euthanasia, human cloning, embryonic stem cell research and even in Vitro Fertilization procedures. That is, any attack on the very essence of life from the instant of its conception, whereby the soul is immediately imbedded into the 1-cell zygote, until natural death. This includes the manipulation of embryos in laboratories regardless if the means of doing so seems noble.
- The sanctity of MARRIAGE as a permanent covenant between one man and one woman committed to each other for life, that is chaste, open to life and lived according to God's plans.
- To promote the building up of strong, loving and holy FAMILIES and to preserve the family unit as the basic cell of Church and society from being redefined in ways contrary to the divine law. This in turn will create the wholesome environment needed for the development of fruitful vocations of life and service to both Church and society and the establishment of other loving and holy families.
- To pray for the renewal of vocations of PRIESTS AND RELIGIOUS, so that they may be faithful to their vows and the teachings of the Catholic Church, and for the increase of holy vocations to the priesthood and religious life.
This vigil is rooted in the observable fact supported by Church teaching that an increase in holiness of our shepherds -- bishops, priests and religious -- leads directly to an increase of holiness among the laity they guide; just as growth in holiness of parents leads to an increase in holiness of children. In addition, to the degree that life and the Church are placed in danger, so is American society at large in danger.
OBJECTIVES OF THE VIGIL
- To pray for LIFE, MARRIAGE, FAMILY, and PRIESTS/RELIGIOUS.
- To pray for reparation against sins committed against LIFE, MARRIAGE, FAMILY and the CHURCH, with Love as our motive.
- To give Jesus truly and really present in the Holy Eucharist praise and honor because He wants us to be devoted to Him, and because Eucharistic prayer, both in Mass and adoration, become the means par excellence for obtaining grace. With Love as our motive, these Vigils become Vigils of Love for Love, that one Perfect Love, which is Jesus.
- To seek personal and communal holiness, a goal to which not just a few but all are called.
An increase in holiness of our shepherds -- bishops, priests and religious -- leads directly to an increase of holiness among the laity they guide; just as growth in holiness of parents leads to an increase in holiness of children. In addition, to the degree that life and the Church are placed in danger, so is American society at large in danger.