The presence of Jesus is peaceful when walking through the doors of the new 24-hour adoration chapel at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church (OLMC) in Tempe, Ariz. Upon entering Divine Mercy Adoration Chapel, one’s gaze cannot help but fall upon the consecrated Host, nestled within the glowing, gold monstrance. For the 450 signed-up adorers, and anyone else who decides to stop in, the chapel will serve as a sacred space to experience the love and grace of God.
Plans to construct the chapel began in 2021, and were eventually entrusted to Fr. Robert Aliunzi, the current pastor of OLMC, upon his arrival at the parish. He was excited and personally invested in the project from the beginning.
“The origin of my vocation is the Eucharist, my vocation continues to be sustained by the Eucharist and my vocation will be completed by the Eucharist,” shared Fr. Aliunzi, who has been surprised and delighted by the number of youth who have visited the chapel since its opening, including elementary school children stopping in for a few minutes on their way to school. College students and professors from Arizona State University, as well as faithful from surrounding parishes in Tempe, have also been drawn to this welcoming place of prayer.
In April 2023, Bishop Emeritus Thomas Olmsted blessed the ground where the chapel would one day stand, and in June 2024, Bishop John Dolan was present for the official groundbreaking. Along the way, multiple obstacles arose and construction was continually delayed, but Fr. Aliunzi persevered in hope. He recalled attending a retreat at which he offered the sole intention for the chapel to progress and for all obstacles to be removed.
Later that day at 3 p.m., referred to as the Hour of Mercy, Fr. Aliunzi received a phone call in which full approval for the completion of the chapel was given. From there, construction continued smoothly, and on March 30, Auxiliary Bishop Eduardo Nevares blessed the completed chapel.
The parishioners at OLMC have been incredibly responsive to this initiative. Typically, the most challenging hours to fill for perpetual adoration — so that Jesus in the Eucharist is always accompanied — are overnight between midnight and 6 a.m. At the Divine Mercy Adoration Chapel, these were the time slots that filled up first.
Bea Zamora, a parishioner at OLMC and wife of Dcn. Chito Zamora, pointed out that in a world of noise and distractions which constantly pull at our attention, we need to be reminded of Jesus.
“The listening soul needs silence,” she shared. “Attending the oasis of adoration is a way to do that.”
For more information, or to sign-up for a prayer time slot at Divine Mercy Adoration Chapel, visit www.olmctempe.com/adoration
