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A mother of 10 from Amsterdam sometimes brings a few of her children with her to pray at 1 a.m. One child sings “Alleluia” while another is fast asleep under a blanket.

In the pitch darkness of night, an 88- and an 89-year-old arrive for the 1-to-3 a.m. shift. They rarely miss.

Even during the pandemic, the Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration Chapel of Fulton and Montgomery Counties — located at the Church of the Holy Spirit in Gloversville — never missed a beat.

“Anyone is welcome to come any time and pray,” said Ann Avery-Jones, who along with Cindy Kuzia, are the two driving forces in keeping the chapel going.

And it is no small feat. There are 168 hours to cover in a week, minus the five hours that Masses are held at Holy Spirit as well as any funerals or weddings. Kuzia has a detailed list of the 112 regular adorers who fill the hours, with some adorers doing three nights a week. And they come from towns all over Fulton and Montgomery Counties: Johnstown, Amsterdam, Gloversville, Fonda and Fultonville, just to name a few. Adorers use a passcode to enter the church, sign in and they are off.
“The thing that we are always impressed with is the people’s dedication to Adoration,” Avery-Jones said. “We are always worried when somebody drops out but somebody always takes their place. It is the work of the Holy Spirit.”

Father Matt Wetsel, pastor of the Church of the Holy Spirit in Gloversville and Holy ­Trinity Church in Johnstown, said the chapel is a “spiritual hub.”

“The Perpetual Adoration Chapel of Fulton and Montgomery Counties reminds me of a spiritual hub or sanctuary where adorers of all backgrounds (residents and visitors alike) come to spend much-needed quiet time with our Lord,” Father Wetsel said. “The chapel provides a needed respite from the hectic pace of everyday life. I am reminded of Jesus’ words when he tells us, ‘Come to me all who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.’ (Matthew 11:28).

“The chapel provides the adorer with the necessary space to simply be present to the loving presence of Jesus. As theologians often point out, God’s preferred language is silence. The adorer has the opportunity to listen to the quiet, subtle prompts of the Holy Spirit while in the Eucharistic presence of our Lord.”

In May 2011, Father Rendell Torres — who was parochial vicar at Holy Spirit at the time — came up with the idea of having a perpetual adoration chapel. Back then the Mohawk Valley Vicariate was called the Fulton/Montgomery Deanery and was comprised of 11 parishes in those two counties. After looking at many locations and spending hours in discernment, Father Don Czelusniak, then-pastor of the Church of the Holy Spirit and now pastor emeritus, returned from a trip to Rome and decided that the chapel should be housed at Holy Spirit in the Marian Chapel. The inaugural Mass for the chapel was concelebrated by Father Czelusniak, Father Torres and Father Wetsel on June 2, 2013, on the feast of Corpus Christi.
To bring awareness to the Real Presence of Christ and make Adoration more known, the chapel hosts retreats for anyone in the Diocese. The next retreat, entitled “The Eucharist is our Salvation,” is scheduled for Sept. 23-24 with Father Tony Stephens, who is with the Fathers of Mercy.

“I continue to be impressed by the dedication of the volunteers, especially the adorers who have committed to early and late hours in the chapel,” Father Wetsel said. “They often speak of the peaceful atmosphere in the chapel that cannot be found elsewhere. They look forward to the simple act of looking at Jesus, knowing that he is looking back at them.”

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