Spirit Filled Hearts Ministry and eCatholic have launched the Adore Movement to promote adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. Deacon Steve Greco, founder of Spirit Filled Hearts Ministry, is leading the initiative. The movement includes launching a website with a new adoration finder tool for Catholics. A full-length feature film titled “Adore Him” is also being released to promote adoration.
7 days ago
Deacon Steve Greco, founder of Spirit Filled Hearts Ministry and director of evangelization for the Diocese of Orange, California, partnered with eCatholic to launch the Adore Movement. This initiative aims to spark a revival in Eucharistic adoration nationwide.1 2
The movement follows the successful "Jesus Thirsts" campaign tied to the U.S. bishops' National Eucharistic Revival.1 2
The Adore Movement includes a new website (adoremovement.com) with an adoration finder tool to locate nearby sites. It launched in February 2026 and is available in English and Spanish.1 2
A feature film, "Adore Him," is in production and slated for U.S. theaters in October 2026.1 2
Greco, a retired pharmaceutical executive, experienced a conversion from lukewarm to fervent Catholicism. Ordained a permanent deacon in 2007, he founded Spirit Filled Hearts Ministry in 2014.1 2
He operates from Christ Cathedral in the Diocese of Orange, collaborating with Bishop Kevin Vann and Auxiliary Bishop Timothy Freyer.1 2
Greco emphasizes the Eucharist as central to faith revival, citing a 2019 Pew survey where only 31% of U.S. Catholics affirm transubstantiation. He links this to declining practice amid widespread disbelief in the Real Presence.1 2
The idea emerged from prayer, highlighting adoration's graces amid societal noise.1 2
The site offers videos from Greco, eCatholic CEO Jason Jaynes, Father Charbel Grbavac (spiritual director), and Dan DeMatte of Damascus ministry. It provides downloadable guides for Holy Hours, postcards, and posters for parishes.1 2
eCatholic, serving 40% of U.S. parishes, populates the adoration database dynamically. Jaynes calls it a "living organism" with ongoing updates, inspired by St. Carlo Acutis.1 2
The film features interviews with figures like Chris Stefanick, Fathers Chris Alar and Donald Calloway, Deacon Larry Oney, Curtis Martin of FOCUS, and Mark Hart of Life Teen. Filming continues through April.1 2
Greco hopes to foster deeper Christ-centered lives, better Mass participation, and regular adoration. Funded by donors, the movement seeks contributions and plans international expansion.1 2
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament: theological foundations and pastoral practice
Eucharistic adoration rests on the Church's faith in the real presence of Christ in the Blessed Sacrament, where the divine Person of the Word is united to His sacred humanity under the appearances of bread and wine. This demands the worship of latria, the adoration due to God alone, extended to the consecrated species because they truly contain Christ whole and entire. As St. Thomas Aquinas explains, since there is one hypostasis in Christ—divine and human natures united in the single Person of the Son—adoration is rendered to the Person Himself, not divided by nature. "We adore the flesh of Christ not for its own sake, but because the Word of God is united thereto in person." This unity ensures that honoring Christ's humanity with latria is not separate from adoring the Divinity, avoiding any Nestorian error condemned by the Councils.
The Eucharist originates from Christ's institution at the Last Supper, marking the sacrifice of His body and blood, which is re-presented in every Mass as one eternal oblation. Adoration outside Mass is intrinsically linked to this sacrifice: the reserved Sacrament prolongs the liturgical action, deriving its presence from the Mass and oriented toward Communion. Pope Benedict XVI emphasizes that "eucharistic adoration is simply the natural consequence of the eucharistic celebration," quoting St. Augustine: "no one eats that flesh without first adoring it; we should sin were we not to adore it." Thus, adoration matures the reception of Holy Communion, fostering unity with Christ and breaking down barriers between individuals.
Theologically, adoration is a personal encounter with the eternal Son through faith in His incarnate body, first united in Mary's womb and now sacramentally present. It counters subjective feelings or self-projection, demanding prayer guided by the truth of the mystery: Christ present as Victim, Priest, and Bridegroom. As St. John Paul II teaches, this worship taps the "wellspring of grace," supported by saints like St. Alphonsus Liguori: "Of all devotions, that of adoring Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament is the greatest after the sacraments, the one dearest to God and the one most helpful to us."
The Church vigorously promotes adoration as essential to Christian life, urging pastors to foster it through personal witness. Forms include:
The Church is the privileged place for this, alongside oratories and monasteries. Practices should harmonize liturgy and piety: read Scripture, sing hymns from the Liturgy of the Hours, observe silence; gradually limit other devotions during exposition, though the Rosary aids Christological focus. Catechesis is vital, especially for children preparing for First Communion, to instill awe before Christ's presence.
Bishops and priests must encourage exposition and adoration, countering any neglect post-Vatican II. Dedicated churches for perpetual adoration are ideal in populated areas; religious orders and confraternities exemplify this, leavening the Church with contemplation. Historically, practices evolved from reservation to widespread exposition, confirmed by the Magisterium (e.g., Ecclesia de Eucharistia).
| Form of Adoration | Description | Recommended Elements |
|---|---|---|
| Simple Visit | Brief encounter at tabernacle | Silent prayer, faith in Real Presence |
| Exposition | Monstrance/pyx display | Scripture, hymns, silence; limit other devotions |
| Perpetual/Communal | Quarantore, associations | Community participation, pastoral leadership |
In summary, Eucharistic adoration is theologically rooted in Christ's real, personal presence demanding latria, inseparably tied to the Mass as its prolongation. Pastorally, the Church calls all faithful—through visits, exposition, and perpetual prayer—to center life on Christ, drawing strength for mission. This practice, praised across Tradition, renews the art of prayer in our time.