OUR HISTORY

Divine Mercy Perpetual Adoration Chapel

Since 1996

The Divine Mercy Perpetual Adoration Chapel in Kingston, NY, would not be here were it not for the grace of God, the intervention of Our Lady of Grace, and the perseverance of the dedicated laity.

In the '80s and '90s, a group of people in the Kingston area had been going to Adoration for some time. This group included many faithful laity from several parishes. There was only a weekly Holy Hour, and a monthly 13-hour First Friday Eucharistic Adoration. Inspired by the call for Evangelization by Pope John Paul II and supported by Fr. Frank Damis, the laity wanted to expand adoration. They did not mean to simply add a couple hours to each week – they wanted a Perpetual Adoration Chapel. So, the task of creating a Perpetual Adoration Chapel here in Ulster County began with head coordinators Dr. Manuel Valencia, Pat Sapp and Joan Duffy spearheading this effort. There were countless laity from different parishes who volunteered to help them undertake this massive effort.

The first Perpetual Adoration Campaign meeting was held on July 21, 1994 and a committee was formed. There were many problems to be solved before they could even come close to bringing the idea forth to the parishes. The group contacted the Apostolate for Perpetual Adoration in Michigan shortly after their first meeting. The Apostolate provided all the assistance, guidance, and preparation to help establish a Perpetual Adoration Chapel. The group also visited parishes in upstate New York that had established and successful Perpetual Adoration Chapels. The Apostolate and these Chapels suggested reaching out to other parish organizations such as the Rosary Society, Knights of Columbus and various other organizations to gain support and promote this endeavor through different campaigns.

For the next year, this group of devout laity did all the necessary steps to begin a Perpetual Adoration Chapel. Priests were contacted and talks on Perpetual Adoration were given after Masses. There was only one major thing missing: a location. In a January 25, 1996 meeting, several locations were discussed, but each time it came to a dead end.

So, the laity turned to Our Lady of Grace. They prayed the litany of Our Lady of Grace, knowing that she would intercede on their behalf before God. And a few months later, she did. In April of 1996, Fr. John Borzchuchowski graciously offered the unused convent building located at Immaculate Conception Church. When the Perpetual Adoration Committee went to visit the site, they were amazed to see a statue of Our Lady of Grace in the convent's facade. Truly, Our Blessed Mother had answered their prayers! In a letter the Committee sent to Fr. John, they said, “...when we saw Our Lady of Grace with welcoming arms high up in the convent facade, we knew then and there that is the place She and Her Beloved Son have chosen all along, for all of us – a sign so clear, distinct, and undeniable.”

For the next 6 months, the Committee worked tirelessly to prepare for the opening of the

Divine Mercy Perpetual Adoration Chapel right here in Kingston, NY. This included adorer recruitment campaigns in multiple parishes, setting up division leaders, hour captains and correspondence which provided the required documentation with the Archbishop, His Eminence, John Cardinal O'Connor. Costly renovations had to be made to the old convent to make it suitable for an Adoration Chapel and was made possible by the many generous donations from devout supporters. Finally, after two years of working to create a Perpetual Adoration Chapel here in our county, the Divine Mercy Perpetual Adoration Chapel opened on October 20, 1996. Cardinal John O'Connor officiated the centennial celebration of the Immaculate Conception Church and afterwards, officially opened the chapel by carrying the Blessed Sacrament from the church and placing it in the chapel. The Cardinal expressed his pleasure with this undertaking saying “that it is the greatest gift he could ever receive as Archbishop of New York.” Ever since that day, our chapel has been led by faithful leaders and countless volunteers who keep it running.

In October 2021 we celebrated the Adoration Chapel’s 25th Anniversary. Thank you to Almighty God for providing for our chapel and we pray to Our Lady of Grace to allow all Perpetual Adoration Chapels around the world to thrive. Thank you to all adorers who continue to respond to God's call and faithfully carry out His plan.

"If we are willing only to do what is ordinary, then we can only expect God’s ordinary blessings. Only when we are willing to do the extraordinary are we guaranteed of obtaining God’s extraordinary blessings. Perpetual adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is absolutely the extraordinary effort that God is asking for today..."

– Ricardo J. Cardinal Vidal, Archbishop-Emeritus of Cebu, Philippines