SURREY—Prayer warriors have been sending their petitions to heaven from the adoration chapel at Good Shepherd Church nonstop for 10 years.

“It really is a vocation,” said Donna Sali, a perpetual adoration coordinator. “Those who come in the middle of the night, they love that hour so much,” she said. “They wouldn’t give up their hour for anything.”

Sali confirmed that parishioners have been praying before the Blessed Sacrament for 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days of the year, since Feb. 6, 2005.

Many commit to a specific hour every day of the week, including the wee hours of the morning.

“If you really understand Our Lord’s presence, and that means something to you, you find it’s something you want to do.”

Gaston LeBlanc starts every workday with some rosary beads and 30 minutes in the adoration chapel. He also prays there from 4 a.m. to 5 a.m. on Fridays.

“To be in the presence of the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Our Lord is awe-inspiring. It’s such a blessing,” he said during a 10th anniversary celebration at Good Shepherd Church Feb. 8. “I can’t even count how many graces I have received.”

LeBlanc started going to the chapel regularly during Lent last year. “I gave up breakfast and in exchange I would come to the adoration chapel. After 40 days, it stuck. I couldn’t stop coming.”

He credits the constant prayers rising up from that chapel for the vibrancy of Star of the Sea Parish community, calling the prayers a “source of life.”

Sali added that having perpetual adoration for the past 10 years has brought about a stronger devotion to the Eucharist and boosted attendance at daily Mass.

Cecilia Burgell prays in the chapel for an hour every Sunday morning. “I feel that Jesus is closer to me. My life changed because now He is the centre of my life.”

LeBlanc said it’s not as hard to commit as it sounds. “Once you get into the habit, it’s easy. It’s like the multiplication of the loaves. You present the Lord with the loaves of your time and He multiplies them.”

“You get to do more with less, because every single action you take, you can feel His hand is there, guiding you, throughout the day.”