Father David Whiteside, spiritual adviser of the Bishop's Commission on Women in the Church and in Society, elevates the Blessed Sacrament during Benediction at a Holy Hour for Priests the commission sponsored last August. (The Catholic Post/Jennifer Willems)

In honor of St. John Vianney, the patron of priests, the Bishop’s Commission on Women in the Church and in Society is sponsoring a Holy Hour for Priests on his feast day, Aug. 4, but there are more options for participation this year.

Rather than asking people to come to Peoria, where the service has been held for the last two years, the commission has arranged for eight parishes in central Illinois to host Holy Hours. Suggested prayers are available, but the format has been left open to allow each faith community to decide how it will lift up members of the clergy and pray for vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life, according to Ellen Ehrgott, who chairs the commission.

In many locations, the Holy Hour will include eucharistic adoration, but it’s flexible enough to be led by a lay person without adoration. “The whole point is to pray,” she said.

“The diocese is so large. We wanted to include more people,” Ehrgott said. “We thought if we went to them, they would have more opportunities to participate.”

The goal was that no one would have to drive more than 40 or 50 miles, she told The Catholic Post.

A Holy Hour for Priests will be held on Friday, Aug. 4, in the following locations and include adoration of the Blessed Sacrament unless noted otherwise:

• Bloomington: Historic St. Patrick, 1209 W. Locust St., 4:30 p.m. (prayer service only);
• Lewistown: St. Mary, 705 N. Broadway, 8 a.m.;
• Morton: Blessed Sacrament, 225 E. Greenwood St., 7 p.m.;
• Oglesby: Holy Family, 311 N. Woodland Ave., 6 p.m.;
• Pekin: St. Joseph, 303 S. Seventh St., 7:30 p.m.;
• Peoria: St. Philomena, 1000 W. Albany, 6 p.m., and St. Vincent de Paul, 6001 N. University, 8:15 a.m.; and
• Rushville: St. Rose, 319 N. Franklin, 7 p.m. (prayer service only).
• Parishes are still welcome to participate. For more information, contact Ehrgott at ehrgott@casscomm.com.