The purpose of devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus is to make us aware of His love and to arouse us to respond to that love by offering our love in return. We do this by the consecration of ourselves to Jesus and by reparation (prayer and sacrifices in atonement for our sins and sins of others). The enthronement is a crusade to establish the Social Reign of the Sacred Heart in society through the family, the social cell. It is the answer to the question: "What can we do to save the family?"
The enthronement will restore the family to Christ because the family is putting Our Lord and His interest first. In return the Sacred Heart takes over the interests of the family. Our Lord Himself has promised that He will bless and sanctify those families who enthrone Him as King. He asked St. Margaret Mary, to whom He revealed His Sacred Heart, that He be allowed to reign over the homes of the rich and the poor; that He be solemnly received as King and Friend and that His Sacred Heart be honored and loved. Consider Our Lord's beautiful promises carefully and then full of trust and confidence, sincerely and devoutly follow step by step the Enthronement Ceremony.
Promises of Our Lord Jesus Christ to Saint Margaret Mary granted to persons devoted to the Sacred Heart.
The family makes arrangements with a priest as to date, time, etc. It is important to have a priest preside at the ceremony but it is not essential. The father or someone else may preside and lead the prayers. In any case, consult a traditional Catholic priest who is familiar with the enthronement process. If possible, attend the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass on the day of the enthronement. The entire family should try to receive Holy Communion at this Mass. A beautiful picture or statue of the Sacred Heart is procured and a place of honor or "throne" is prepared (preferably in the most prominent place of your home) and decorated with flowers and candles. Ceremonial leaflet and other literature needed for this occasion can be obtained from a promoter or priest who has responsibility for the enthronement in a particular diocese. Invite your friends and relatives to be present; thus you will already begin to be an "apostle" of the Sacred Heart. Have a family gathering in honor of your Divine Guest.
Renewal of the Consecration of the Family (To be said at night prayers in union with all families in which the Sacred Heart has been enthroned) Most sweet Jesus, humbly kneeling at Thy feet, we renew the consecration of our family to thy Divine Heart. Be Thou our King forever! In Thee we have full and entire confidence. May Thy spirit penetrate our thoughts, our desires, our words and our works. Bless our undertakings, share in our joys, in our trials and in our labors. Grant us to know Thee better, to love Thee more, to serve Thee without faltering. By the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Queen of Peace, set up Thy kingdom in our country. Enter closely into the midst of our families and make them Thine own through the solemn enthronement of Thy Sacred Heart, so that soon one cry may resound from home to home: "May the triumphant Heart of Jesus be everywhere loved, blessed and glorified forever!" Honor and glory to the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary! "Sacred Heart of Jesus, protect our families." |
Our Lord revealed to Mother Rafols, who belonged to the mother house of the Sacred Heart in Saragoza, Spain (19th century) that His Sacred Heart is hurt when It is forgotten, offended and despised by souls consecrated to Him. They sometimes forget how dearly He loves His chosen ones, how eagerly He waits in the Tabernacle for them to come to Him for inspiration and assistance in the great mission of saving souls. He wants them to be humble and chaste, and to practice true charity towards one another, and thus, avoid giving scandal. He desires that His priests be living models of Himself and that they propagate devotion to His Sacred Heart.
He desires that men perform acts of satisfaction to forestall the wrath of Divine Justice, and that the Feast of the Sacred Heart be made a Holy Day of Obligation and that all the faithful receive Holy Communion on that day.
To those who devoutly wear the image of His Sacred Heart, He promised great graces and special protection at the hour of their death. He said that in times to come, many souls would propagate the devotion to His Sacred Heart.
Bl. Pope Pius IX extended the feast of the Sacred Heart to the universal Church in 1856 and on June 11, 1899 Pope Leo XIII consecrated the entire human race to the Sacred Heart. In 1925, Pope Pius XI instituted the Feast of Christ the King and decreed that the Act of Consecration of the Human Race to the Sacred Heart of Jesus be renewed on that day.
The following prayer to St. Michael was ordered by Pope Leo XIII to be said after Low Mass to "restrain" Satan. The addition of the threefold invocation: "Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us!" was approved by Pope St. Pius X.
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In an ecclesiastical seminary of the diocese of Rouen, one of the students was distinguished for his piety and brightness. The day after his first Holy Communion, he went to his director, to show him his resolution written on paper. "I am resolved," he stated, "to continue to wear the white necktie of my first Holy Communion, as long as I do not commit a grievous sin." The priest said to him: "I cannot take upon myself the responsibility of allowing you to keep so strange a resolution; you must go to your mother and ask her permission." This he did, and he was permitted to follow his pious wishes. George, for such was his name, with his resolution combined a rule for life to receive Holy Communion on the first Friday, and every Sunday and on the principal feasts of the year. In 1870 he finished his studies with the degree as Bachelor of Arts at the age of eighteen. When the war broke out between France and Germany, he obtained his father's permission to join the Pontifical Zouaves under General Charette. He had been a model of every Christian virtue at college, and he was one also as a soldier. In the month of January, when near the town of LeMans, the Zouaves were ordered to go into action. George distinguished himself by his bravery and fell mortally wounded. At once he asked for the chaplain and said to him: "Father, three days ago I went to Confession and Holy Communion and I have nothing on my conscience; be so good then as to bring me the holy Viaticum. I ask just a little favor; in my knapsack you will find a white necktie, and a rosary; kindly get them for me." When the priest returned, George said: "Put the white necktie around my neck." This the priest did, and having received the Viaticum, George added: "When I am dead, take off this necktie and send it to my mother; write to her and tell her for me, that this necktie of my first Communion has never been stained." Oh! how beautiful was such a death! Was it not the result of his frequent Communions?
May the Heart of Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament be praised, adored and loved with grateful affection, at every moment, in all the tabernacles of the world, even to the end of time! Amen.
Father Lacordaire, in a letter addressed to a lady of the world, relates that a Polish peasant was, at his death, condemned by the justice of God to the flames of Purgatory. His devoted wife ceased not to pray for the repose of his soul; but thinking that her prayers were not sufficiently powerful, she wished to have recourse to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and have Mass celebrated for the deliverance of his poor soul. Being poor and not having wherewith to make the usual offering, she went to a rich person, who was an unbeliever, and humbly asked him to help her; the gentleman felt compassion for her and gave her some money. The holy Mass was offered in the chapel of the Sacred Heart, and with great fervor the wife received Holy Communion for the same intention. A few days after, God permitted that the departed peasant should appear to the rich man and say: "I thank you for the alms you gave towards the offering of the Holy Sacrifice; this Mass has delivered my soul from Purgatory, where it was detained; and now in gratitude for your charity, I am sent by Our Lord to tell you that your death is near, and that you should be reconciled to God." The rich man profited by the warning, was converted and died shortly after, in the most edifying dispositions. Let us often recall the words of Holy Scripture: "It is a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from their sins."
May the Heart of Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament be praised, adored and loved with grateful affection, at every moment, in all the tabernacles of the world, even to the end of time! Amen.
A priest relates the following conversion of a great sinner, in which the goodness of the Heart of Jesus is striking manifested: "A young man, one of my parishioners, whose parents had given up their practice of religion, became so impious and lawless that he scandalized even those who led bad lives. The excesses in which he indulged brought on an infection of the lungs which, gradually developing, was slowly leading him to the grave. I visited him and gave him many proofs of the interest I took in him; but he met all my advances with blasphemies and insults, even refusing to say a 'Hail Mary.' His state filled me with grief. 'My good friend,' said I to one of my curates, 'go at once to Paray-le-Monial; ask prayers for our poor dying man, and place his name in the Heart of Jesus.' He set off without delay, and the next day he was at Paray-le-Monial with the pilgrims from Dijon. Prayers were said and Communions offered for the lost sheep, and his name was placed in a silver heart near the altar of the Heart of Jesus. Full of hope we went again to visit the sick man. 'I prayed for you at Paray,' said the curate, 'and I have brought you a medal of the Sacred Heart.' 'I thank you,' replied the dying sinner, and calling his mother he asked for a ribbon, to which he attached the medal, placed it round his neck, and even kissed it with respect. 'Now,' said he, 'I wish to go to confession, and it must be this very day.' He received all the Sacraments of the Church, to the great edification of all present. Whilst I administered Extreme Unction, he said: 'Do not hurry, Father, I must follow what you say, and ask pardon for my sins. Oh, how good is the Heart of Jesus in waiting for and pardoning me; if I could live longer, how much I would love It.' He died the following day, blessing the Heart of Jesus."