Catholic All Week

On June 11, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops will formally consecrate the United States to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Devotion to the Sacred Heart grew from 17th century revelations to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque in France, during which Jesus proclaimed His desire for the institution of a feast to honor His Heart. Pope Pius IX instituted the solemnity in 1865.

A story of love

At its core, devotion to the Sacred Heart is all about God’s love for humanity. It is with this immense love that the Father gave His Son into our hands, that the Son delivered Himself up to death for us, and that the Father gives His Son and the Son gives Himself to us in the Blessed Sacrament on the altar. Devotion to the Sacred Heart is devotion to the love of God poured out for us in Jesus.

Perpetuating the devotion

There are many practices Catholics use to carry out this devotion – among the most common are making a morning offering, participating often in Eucharist Adoration, making an act of consecration to the Sacred Heart and renewing it at least once a year, and making a First Friday Devotion. The latter entails going to Mass and receiving Holy Communion on the First Friday of every month for at least nine consecutive months and offering it for the reparation of sins committed against Jesus’ Sacred Heart and the Eucharist.

Consecration of our nation

On June 11, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops will formally dedicate the United States to the Sacred Heart of Jesus – the first national consecration of its kind. Church leaders describe the move as a meaningful way to commemorate the nation’s 250th anniversary and reflect on the unlikely rise of the world’s first large-scale self-governing republic in the modern era. The consecration comes at a moment of heightened political tension across the country, giving the ceremony added symbolic weight. Supporters say the act is intended as both a prayer for national healing and a reminder of the country’s spiritual foundations.

Catholic All Week

While we honor all mothers in May, the month has a special place in the heart of Catholics for its focus on the Blessed Virgin Mary. As Pope Francis said in a Nov. 13, 2024, Vatican address, “Our Lady helps us see Jesus. She opens doors.” This month, make an effort to step through that door and deepen your devotion to Mary in any of the following ways.

Arrival of the holy spirit

At the first Pentecost, Peter, Mary, the apostles and their followers were gathered in the upper room in Jerusalem, where Jews from all over the world were still in town celebrating the end of Passover. A great wind blew and a flame appeared as a tongue of fire, which split itself into individual flames above the heads of all those present. The Holy Spirit came upon those gathered and each began to speak in tongues. Despite the fact many had no common language, they were perfectly able to understand one another.

 

The papacy and a birthday

As those in the room went out among the crowd to spread the Good News, some accused those speaking in tongues of being intoxicated. Peter explained to the crowd that this was the work of the Holy Spirit, as prophesied in Scripture, and began preaching to them. Peter then called on those present – about 3,000 people – to be baptized. That moment firmly established Peter as the leader of the faith – the “rock” Jesus had previously told him he would become – and is known as the birthday of the Church.

 

The tradition of novenas

The timing of these feasts is where the concept of the novena – nine days of prayer – originated. Acts 1 says that Mary and the apostles prayed together “continuously” for nine days after the Ascension, leading up to Pentecost. Traditionally, the Church prays the novena to the Holy Spirit in the days before Pentecost. Look for that and other novenas online.

Catholic All Week

While we honor all mothers in May, the month has a special place in the heart of Catholics for its focus on the Blessed Virgin Mary. As Pope Francis said in a Nov. 13, 2024, Vatican address, “Our Lady helps us see Jesus. She opens doors.” This month, make an effort to step through that door and deepen your devotion to Mary in any of the following ways.

Mary’s feast days

May’s calendar is filled with Marian feast days – there are at least 34 celebrated across the globe. Here in the United States, we celebrate Our Lady of Fatima on May 13, Mary Help of Christians on May 24 and The Visitation on May 31. These feasts present an opportunity to learn more about Mary as described in Scripture, her apparitions, and her role in safeguarding our lives and souls. Spend some time this month reading one or more books about Mary’s many feasts and what they represent. Start with our list online.

Practice praying

While the rosary is said to be Mary’s favorite prayer, there is no shortage of prayers about and for the Blessed Mother. From the Angelus, whose words are pulled from Scripture, to the Memorare, which seeks the intercession and help of the Blessed Virgin Mary, there are prayers that are appropriate for just about every situation. Take the time this month to learn a new one.

May crownings

Parishes and schools honor Our Blessed Mother this month with May crownings. While the origins of the tradition are said to reach back to the 16th century, images of Mary and Jesus wearing gold crowns can be found much earlier in early Eastern iconography. In the West, the practice of publicly crowning a statue of the Blessed Mother gained popularity in the 19th century. To do a May crowning in your own home, visit websites like www.TheReligionTeacher.com that list prayers and delve into the reasons behind the act of devotion.