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.