Sacred Heart of Jesus

The month of June is devoted to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus is always celebrated on the Friday following the second Sunday after Pentecost. This year’s feast is on July 1. Many Catholics prepare for this feast beginning a Novena to the Sacred Heart on the Feast of Corpus Christi. On the feast day itself we can gain a plenary indulgence by making an Act of Reparation to the Sacred Heart.

Devotion to the Sacred Heart

Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus can be traced to St Margaret Mary Alacoque, a French nun who lived in the 17^th century.  Through visions received by her, Jesus wished to manifest His Heart, the symbol of His love for all of humanity, especially all those troubled and burdened by the difficulties and temptations of life, and to offer to them all the treasures of mercy, of grace, of sanctification and salvation, which His Heart contains.  Jesus should be honoured under the figure of his Heart of flesh, and its image should be exposed, in order that those who desire to render Him and procure for Him all the honour and love possible, might themselves receive the blessings and graces that flow from His Heart.

The “12 Promises”

Listed below are the 12 Promises of the Sacred Heart of Jesus to St Margaret Mary to encourage all Catholics to know and understand the benefit of practising the Devotion

*I will give them all the graces necessary in their state of life.

*I will give peace in their families and will unite families that are divided.

*I will console them in all their troubles.

*I will be their refuge during life and above all in death.

*I will bestow the blessings of Heaven on all their enterprises.

*Sinners shall find in my heart the source and infinite ocean of mercy.

*Tepid souls shall become fervent.

*Fervent souls shall rise quickly to great perfections

*I will bless those places wherein the image of My Heart shall be exposed and honoured and will imprint My love on the hearts of those who would wear this image on their person. I will also destroy in them all disordered movements.

*I will give to priests who are animated by a tender devotion to my Divine Heart the gift of touching the most hardened hearts.

*Those who promote this devotion shall have their names written in my Heart, never to be effaced.

*I promise you in the excessive mercy of my Heart that my all powerful love will grant to all those who communicate on the First Friday in nine consecutive months, the grace of final penitence: they will not die in my disgrace, nor without receiving the Sacraments. My Divine Heart shall be their safe refuge in this last moment.

(The Nine Fridays must be made in honour of His Sacred Heart, practising the devotion and having a great love for His Sacred Heart. This must be on the first Friday of the month for nine consecutive months and Communion must be received. ) (From www,sacredheartdevotion.com)

As the Archdiocese is now concentrating on the second priority of synod – “Revitalising Catholic Culture and Identity”, it is an opportunity for more Catholics to be proud to show their Catholic Identity by exposing the image of the Sacred Heart in their person, homes, schools and other Catholic institutions.

Parishes named after the Sacred Heart in Trinidad and Tobago can be found in Port of Spain, La Brea and Delaford in Tobago. – Louise Zamora Vicariate Catechetical Coordinator (Suburban) – Archdiocesan Catechetical Office.