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Catholic Democrats @CatholicDems

Catholic voice in Democratic Party; Democratic voice in the Catholic community. Promoting Catholic Social Justice Tradition in Democratic party & public square

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Catholic Democrats
@CatholicDems
21 Apr 2025
With deep sorrow and abiding gratitude we mourn the passing of Pope Francis, who returned to the Father’s embrace this morning. A Suffering Servant for our time, a pastor of mercy and hope whose courage opened our eyes to the virtue of building bridges, a prophet of justice, and a voice for — and sojourner to — the poor and forgotten, he reminded the Church and the world — through his actions — that “realities are greater than ideas,” and that love without borders is the heart of the Gospel. His prophetic witness to humility, compassion, and mercy, and to the integral ecology and morality inherent to God’s Creation, shaped a generation — and lifted all our eyes and hearts to heaven. His call to be “the saint next door” provides a light for us in the darkness through which we now must find our way. Pope Francis always asked for our prayers. Today, please join us in offering prayers in gratitude and love — for our beloved Papa Francisco, for all our sisters and brothers who mourn his passing, for our Church in this time of transition and hope, and for the global community that was the beneficiary of his love, hope, and wisdom. As he just wrote for his Easter homily, delivered by Cardinal Angelo Comastri: “The Jubilee invites us to renew the gift of hope within us, to surrender our sufferings and our concerns to hope, to share it with those whom we meet along our journey and to entrust to hope the future of our lives and the destiny of the human family.” @pontifex #PopeFrancis #PapaFrancisco
ON THE LEFT: A square-shaped photograph of Pope Francis wearing his white papal vestments including his zucchetto (skullcap). The photo is framed by a thin red line with a white border between it and the photo. The photo is cropped at chest level. In the background is a non-descript portion of a wall. ON THE RIGHT: The following text: “Pope Francis” in small caps and below that the date of his birth, “December 17, 1936” and then below that, the date of his death, “April 21, 2025.” There is a thin red line above his date of birth and below his date of death.

ALT ON THE LEFT: A square-shaped photograph of Pope Francis wearing his white papal vestments including his zucchetto (skullcap). The photo is framed by a thin red line with a white border between it and the photo. The photo is cropped at chest level. In the background is a non-descript portion of a wall. ON THE RIGHT: The following text: “Pope Francis” in small caps and below that the date of his birth, “December 17, 1936” and then below that, the date of his death, “April 21, 2025.” There is a thin red line above his date of birth and below his date of death.

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LET US GIVE THANKS AND ASK MARY TO PRAY FOR US ON THIS THE MEMORIAL OF THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY 🙏 Today the Church celebrates the Memorial of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary — and on this June 13, the very date Our Lady first spoke of her Immaculate Heart at Fatima in 1917, we offer this prayer: "O most merciful God, who for the salvation of sinners and the refuge of the wretched, has made the Immaculate Heart of Mary most like in tenderness and pity to the Heart of Jesus — grant that we may ever live in the fellowship of the hearts of both Mother and Son." 🙏 —Excerpt from the Litany of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, by St. John Henry Newman Mary, pray for us — for our humility, for our charity toward one another, and for the grace to pray every day for peace in the world and for virtue in the hearts of all our sisters and brothers in our nation, during this time of ongoing upheaval, as we mark our nation’s anniversary with reflection and celebration. 🙏 #ImmaculateHeartofMary #ImmaculateHeartOfFatima #SacredHeartOfJesus #StJohnHenryNewman #PrayForPeace #PrayForAmerica250
A devotional graphic for the Memorial of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Mary is shown from about the waist up, standing beneath a blue sky with golden clouds and a glowing halo around her head. She has warm brown skin, dark eyes, and a cream-colored veil, and wears a red robe with a blue mantle. One hand points gently toward her Immaculate Heart, which is radiant, aflame, encircled with roses, and pierced by a sword. At the top, gold text reads: “Memorial of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary.”

ALT A devotional graphic for the Memorial of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Mary is shown from about the waist up, standing beneath a blue sky with golden clouds and a glowing halo around her head. She has warm brown skin, dark eyes, and a cream-colored veil, and wears a red robe with a blue mantle. One hand points gently toward her Immaculate Heart, which is radiant, aflame, encircled with roses, and pierced by a sword. At the top, gold text reads: “Memorial of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary.”
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DAY 9 – CONSECRATION OF THE UNITED STATES TO THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS 🙏 SOURCE: #USCCB #NovenaToTheSacredHeartOfJesus PRAY 🙏 Today, we consecrate the United States of America to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Parishes and individuals around the country are encouraged to join the U.S. Catholic bishops in this historic occasion, beginning with this Prayer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus written for the consecration. O Most Sacred Heart of Jesus: You know the longings of our hearts, and you desire that we enjoy friendship with you. From your pierced side, you have poured out the wellspring of life, for which we thirst. Your heart burns with a love for all people to return to a right relationship with you. We celebrate the abundant gifts you have given this nation, founded on the self-evident truths that our Creator has endowed all people with the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. We make reparation for the offenses against you and against human dignity that have taken place in this nation. May our hearts be united to yours, so that our families and communities enjoy peace and happiness; may broken relationships be reconciled, injustices repaired, and the wounds of our land be healed. May your holy Catholic Church serve as a sign, pointing all people to your infinite love. O Desire of Nations and Center of History, we ask you to bless these United States of America. Who live and reign with God the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen. Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us! Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us! 🙏 LEARN 🙏 Why do we consecrate to the Sacred Heart of Jesus? In the first such act in 1899, when Pope Leo XIII consecrated the world to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, he writes in his encyclical, Annum Sacrum: “Since there is in the Sacred Heart a symbol and the express image of the infinite love of Jesus Christ that moves us to love one another, it is fit and proper that we should consecrate ourselves to his most Sacred Heart – an act that is nothing else than an offering and a binding of oneself to Jesus Christ.” Likewise, in Saint John Paul II’s Message for the Centenary of the Consecration of the Human Race to the Divine Heart of Jesus, he reflected on the need for a missionary spirit of the Church that flows from consecration to the Sacred Heart: “Consecration thus understood is to be joined to the missionary activity of the Church herself, because it answers the desire of Jesus' Heart to propagate in the world, through the members of his Body, his total dedication to the kingdom, and to unite the Church ever more closely to his offering to the Father and his being for others.” In addition to drawing us into deeper unity with Christ, consecration to the Sacred Heart also reveals a message that Saint John Paul II called “necessary for humanity today”: Only in Christ’s love can we discover the gentleness and forgiveness needed to heal the conflicts that wound our world (Angelus 2002). ACT 🙏 As we conclude this Novena to the Sacred Heart, we reflect with Pope Francis in Dilexit Nos. “There are moments when [Jesus] speaks to us inwardly, calls us and leads us to a better place. That better place is his heart. There he invites us to find fresh strength and peace: ‘Come to me, all who are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest’ (Mt 11:28)” (no. 43). Let us go forth with this renewed sense of strength and peace, consoled by the great love that Jesus has for us and transformed by the missionary fire of his Sacred Heart. 🙏 You can watch the livestream recording of the Consecration on the USCCB's YouTube channel, //www.youtube.com/usccb . #SacredHeartOfJesus #ConsecrationToTheSacredHeartOfJesus #America250 #GodBlessAmerica #PopeLeoXIII #AnnumSacrum #SaintJohnPaulII #PopeFrancis
Against a dark blue background, white text reads: “JUNE 11, 1 of 2 – Consecration of the United States to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.” The graphic contains the opening portion of the Prayer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus written for the consecration, describing Christ's love, friendship, and the wellspring of life flowing from His pierced side. The prayer reflects on the nation's blessings and affirms the rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. A notation indicates the prayer continues in a second graphic. Below is a screenshot of a U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) post announcing the consecration of the United States to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and inviting Catholics to join in prayer.

ALT Against a dark blue background, white text reads: “JUNE 11, 1 of 2 – Consecration of the United States to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.” The graphic contains the opening portion of the Prayer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus written for the consecration, describing Christ's love, friendship, and the wellspring of life flowing from His pierced side. The prayer reflects on the nation's blessings and affirms the rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. A notation indicates the prayer continues in a second graphic. Below is a screenshot of a U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) post announcing the consecration of the United States to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and inviting Catholics to join in prayer.

Against a dark blue background, white text reads: “JUNE 11, 2 of 2 – Consecration of the United States to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.” The graphic contains the concluding portion of the Prayer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. It asks forgiveness for offenses against God and human dignity, prays for reconciliation, healing, justice, peace, and unity, and asks God's blessing upon the United States. The prayer concludes with petitions to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The graphic serves as the final day of the Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and accompanies the national consecration led by the U.S. bishops.

ALT Against a dark blue background, white text reads: “JUNE 11, 2 of 2 – Consecration of the United States to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.” The graphic contains the concluding portion of the Prayer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. It asks forgiveness for offenses against God and human dignity, prays for reconciliation, healing, justice, peace, and unity, and asks God's blessing upon the United States. The prayer concludes with petitions to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The graphic serves as the final day of the Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and accompanies the national consecration led by the U.S. bishops.
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Catholic Democrats retweeted
Catholic Democrats
@CatholicDems
Jun 8
LET US JOIN OUR PRAYERS TO THE U.S. BISHOPS AND CATHOLICS OF ALL STRIPES ACROSS OUR LAND – JUNE 11, 2026, 4:00PM ET 🙏 The Church has long counted patriotism among the virtues – a love of one's country rooted not in pride but in gratitude. It is worth distinguishing from nationalism, with which it is often confused. Nationalism exalts one's own nation above others and seeks its good at their expense; patriotism loves one's homeland as a gift to be cherished and, in turn, shared. As Saint John Paul II observed, the two are not the same. We did not give ourselves our life, our families, or our country; these were given to us, and love returns thanks for what it has received. That is the spirit in which the bishops will consecrate the United States to the Sacred Heart of Jesus on June 11. To consecrate a nation is not to claim it as our own – it is to acknowledge that it already belongs to God, and to entrust it, with all who live within it, to God’s mercy. Few acts are at once so reverent and so deeply patriotic: a people loving their country enough to place it, on their knees, before the source of every good it enjoys. In this reel, a small group of US bishops describe the Consecration as follows: facebook.com/share/r/18mFPRP… You can watch the Consecration livestream on the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ YouTube channel, youtube[dot]com/usccb Let us join our prayers to those of the U.S. bishops in consecrating our nation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. 🙏 #SacredHeartOfJesus #NovenaToTheSacredHeartOfJesus #ConsecrationToTheSacredHeartOfJesus #America250 #GodBlessAmerica #USCCB
Graphic announcing clipped from a United States Conference of Catholic Bishops story reel with the a heading that reads, “The Consecration of the United States to the Sacred Heart of Jesus” on Thursday, June 11, 2026. The image shows a close-up of a Sacred Heart statue, with the heart crowned with thorns, topped by a cross and flames, and surrounded by rays of light. Beside the image is a quote: “There is room for everyone in the Heart of Jesus.” The quote is attributed to Most Rev. Paul S. Coakley, Archbishop of Oklahoma City.

ALT Graphic announcing clipped from a United States Conference of Catholic Bishops story reel with the a heading that reads, “The Consecration of the United States to the Sacred Heart of Jesus” on Thursday, June 11, 2026. The image shows a close-up of a Sacred Heart statue, with the heart crowned with thorns, topped by a cross and flames, and surrounded by rays of light. Beside the image is a quote: “There is room for everyone in the Heart of Jesus.” The quote is attributed to Most Rev. Paul S. Coakley, Archbishop of Oklahoma City.
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A PRAYER FROM POPE LEO FOR OUR CONSECRATION DAY🙏 As the #UnitedStatesConferenceOfCatholicBishops consecrates our nation to the #SacredHeart of Jesus today, let us pray these words of humility and self-offering love that #PopeLeoXIV gave us on his #ApostolicJourney to Spain — for the sake of our nation and our global family. 🙏 As we entrust our nation to God, this prayer – rooted in Christ's call to take up our cross and lose our lives in order to find them (Mt 16:24–26) – offers our lives to God for God's work in building the Kingdom on earth. Let us pray. 🙏 #SacredHeartOfJesus #USCCB @USCCB #ConsecrationToTheSacredHeartOfJesus #America250 #GodBlessAmerica
Pope Leo XIV
@Pontifex
Jun 9
In a world torn apart by wars and divisions, in a society that is increasingly fragmented and individualistic, we wish to be witnesses and prophets of unity, welcome, harmony, and peace, even at the cost of sacrifice and renunciation. We wish to offer our “yes,” ready if necessary to die to ourselves, to lose ourselves in order to find ourselves again, to renounce the superfluous in order to build upon what is essential and lasts forever (Mt 16:24–26). #ApostolicJourney
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DAY 8 – HEART OF JESUS, GENTLE AND HUMBLE OF HEART 🙏 SOURCE: #USCCB #NovenaToTheSacredHeartOfJesus PRAY 🙏 #SaintThérèseOfLisieux, “#TheLittleFlower,” profoundly understood the gentle and humble heart of Jesus. In contemplating how to be transformed by Christ's love, she reflected that “What pleases [Jesus] is that he sees me loving my littleness and my poverty, the blind hope that I have in his mercy… the weaker one is, without desires or virtues, the more suited one is for the workings of this consuming and transforming Love” (Letter 197 to Sister Marie of the Sacred Heart, September 17, 1896). Let us join with Saint Thérèse in praying for our hearts to be humble like Jesus. O Jesus! When You were a Pilgrim on earth, You said: “Learn of Me for I am gentle and humble of heart and you will find rest for your souls.” O Mighty Monarch of Heaven, my soul finds rest in seeing You, clothed in the form and nature of a slave, humbling Yourself to wash the feet of Your apostles... I beg You, my Divine Jesus, to send me a humiliation whenever I try to set myself above others. I know that You humble the proud soul but to the one who humbles one’s self. You give an eternity of glory... To obtain this grace of Your infinite mercy I will very often repeat: “O Jesus, gentle and humble of heart, make my heart like Yours!” 🙏 LEARN 🙏 #SaintJohnPaulII notes that only once in Scripture does Jesus refer to his own heart, when he instructs us to learn from his humility and gentleness in Matthew 11. The Holy Father concludes that our Lord stresses these features “as if to say that only in this way does he wish to win us to himself” (Catechesis, June 20, 1979). The saints, facing the challenges of their age, looked to the heart of Christ as a model to respond with humility and grace. Saint Claude de La Colombière reflected on the attitude of Christ’s heart in his greatest hours of suffering: how during his passion, his heart remained firmly directed to God, and despite the betrayal of Judas and the abandonment of his apostles, Christ did not respond with hatred or indignation – but forgiveness. Saint Claude resolved to “present myself anew to this heart free of anger, free of bitterness, filled instead with genuine compassion towards its enemies” (Spiritual Exercises in Lyon, October-November 1674, ibid., p. 45). ACT 🙏 Devotion to the Sacred Heart allows us to put aside our pride and respond to the challenges of life. #SaintVincentDePaul teaches us: “We should remember that [Christ] himself said that by gentleness we inherit the earth. If we act on this, we will win people over so that they will turn to the Lord. That will not happen if we treat people harshly or sharply” (Saint Vincent de Paul, Common Rules of the Congregation of the Mission, May 17, 1658, c. 2, 6). Use this Examination of Conscience in Light of Catholic Social Teaching to reflect on how you are acting on Christ’s teachings to love humbly and gently. Then, conclude with Saint Thérèse of Lisieux’s prayer: “O Jesus, gentle and humble of heart, make my heart like Yours!” 🙏 #SacredHeartOfJesus #ConsecrationToTheSacredHeartOfJesus #America250 #GodBlessAmerica
On the left is a sepia-toned portrait of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, the Little Flower, seated and looking toward the viewer. On the right, against a dark blue background, white text reads: “JUNE 10 – Jesus, gentle and humble of heart.” Beneath the title is an excerpt from a prayer by Saint Thérèse asking Jesus to make her heart humble like His and to help her avoid pride and self-exaltation. The prayer continues in the accompanying post. Below the prayer graphic is a screenshot of a U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) post describing Saint Thérèse’s devotion to the gentle and humble Heart of Jesus and her trust in God's mercy. The graphic serves as Day 8 of a Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, focusing on humility, gentleness, trust, and becoming more like Christ.

ALT On the left is a sepia-toned portrait of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, the Little Flower, seated and looking toward the viewer. On the right, against a dark blue background, white text reads: “JUNE 10 – Jesus, gentle and humble of heart.” Beneath the title is an excerpt from a prayer by Saint Thérèse asking Jesus to make her heart humble like His and to help her avoid pride and self-exaltation. The prayer continues in the accompanying post. Below the prayer graphic is a screenshot of a U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) post describing Saint Thérèse’s devotion to the gentle and humble Heart of Jesus and her trust in God's mercy. The graphic serves as Day 8 of a Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, focusing on humility, gentleness, trust, and becoming more like Christ.
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DAY 7 – HEART OF JESUS, SOURCE OF ALL CONSOLATION 🙏 SOURCE: #USCCB #NovenaToTheSacredHeartOfJesus PRAY 🙏 In Dilexit Nos, Pope Francis describes the consoling nature of devotion to the Sacred Heart as “flesh and blood in the Church’s pilgrimage through history;” a mutual sharing of suffering between Christ and us (no. 157). Because Christ bore our sin in the wounds of his passion and death on the cross, we console him for our affronts. Because we also raise up our suffering to Christ, we ask him to console us. Let us ask the Sacred Heart of Jesus for strength and increased faith with this prayer by Blessed Miguel Pro, S.J. I believe, O Lord, but strengthen my faith... Heart of Jesus, I love Thee; but increase my love. Heart of Jesus, I trust in Thee; but give greater vigor to my confidence. Heart of Jesus, I give my heart to Thee; but so enclose it in Thee that it may never be separated from Thee. Heart of Jesus, I am all Thine; but take care of my promise so that I may be able to put it in practice even unto the complete sacrifice of my life. Amen. 🙏 LEARN 🙏 The heart of Christ has always been a source of consolation for the Church. We hear Jesus’ great love for us in Scripture, as when he reassures us of the Father's care in the #SermonOnTheMount. We are consoled with God’s intimate love when we are told how we are “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14) and “even the hairs of your head are all counted” (Matthew 10:30). #SaintFrancisdeSales teaches that all our names are written on the heart of God: “Surely it is a source of profound consolation to know that we are loved so deeply by our Lord, who constantly carries us in his heart” (Sermon for the Second Sunday of Lent, February 20, 1622). Pope Francis tells us that when we contemplate the heart of Christ and his self-surrender even to death, we are consoled in Christ’s love for us: “The grief that we feel in our hearts gives way to complete trust and, in the end, what endures is gratitude, tenderness, peace; what endures is Christ’s love reigning in our lives” (#DilexitNos, no. 161). ACT 🙏 Just as we find consolation in the Sacred Heart of Jesus, so too should we pray for others so that they might also encounter the consoling love of Christ. Every day, Padre Pio would pray the Efficacious Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus for the intentions of all who asked him to pray for them, ending each intention with “Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you.” Consider entrusting your intentions to the Sacred Heart as #PadrePio did. #SacredHeartOfJesus #ConsecrationToTheSacredHeartOfJesus #America250 #GodBlessAmerica #PopeFrancis #PadrePio
On the left is a historic black-and-white photograph of Blessed Miguel Pro, S.J., standing outdoors. On the right, against a dark blue background, white text reads: “JUNE 9 – Heart of Jesus, source of all consolation.” Beneath the title is an excerpt from a prayer by Blessed Miguel Pro asking for stronger faith, deeper love, greater trust, and a heart united forever with the Heart of Jesus. The prayer ends with a note indicating it continues in the accompanying post. Below the prayer graphic is a screenshot of a U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) post describing the Sacred Heart as a source of consolation and companionship in suffering. The graphic serves as Day 7 of a Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, focusing on trust, perseverance, consolation, and confidence in Christ's love.

ALT On the left is a historic black-and-white photograph of Blessed Miguel Pro, S.J., standing outdoors. On the right, against a dark blue background, white text reads: “JUNE 9 – Heart of Jesus, source of all consolation.” Beneath the title is an excerpt from a prayer by Blessed Miguel Pro asking for stronger faith, deeper love, greater trust, and a heart united forever with the Heart of Jesus. The prayer ends with a note indicating it continues in the accompanying post. Below the prayer graphic is a screenshot of a U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) post describing the Sacred Heart as a source of consolation and companionship in suffering. The graphic serves as Day 7 of a Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, focusing on trust, perseverance, consolation, and confidence in Christ's love.
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DAY 6 – HEART OF JESUS, ATONEMENT FOR OUR SINS 🙏 SOURCE: #USCCB #NovenaToTheSacredHeartOfJesus PRAY 🙏 As we consider the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Christ’s great love for humanity, we reflect on how we have fallen short of his love and the need to atone for our sins. We also take this moment to repent as a nation for the sins of our country’s past. Let us pray for forgiveness and healing from the harms caused by our nation’s original sins of slavery and racism. A central element of devotion to the Sacred Heart is reparation – the practice of making amends for the wrongs we have done, asking Christ to forgive our sins and convert our hearts to love as he loves. Let us pray with St. Alphonsus Liguori, founder of the Redemptorists, as we atone for our sins and consecrate ourselves to the heart of Jesus: My Jesus, I love You with my whole heart. I am sorry for having so many times offended Your infinite goodness. With the help of Your grace, I purpose never to offend You again. And now, unworthy though I am, I consecrate myself to You without reserve. I renounce and give entirely to You my will, my affection, my desires, and all that I possess. 🙏 LEARN 🙏 While reflections on the heart of Jesus date to the earliest writings of Christianity, the modern deIn Pope Pius XI’s encyclical, Miserentissimus Redemptor(on reparation to the Sacred Heart), the Holy Father connects our love for Christ with the realization that the wounds we inflict on others are the same wounds inflicted on Our Lord on the cross. He states, “Anyone possessed of great love for God, and who looks back to the past, can dwell in meditation on Christ, and see him laboring for man, sorrowing, suffering the greatest hardships, ‘for us men and for our salvation’... The more the faithful ponder all these things the more clearly they see that the sins of mankind, whenever they were committed, were the reason why Christ was delivered up to death” (no. 13). The image of the pierced heart of Christ has its meaning in our sinfulness, and when we devote ourselves to the Sacred Heart, we are compelled to repair the damage we have done. In a reflection about seeking authentic reparation, Bishop Joseph Perry explores how the Sacred Heart can lead us to reconcile our human hearts to one another. He says, “In the Catholic tradition, reparation is not a transaction, but a sacred offering —one that involves not only words, but gestures. Just as the Sacrament of Penance invites physical expressions of contrition—making the sign of the cross, performing a penance, offering restitution—so too do acts of reparation in communal life require gestures of sincerity, and concrete actions.” ACT 🙏 There are many ways we can offer reparation to the Sacred Heart. When we go before Jesus in the Eucharist, Pope Pius XI recommends making a Communion of Reparation or a Holy Hour for the atoning of sins (Miserentissimus Redemptor, no. 12). We also see a lack of fraternal love today, especially in our politics and conversations with one another. Read Pope Francis’ encyclical on fraternity and social friendship, Fratelli Tutti, and reflect on how to build a culture of encounter together. #SacredHeartOfJesus #ConsecrationToTheSacredHeartOfJesus #America250 #GodBlessAmerica #Reparations #Redemptorists #StAlphonsusLiguori
On the left is a portrait of Saint Alphonsus Liguori wearing a dark clerical robe and white collar. On the right, against a dark blue background, white text reads: “JUNE 8 – Heart of Jesus, atonement for our sins.” Beneath the title is an excerpt from a prayer by Saint Alphonsus expressing sorrow for sin, love for Christ, and a desire to consecrate oneself completely to the Sacred Heart. The prayer emphasizes repentance, conversion, and surrender to God's will. Below the prayer graphic is a screenshot of a U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) post reflecting on repentance, reparation, and healing. The post invites prayer for forgiveness and reconciliation in response to the wounds caused by slavery, racism, and other sins. The graphic serves as Day 6 of a Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, focusing on repentance, reparation, mercy, and renewed commitment to love God and neighbor.

ALT On the left is a portrait of Saint Alphonsus Liguori wearing a dark clerical robe and white collar. On the right, against a dark blue background, white text reads: “JUNE 8 – Heart of Jesus, atonement for our sins.” Beneath the title is an excerpt from a prayer by Saint Alphonsus expressing sorrow for sin, love for Christ, and a desire to consecrate oneself completely to the Sacred Heart. The prayer emphasizes repentance, conversion, and surrender to God's will. Below the prayer graphic is a screenshot of a U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) post reflecting on repentance, reparation, and healing. The post invites prayer for forgiveness and reconciliation in response to the wounds caused by slavery, racism, and other sins. The graphic serves as Day 6 of a Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, focusing on repentance, reparation, mercy, and renewed commitment to love God and neighbor.
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DAY 5 – HEART OF JESUS, FOUNTAIN OF LIFE AND HOLINESS 🙏 SOURCE: #USCCB #NovenaToTheSacredHeartOfJesus PRAY 🙏 The love poured out from the Sacred Heart of Jesus is a constant source of renewal for the missionary spirit of the Church and our call to universal holiness. Servant of God Fr. Jules Chevalier, who founded the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in 1854, recited this daily prayer to remain close to the Sacred Heart. Lord Jesus, Saviour of the world and source of holiness, look with kindness on all whom you have chosen to be Missionaries of your loving Heart. Ask your heavenly Father to keep us in your love, and sanctify us in the truth so that you may be glorified in us and we may reflect your goodness. Ask your Father to keep us from evil that we may always be united in bonds of love. As you are one with your Father, so may we be one with each other in your divine Heart, whose sentiments shall forever be ours and to which we consecrate ourselves in time and for eternity. Amen. 🙏 LEARN The devotion of the wounds of Christ as the fountain of life and holiness dates to the earliest Christians. The Church Fathers interpreted the blood and water flowing from Christ’s side as a profound mystery, fulfilling His promise to provide living water (John 4:13–14; 7:37), which symbolized the Holy Spirit’s outpouring on the Church and the cleansing waters of baptism. We see an early correlation to the heart of Jesus in the words of Origen of Alexandria, who said, “Out of his heart shall flow rivers of living water” (In Num. homil. 12, 1: PG 12, 657). In the 13th century, Saint Bonaventure connected the salvation that flows from the pierced heart of Christ to the sacramental life of the Church, reflecting that the price of our salvation flows “from the hidden wellspring of his heart, enabling the Church’s sacraments to confer the life of grace” (Lignum Vitae. De mysterio passionis, 30). Pope Francis encouraged the devotion of the pierced heart of Christ as the fountain of life for the Church’s mission. The Holy Father taught that “in contemplating the pierced heart of the Lord, who ‘took our infirmities and bore our diseases’ (Mt 8:17), we too are inspired to be more attentive to the sufferings and needs of others, and confirmed in our efforts to share in his work of liberation as instruments for the spread of his love” (Dilexit Nos, no. 171). ACT When Jesus revealed his heart to Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque, he imparted 12 promises to all who venerate his Sacred Heart. One promise is that Jesus will “bless the home in which the image of my Sacred Heart shall be exposed and honored.” When we place the image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in a prominent place in our homes, we signify that Jesus is king and the center and source of love for all. Consider enthroning the Sacred Heart in your home with this enthronement ceremony resource from the Knights of Columbus. #SacredHeartOfJesus #ConsecrationToTheSacredHeartOfJesus #America250 #GodBlessAmerica #MissionariesForTheSacredHeart
On the left is a portrait of Servant of God Fr. Jules Chevalier, founder of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, wearing a black clerical garment with the Sacred Heart emblem displayed on his chest. On the right, against a dark blue background, white text reads: “JUNE 7 – Heart of Jesus, fountain of life and holiness.” Beneath the title is an excerpt from a prayer by Fr. Chevalier asking Jesus to keep His followers in love, sanctify them in truth, unite them in His divine Heart, and help them reflect His goodness. The prayer ends with an ellipsis indicating it continues in the accompanying post. Below the prayer graphic is a screenshot of a U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) post explaining that the love flowing from the Sacred Heart renews the Church's missionary spirit and call to holiness. The graphic serves as Day 5 of a Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, focusing on holiness, mission, unity, and the Sacred Heart as the source of Christian life.

ALT On the left is a portrait of Servant of God Fr. Jules Chevalier, founder of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, wearing a black clerical garment with the Sacred Heart emblem displayed on his chest. On the right, against a dark blue background, white text reads: “JUNE 7 – Heart of Jesus, fountain of life and holiness.” Beneath the title is an excerpt from a prayer by Fr. Chevalier asking Jesus to keep His followers in love, sanctify them in truth, unite them in His divine Heart, and help them reflect His goodness. The prayer ends with an ellipsis indicating it continues in the accompanying post. Below the prayer graphic is a screenshot of a U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) post explaining that the love flowing from the Sacred Heart renews the Church's missionary spirit and call to holiness. The graphic serves as Day 5 of a Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, focusing on holiness, mission, unity, and the Sacred Heart as the source of Christian life.
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DAY 4 – HEART OF JESUS, PATIENT AND FULL OF MERCY 🙏 SOURCE: #USCCB #NovenaToTheSacredHeartOfJesus PRAY 🙏 Perhaps the most well-known reflection on the merciful heart of Jesus can be found in the Divine Mercy devotion. Saint Faustina Kowalska, a 20th century Polish sister, revealed that Jesus appeared to her with rays emanating from his heart and instructed her to paint his image with the signature “Jesus, I trust in you,” and that all who venerate the image of Divine Mercy will not perish. Trusting in the endless mercy of Jesus, let us pray with Saint Faustina from the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. Eternal God, in whom mercy is endless and the treasury of compassion inexhaustible, look kindly upon us and increase your mercy in us, that in difficult moments we might not despair nor become despondent, but with great confidence submit ourselves to your holy will, which is Love and Mercy itself. Amen (Diary: Divine Mercy in My Soul, 950). 🙏 LEARN The merciful heart of Jesus is at the center of his ministry, both in Scripture and throughout the history of the Church. Saint John Paul II reflects that when we draw close to the heart of Christ, it is revealed that the “merciful love of the Father...constituted the central content of the messianic mission of the Son of Man” (Dives in Misericordia, 1980). To this point, Saint Gregory the Great instructs us to “learn the Heart of God in the words of God;” and we see the heart of God revealed when Jesus quotes the prophet Hosea to the Pharisees, saying, “Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice’” (Matthew 9:13). The earliest saints of the Church took Christ’s command seriously, preaching that our response to the words of Jesus must be to live our faith by showing mercy to others. In the third century, Saint Gregory of Nazianzus taught, “The Lord of all asks for mercy, not sacrifice... Let us then show him mercy in the persons of the poor and those who today are lying on the ground, so that when we come to leave this world they may receive us into everlasting dwelling places” (OratioXIV, 40: PG 35, Paris 1886, 910). ACT In devoting ourselves to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, we are challenged to imitate Christ’s mercy. Pope Leo XIV points to the parable of the Good Samaritan as the ultimate example of Christ’s merciful love: “The final words of the Gospel parable — ‘Go and do likewise’ (Lk 10:37) — represent a mandate that every Christian must daily take to heart” (Dilexi Te, no. 107). Amid the many challenges facing our nation today, how can you be a beacon of mercy? Pope Francis reminds us that “even in our slightest works of mercy, his heart is glorified and displays all its grandeur” (Dilexit Nos, no. 203). Explore this resource, 250 Works of Mercy, and commit to frequent, small works of mercy this year. 🙏 #SacredHeartOfJesus #ConsecrationToTheSacredHeartOfJesus #America250 #GodBlessAmerica #PopeFrancis #BeaconOfMercy
On the left, Saint Faustina Kowalska, dressed in a black religious habit, stands with one arm extended while Jesus appears behind her in the Divine Mercy image, with red and pale rays flowing from His Sacred Heart. On the right, against a dark blue background, white text reads: “JUNE 6 – Heart of Jesus, patient and full of mercy.” Beneath the title is a prayer from Saint Faustina beginning, “Eternal God, in whom mercy is endless,” asking for trust, confidence, and perseverance in God's mercy during difficult times. Below the prayer graphic is a screenshot of a U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) post explaining the Divine Mercy devotion and Saint Faustina’s visions of Jesus, including the message, “Jesus, I trust in you.” The graphic serves as Day 4 of a Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, focusing on mercy, trust, compassion, and works of mercy toward others.

ALT On the left, Saint Faustina Kowalska, dressed in a black religious habit, stands with one arm extended while Jesus appears behind her in the Divine Mercy image, with red and pale rays flowing from His Sacred Heart. On the right, against a dark blue background, white text reads: “JUNE 6 – Heart of Jesus, patient and full of mercy.” Beneath the title is a prayer from Saint Faustina beginning, “Eternal God, in whom mercy is endless,” asking for trust, confidence, and perseverance in God's mercy during difficult times. Below the prayer graphic is a screenshot of a U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) post explaining the Divine Mercy devotion and Saint Faustina’s visions of Jesus, including the message, “Jesus, I trust in you.” The graphic serves as Day 4 of a Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, focusing on mercy, trust, compassion, and works of mercy toward others.
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DAY 3 – HEART OF JESUS, WORTHY OF ALL PRAISE 🙏 SOURCE: USCCB Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus PRAY 🙏 #SaintJohnHenryNewman took the episcopal motto Cor ad cor loquitur (“Heart speaks unto heart”), understanding that the Lord saves us by speaking to our hearts from his Sacred Heart. It was in the Holy Eucharist, the greatest form of praise to God, that Saint John Henry Newman cultivated his deepest encounter with the living heart of Jesus. Let us pray with Saint John Henry Newman so that we might hear the Sacred Heart speak to us when we praise and adore Jesus in the Eucharist. O most Sacred, most loving Heart of Jesus, Thou art concealed in the Holy Eucharist, and Thou beatest for us still… I worship Thee then with all my best love and awe, with my fervent affection, with my most subdued, most resolved will. O my God, when Thou dost condescend to suffer me to receive Thee, to eat and drink Thee, and Thou for a while takest up Thy abode within me, O make my heart beat with Thy Heart” (Meditations and Devotions, London, 1912, Part III [XVI], par. 3, pp. 573-574). 🙏 LEARN Pope Francis reflects in Dilexit Nos that it is in the Eucharist that the ever-present love of the Sacred Heart invites us into union with Christ. At the same time, the Holy Father warns that in the frenetic pace of today’s world, “we forget to nourish our lives with the strength of the Eucharist;” therefore, he recommends that we spend an hour in adoration before the Blessed Sacrament every Thursday. Pope Francis goes on to say, “When we carry [adoration] out with devotion, in union with many of our brothers and sisters and discover in the Eucharist the immense love of the heart of Christ, we ‘adore, together with the Church, the sign and manifestation of the divine love that went so far as to love, through the heart of the incarnate Word, the human race’” (no. 85). In Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque’s visions of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, we see the light and fire of the Lord of life who transforms our human hearts. One such vision occurred in meditation before the Blessed Sacrament, when Saint Margaret sees Christ’s paschal mystery in all its splendor: “Once, when the Blessed Sacrament was exposed, Jesus appeared, resplendent in glory, with his five wounds that appeared as so many suns blazing forth from his sacred humanity, but above all from his adorable breast, which seemed a fiery furnace. Opening his robe, he revealed his most loving and lovable heart, which was the living source of those flames” (Autobiography, no. 55). ACT Let us seek to deepen our relationship with the Sacred Heart of Jesus in the Eucharist. You can take up Pope Francis’ challenge to hold weekly adoration on Thursday using this resource, 250 Hours of Adoration, which encourages parishes to record 250 hours of adoration this year. The Knights of Columbus offer a template for holding a Sacred Heart Holy Hour. You can also commit to attending Mass at a local shrine or parish devoted to the Sacred Heart. #SacredHeartOfJesus #NovenaToTheSacredHeartOfJesus #ConsecrationToTheSacredHeartOfJesus #America250 #GodBlessAmerica #USCCB
On the left is a portrait of Saint John Henry Newman wearing red cardinal vestments and a pectoral cross. On the right, against a dark blue background, white text reads: “JUNE 5 – Heart of Jesus, worthy of all praise.” Beneath the title is a prayer from Saint John Henry Newman beginning, “O most Sacred, most loving Heart of Jesus,” reflecting on Christ’s presence in the Holy Eucharist and expressing love, adoration, and the desire for one’s heart to beat with the Heart of Jesus. Below the prayer graphic is a screenshot of a U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) post explaining that Newman adopted the motto Cor ad cor loquitur (“Heart speaks unto heart”) and encountered the Sacred Heart especially through the Eucharist. The graphic serves as Day 3 of a Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, focusing on praise, Eucharistic devotion, and prayer.

ALT On the left is a portrait of Saint John Henry Newman wearing red cardinal vestments and a pectoral cross. On the right, against a dark blue background, white text reads: “JUNE 5 – Heart of Jesus, worthy of all praise.” Beneath the title is a prayer from Saint John Henry Newman beginning, “O most Sacred, most loving Heart of Jesus,” reflecting on Christ’s presence in the Holy Eucharist and expressing love, adoration, and the desire for one’s heart to beat with the Heart of Jesus. Below the prayer graphic is a screenshot of a U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) post explaining that Newman adopted the motto Cor ad cor loquitur (“Heart speaks unto heart”) and encountered the Sacred Heart especially through the Eucharist. The graphic serves as Day 3 of a Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, focusing on praise, Eucharistic devotion, and prayer.
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DAY 2 – HEART OF JESUS, SOURCE OF JUSTICE AND LOVE 🙏 SOURCE: USCCB Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus PRAY When contemplating the Sacred Heart as the source of justice and love, we connect Christ’s love for us with our love for others. As Pope Francis said in Dilexit Nos, “Our best response to the love of Christ’s heart is to love our brothers and sisters. There is no greater way for us to return love for love” (no. 167). As we meditate on the love Christ has for us, let us pray this Prayer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus for Love and Mercy. 🙏 Lord Jesus, You gave your life for us. Your Sacred Heart is ablaze with love. Your hand extends towards me, and towards all, offering love, mercy, and healing. Sacred Heart of Jesus may your love transform me. Burn away my hesitation that I may become your love and radiate your mercy. Amen. 🙏 LEARN Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque, who reflected on the Sacred Heart wrote, “I received from my God excessive graces of his love, and I felt moved by the desire to respond to some of them and to respond with love for love” (Autobiography, no. 55). Both #PopeFrancis in Dilexit Nos and #PopeLeoXIV in Dilexi Te teach us that our encounter with the love of Christ’s heart allows us to build up God’s kingdom in this world. Pope Leo emphasizes that “God has a special place in his heart for those who are discriminated against and oppressed, and he asks us, his Church, to make a decisive and radical choice in favor of the weakest” (Dilexi Te, no. 16). For centuries, the Church has established missions centered on the love of the heart of Christ, such as the Society of the Sacred Heart founded in 1800. The Society states in its constitution: “Caught up as we are in the desires of the heart of Jesus, we want people to grow in dignity, as human beings and as children of God. Our starting point is the Gospel, with all that it demands from us of love, forgiveness and justice, and of solidarity with those who are poor and rejected by the world” (Constitutions of 1982, 7). ACT Consider who is rejected, vulnerable, or living in fear today. How does the Sacred Heart invite you to respond to the needs and suffering of others? You can get involved with your local Catholic Charities, Society of Saint Vincent de Paul, or a Catholic Campaign for Human Development funded group. You can also use this resource, Catholic Social Teaching Mustard Seed Commitments, to make small, sustainable commitments to care for your neighbors. Finally, consider praying for all elected officials that they may have the guidance and wisdom to create a just, peaceful society that honors the human dignity of all people living in our nation. #SacredHeartOfJesus #NovenaToTheSacredHeartOfJesus #ConsecrationToTheSacredHeartOfJesus #America250 #GodBlessAmerica #USCCB
On the lft, Pp Francis, dressed in a white cassock & zucchetto, gently embraces a child leaning against him. He conveys tenderness, compassion, & pastoral care. On the rt., against a dark blue background, large white text reads: “JUNE 4–Heart of Jesus, source of justice and love.” Beneath the title is a prayer to the Sacred Hrt of Jesus that begins, “Lord Jesus, You gave your life for us. Your Sacred Heart is ablaze with love.” The prayer reflects on Christ’s love, mercy, healing, and the desire to become an instrument of that love in the world. Below the graphic is a screenshot of a US Conf. of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) social media post explaining that contemplation of the Sacred Hrt connects Christ’s love for us w/ our love for others. The post quotes Pp Francis from Dilexit Nos: “Our best response to the love of Christ’s hrt is to love our brothers & sisters.” The overall graphic serves as Day 2 of a Novena to the Sacred Hrt of Jesus, focusing on justice, mercy, & love for others.

ALT On the lft, Pp Francis, dressed in a white cassock & zucchetto, gently embraces a child leaning against him. He conveys tenderness, compassion, & pastoral care. On the rt., against a dark blue background, large white text reads: “JUNE 4–Heart of Jesus, source of justice and love.” Beneath the title is a prayer to the Sacred Hrt of Jesus that begins, “Lord Jesus, You gave your life for us. Your Sacred Heart is ablaze with love.” The prayer reflects on Christ’s love, mercy, healing, and the desire to become an instrument of that love in the world. Below the graphic is a screenshot of a US Conf. of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) social media post explaining that contemplation of the Sacred Hrt connects Christ’s love for us w/ our love for others. The post quotes Pp Francis from Dilexit Nos: “Our best response to the love of Christ’s hrt is to love our brothers & sisters.” The overall graphic serves as Day 2 of a Novena to the Sacred Hrt of Jesus, focusing on justice, mercy, & love for others.
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LET US JOIN POPE LEO IN PRAYER FOR THE VALUES OF SPORT🙏 We are blessed this month – as we approach our nation’s 250th anniversary – that #PopeLeo chose the theme of “the values of sport” for his monthly Worldwide Prayer Network. Within these values are the kernels of virtue that are common to sport, the founding of our nation, and our faith. The presence of virtue in our civic life and public sporting experience are in need of renewal. Pope Leo reminds us that the virtues of our faith never change. They can be our north star and guide us in renewing all aspects of our society and our personal lives. The virtues of humility, courage, perseverance, piety, fraternity, solidarity, charity, gratitude, and even peace come to mind. 🙏 As we prepare for our nation’s 250th anniversary, let us join Pope Leo in prayer and remember that we can bring what we do on the field, on the pitch, and on the court into our everyday lives for God’s greater glory. 🙏 Listen to the Pope pray the prayer below here: youtu.be/hvBvVhr7qiI?si=ODMt… It was worth our time to do so, and the more we listen to the prayer, the more it gives us. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amén. 🙏 Lord of life, we thank you for the gift of sport, for those who glorify God through the exercise of their bodies, for the friendships born on the field and the joy of playing as a team. You teach us that in life, as in the game, no one is saved alone. We need others to grow, to learn respect, to overcome our limits, and to celebrate together the victories we achieve. We ask that sport may always be a school of fraternity, not of empty rivalry, a space of encounter, not exclusion, a path of peace, not violence. May those who play, train or cheer discover in sport a universal language that brings cultures together, unites peoples, and sows respect, solidarity and personal growth. Lord Jesus, may every sport become a parable of life lived with you, working with joy and effort, living with humility in defeat and with gratitude in the victory you offer in your Resurrection. May your Spirit never be lacking in us, making us one team, united with you to build communion and fraternity in history. Amen. 🙏 Note: @Pontifex is an athlete in his own right. In 2023, he described himself as being "quite the amateur tennis player." Before ascending to the Chair of Peter, he visited the Omega Fitness Club, within steps of the Vatican, and worked with a personal trainer several times a week. Since moving into the Apostolic Palace, one of the rooms in his apartment has been converted into a small gym #PopeLeoXIV #PopesWorldwidePrayerNetwork #ValuesOfSports #VirtuesOfSports
Pope Leo XIV sits alone in prayer in a small chapel, facing an altar and a large mural of Christ surrounded by saints. A crucifix stands beside the altar as warm light illuminates the sacred space. A green banner at the top reads, “Pray with the Pope: For the values of sports | June 2026.” Overlaid text quotes part of the Pope's prayer intention: “May those who play, train or cheer discover in sport a universal language that brings cultures together, unites peoples, and sows respect, solidarity and personal growth.” A YouTube play icon appears on the left side of the image and the icon for the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network appears on the right side.

ALT Pope Leo XIV sits alone in prayer in a small chapel, facing an altar and a large mural of Christ surrounded by saints. A crucifix stands beside the altar as warm light illuminates the sacred space. A green banner at the top reads, “Pray with the Pope: For the values of sports | June 2026.” Overlaid text quotes part of the Pope's prayer intention: “May those who play, train or cheer discover in sport a universal language that brings cultures together, unites peoples, and sows respect, solidarity and personal growth.” A YouTube play icon appears on the left side of the image and the icon for the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network appears on the right side.
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DAY 1 – HEART OF JESUS, AFLAME WITH LOVE FOR US 🙏 SOURCE: USCCB Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus PRAY 🙏 In his prayer intention for June of last year, the month dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Pope Leo XIV encouraged us, “Let us pray together that each one of us might find consolation in a personal relationship with Jesus, and from His Heart, learn to have compassion on the world.” As we begin this Novena to the Sacred Heart, we join the Holy Father in that prayer. Lord, I come to Your tender Heart today, to You who have words that set my heart ablaze, to You who pour out compassion on the little ones and the poor, on those who suffer, and on all human miseries. I desire to know You more, to contemplate You in the Gospel, to be with You and learn from You and from the charity with which You allowed Yourself to be touched by all forms of poverty. You showed us the Father’s love by loving us without measure with Your divine and human Heart. Grant all Your children the grace of encountering You. Change, shape, and transform our plans, so that we seek only You in every circumstance: in prayer, in work, in encounters, and in our daily routine. From this encounter, send us out on mission, a mission of compassion for the world in which You are the source from which all consolation flows. Amen. 🙏 LEARN While reflections on the heart of Jesus date to the earliest writings of Christianity, the modern devotion to the Sacred Heart began in 17th century France when Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque received visions of Jesus revealing his heart burning with love for humanity. In this revelation, Jesus expressed his desire to be honored in a special way through his Sacred Heart. This devotion grew when Pope Pius IX extended the observance to the universal Church in 1856, and later when Saint Mary of the Divine Heart urged Pope Leo XIII to consecrate the world to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, which he did in 1899 through his encyclical, Annum Sacrum. There have been four papal encyclicals on the Sacred Heart of Jesus: Annum Sacrum (on consecration to the Sacred Heart), Pope Pius XI’s 1928 encyclical Miserentissimus Redemptor (on reparation to the Sacred Heart), Pope Pius XII’s 1956 encyclical Haurietis Aquas (on devotion to the Sacred Heart), and Pope Francis’ 2024 encyclical Dilexit Nos (on the human and divine love of the heart of Jesus Christ). ACT Take time today to read Dilexit Nos and explore resources to reflect on Pope Francis’ final encyclical. What stands out to you about the Holy Father’s writings on the Sacred Heart? How might this meditation on Jesus’ love for us set your own heart on fire to love others? #SacredHeartOfJesus #NovenaToTheSacredHeartOfJesus #ConsecrationToTheSacredHeartOfJesus #America250 #GodBlessAmerica #USCCB
On the left, Pope Leo XIV stands at a lectern wearing a white cassock and white zucchetto, speaking with a gentle smile. On the right, against a dark blue background, large white text reads: “JUNE 3 – Heart of Jesus, aflame with love for us.” Beneath the title appears the opening portion of Pope Leo XIV’s prayer for the month dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, beginning, “Lord, I come to Your tender Heart today…” and concluding with the notation “…continued,” indicating that the full prayer appears in the accompanying post. Below the prayer graphic is a screenshot of a U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) social media post announcing Pope Leo XIV’s June prayer intention. The post invites Catholics to deepen their personal relationship with Jesus and learn compassion from His Sacred Heart. The overall graphic serves as Day 1 of a Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and directs readers to the full prayer and reflection in the accompanying text

ALT On the left, Pope Leo XIV stands at a lectern wearing a white cassock and white zucchetto, speaking with a gentle smile. On the right, against a dark blue background, large white text reads: “JUNE 3 – Heart of Jesus, aflame with love for us.” Beneath the title appears the opening portion of Pope Leo XIV’s prayer for the month dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, beginning, “Lord, I come to Your tender Heart today…” and concluding with the notation “…continued,” indicating that the full prayer appears in the accompanying post. Below the prayer graphic is a screenshot of a U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) social media post announcing Pope Leo XIV’s June prayer intention. The post invites Catholics to deepen their personal relationship with Jesus and learn compassion from His Sacred Heart. The overall graphic serves as Day 1 of a Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and directs readers to the full prayer and reflection in the accompanying text

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NOVENA TO THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS – EXPLANATORY NOTE 🙏 Yesterday, the Catholic Church in the United States begins a nine-day novena in preparation for the consecration of the nation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. It will occur on June 11th when all of the US bishops are gathered for their Spring Plenary Assembly in Orlando, Florida. Here is what you should know, to avoid misunderstanding that may be spread — unintentionally or otherwise. A novena is a traditional nine-day prayer seeking special graces from God. Think of it as a nine-day spiritual preparation for a culminating act. A consecration is the culmination. In plain terms: it is the act of freely giving or entrusting something — or someone — over to God. It is not centered on receiving something from God (which would be a blessing). It is giving, offering, and dedicating. In this consecration we are entrusting the United States of America to God. It is not ours to give — but it is ours to acknowledge. And so we publicly proclaim God's sovereignty over all creation, asking for His grace, mercy, and guidance. 🙏 Every citizen has the right to pray for their nation and to express what they believe their nation is called to be. This is not an expression of power. This is a prayer. For a non-Catholic, or for anyone concerned about the role of religion in public life, we share the following. In today’s tribalized society, public expressions of faith are often interpreted by some as being against a group of people. Any such characterization of this Novena and Consecration is incorrect; a novena and a consecration are acts of prayer and religious devotion seeking God's mercy, healing, and grace for all, not exercises of political power. This viewpoint often reflects either a misunderstanding of Catholic teaching or the unfortunate tendency to view public acts of faith that harmonize with the Constitution through a political lens. To put this in perspective, the same Catholic bishops who have been publicly proclaiming the human dignity of all immigrants are the same bishops who will be leading Catholics and people of good will in praying to the Sacred Heart of Jesus for love, mercy, atonement, and the common good of all. The Catholic Church in America is freely and solemnly saying to God: "We recognize that this nation — and everything in it — already belongs to You. We ask for Your grace, Your protection, and Your help." 🙏 You can find the daily novena at usccb.org/novena-sacred-hear… the social media accounts of the @USCCB. The consecration on June 11th will be live streamed at youtube.com/usccb. Let us pray. 🙏 #SacredHeartOfJesus #NovenaToTheSacredHeartOfJesus #ConsecrationToTheSacredHeartOfJesus #America250 #GodBlessAmerica #USCCB
A promotional graphic from the U.S. Conf. of Catholic Bishops for a “Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus,” scheduled for June 3–11. At the top, a dark blue background with large white text reads “Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus,” the USCCB logo, and the words “United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.” The dates “June 3–11” appear in the upper right corner. Below, a white panel explains the novena draws its daily devotions from the Litany of the Sacred Heart, reflects on the wisdom of saints and popes, is framed by Pp Francis’ encyclical Dilexit Nos & Pp Leo XIV’s apostolic exhortation Dilexi Te, & concludes with the consecration of the U.S. to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. On the right is a colorful stained-glass-style image of Jesus with a golden halo, raising one hand in blessing & pointing to His radiant Sacred Heart. Decorative floral & geometric stained-glass patterns surround Him. At the bottom of the graphic is the website address: usccb.org/weholdthesetruths.

ALT A promotional graphic from the U.S. Conf. of Catholic Bishops for a “Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus,” scheduled for June 3–11. At the top, a dark blue background with large white text reads “Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus,” the USCCB logo, and the words “United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.” The dates “June 3–11” appear in the upper right corner. Below, a white panel explains the novena draws its daily devotions from the Litany of the Sacred Heart, reflects on the wisdom of saints and popes, is framed by Pp Francis’ encyclical Dilexit Nos & Pp Leo XIV’s apostolic exhortation Dilexi Te, & concludes with the consecration of the U.S. to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. On the right is a colorful stained-glass-style image of Jesus with a golden halo, raising one hand in blessing & pointing to His radiant Sacred Heart. Decorative floral & geometric stained-glass patterns surround Him. At the bottom of the graphic is the website address: usccb.org/weholdthesetruths.
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REMEMBERING MOTHERS ONE MORE TIME IN MAY 🙏 Giving thanks is one of the signs of a faithful heart. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches, “Every joy and suffering, every event and need can become the matter for thanksgiving,” so that we may “give thanks in all circumstances.” (CCC 2648; 1 Thessalonians 5:18) We regret that we were not able to post a Mother’s Day message this year, so while it is still the month of May – for another hour – we want to do just that. Let us pray in thanksgiving today, and each day, for the mothers in our lives, for expectant mothers, and for Mary, the Mother of God, who accompanies us with a mother’s love. 🙏 #MothersDay #GivingThanks #MomsInNeed #ExpectantMothers #MaryMotherOfGod
Square graphic in a warm modernist style showing a mother seated indoors, tenderly holding a sleeping infant wrapped in a white, gold, and blue blanket. The room is filled with golden light, blue cushions, and green houseplants. At the top, dark blue text reads: “GIVING THANKS FOR MOTHERS ONE MORE TIME IN MAY.”

ALT Square graphic in a warm modernist style showing a mother seated indoors, tenderly holding a sleeping infant wrapped in a white, gold, and blue blanket. The room is filled with golden light, blue cushions, and green houseplants. At the top, dark blue text reads: “GIVING THANKS FOR MOTHERS ONE MORE TIME IN MAY.”
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