THE TWELVE PROMISES OF THE SACRED HEART
1. I will give them all the graces necessary for their state of life.
2. I will give peace in their families.
3. I will console them in all their troubles.
4. They shall find in My Heart an assured refuge during life and especially
at the hour of death.
5. I will pour abundant blessings on all their undertakings.
6. Sinners shall find in My Heart the source and infinite ocean of mercy.
7. Tepid souls shall become fervent.
8. Fervent souls shall speedily rise to great perfection.
9. I will bless the homes in which the image of My Sacred Heart shall be
exposed and honoured.
10. I will give to priests the power to touch the most hardened hearts.
11. Those who propagate this devotion shall have their name written in My
Heart, and it shall never be effaced.
12. The all-powerful love of My Heart will grant to all those
who shall receive Communion on the First Friday of nine consecutive months
the grace of final repentance; they shall not die under My displeasure, nor
without receiving their Sacraments; My Heart shall be their assured refuge
at that
last hour.
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"And He showed me that it was His great desire of being loved by men and
of withdrawing them from the path of ruin into which Satan hurls such crowds
of them, that made Him form the design of manifesting His Heart to men, with
all the treasures of love, of mercy, of grace, of sanctification and
salvation which it contains, in order that those who desire to render Him
and procure
for Him all the honour and love possible, might themselves be abundantly
enriched with those divine treasures of which this Heart is the source. He
should be
honoured under the figure of this Heart of flesh, and its image should be
exposed.... He promised me that wherever this image should be exposed with a
view to
showing it special honour, He would pour forth His blessings and graces.
This devotion was the last effort of His love that He would grant to men in
these
latter ages, in order to withdraw from the empire of Satan which He desired
to destroy, and thus to introduce them into the sweet liberty of the rule of
His love, which He wished to restore in the hearts of all those who should
embrace this devotion."
-- St. Margaret Mary Alacoque
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For the Enthronement of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in the Home -
THE CEREMONY OF THE ENTHRONEMENT
1. All gather around the image of the Sacred Heart; father, mother and
children nearest to the priest.
2. Priest, in surplice and white stole, blesses the image. (If priest
is not present, have the image blessed beforehand.)
THE BLESSING OF THE PICTURE OR STATUE
V. Our help is in the name of the Lord.
R. Who hath made heaven and earth.
V. The Lord be with you.
R. And with thy spirit.
Let us pray. Almighty and everlasting God, Who dost approve the painting and
sculpturing of the images of Thy saints, so that as often as we gaze upon
them we are reminded to imitate their deeds and sanctity; vouchsafe, we
implore Thee, to bless + and sanctify + this image made in honor and in
memory of the Most Sacred Heart of Thy only begotten Son, our Lord Jesus
Christ; and grant, that whosever, in its presence will suppliantly worship
and honor the Most Sacred Heart of Thy only begotten Son, may obtain through
His merits and intercession, grace in this life and everlasting glory in the
world to come. Through Christ our Lord. Amen
V. Adjutorium nostrum in nomine Domini.
R. Qui fecit coelum et terram.
V. Dominus Vobiscuм.
R. Et cuм spiritu tuo.
Oremus. Omnipotens sempiterne Deus, qui Sanctorum tuorum imagines pingi non
reprobas, ut quoties illas oculis corporis intuemur, toties eorum actus et
sanctitatem ad imitandum memoriae oculis meditemur, hanc quaesumus, imaginem
in honorem et memoriam Sacratissimi Cordis Unigeniti Fillii tui Domini
Nostri Jesu Christi adaptatam bene + dicere et sancti + ficare digneris; et
praesta ut quicuмque coram illa, Cor Sacratissimum Unigeniti Filii tui
suppliciter colere et honorare studuerit, illius meritis et obtentu a te
gratiam in praesenti, et aeternam gloriam obtineat in futurum. Per Christum
Dominum nostrum. Amen
(The priest here sprinkles the image with holy water.)
3. Then the father (or in his absence, the mother or some other member
of the family) enthrones the image in the place of honor prepared for
it. This is the symbolic act of Enthronement.
4. All stand while the APOSTLES' CREED is recited as an act of faith on
the part of the family.
THE APOSTLES' CREED
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth; and in
Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord; Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost,
born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified; died,
and was buried. He descended into hell; the third day He rose again from the
dead; He ascended into heaven, sitteth at the right hand of God, the Father
Almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Ghost, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of
Saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life
everlasting. Amen.
5. Everyone is seated while the priest addresses a few words to those
present, reminding the members of the family of what the Sacred Heart
expects from families which have acknowledged Him as King; recalling the
magnificent promises of the Sacred Heart; urging the family to live its
Enthronement, and frequently to renew the act of consecration which they are
about to make.
6. All kneel, while the priest and the father (or father alone, or his
representative) recite the official "Act of Consecration."
ACT OF CONSECRATION TO THE SACRED HEART
O Sacred Heart of Jesus, Who didst make known to St. Margaret Mary Thine
ardent desire to reign over Christian families, behold us assembled here
today to proclaim Thine absolute dominion over our home.
Henceforth we purpose to lead a life like unto Thine so that amongst us may
flourish the virtues for which Thou didst promise peace on earth, and for
this end we will banish from our midst the spirit of the world which Thou
dost abhor so much.
Thou wilt reign over our understanding by the simplicity of our faith. Thou
wilt reign over our hearts by an ardent love for Thee; and may the flame of
this love be ever kept burning in our hearts by the frequent reception of
the Holy Eucharist.
Deign, O Divine Heart, to preside over our meetings, to bless our
undertakings both spiritual and temporal, to banish all worry and care, to
sanctify our joys and soothe our sorrows. If any of us should ever have the
misfortune to grieve Thy Sacred Heart, remind him of Thy goodness and mercy
towards the repentant sinner.
Lastly when the hour of separation will sound and death will plunge our home
into mourning, then shall we all and every one of us be resigned to Thy
eternal decrees, and seek consolation in the thought that we shall one day
be reunited in heaven, where we shall sing the praises and blessings of Thy
Sacred Heart for all eternity.
May the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the glorious Patriarch St. Joseph offer
Thee this our Consecration and remind us of the same all the days of our
life.
Glory to the Divine Heart of Jesus, our King and our Father!
7. The priest here asks those present to say with him "One Our Father
and Hail Mary" for all the absent members, both living and dead, so that all
may share in the graces of the Enthronement.
8. All recite with the priest (or head of the family) the following:
PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
Glory be to Thee, O Sacred Heart of Jesus, for the infinite mercy Thou hast
bestowed upon the privileged members of this family. Thou hast chosen it
from thousands of others, as a recipient of Thy love and a sanctuary of
reparation wherein Thy most loving Heart shall find consolation for the
ingratitude of men. How great, O Lord Jesus, is the confusion of this
portion of Thy faithful flock as we accept the unmerited honor of seeing
Thee preside over our family! Silently we adore Thee, overjoyed to see Thee
sharing under the same roof the toils, cares and joys of Thy innocent
children! It is true we are not worthy that Thou shouldst enter our humble
abode, but Thou hast already reassured us, when Thou didst reveal Thy Sacred
Heart to us, teaching us to find in the wound of Thy Sacred Side the source
of grace and life everlasting. In this loving and trusting spirit we give
ourselves to Thee, Thou Who art unchanging Life. Remain with us, Most Sacred
Heart, for we feel an irresistible desire to love Thee and make Thee loved.
May our home be for Thee a haven as sweet as that of Bethany, where Thou
canst find rest in the midst of loving friends, who like Mary have chosen
the better part in the loving intimacy of Thy Heart! May this home be for
Thee, O beloved Savior, a humble but hospitable refuge during the exile
imposed on Thee by Thine enemies.
Come, then Lord Jesus, come, for here as at Nazareth, we have a tender love
for the Virgin Mary Thy sweet Mother Whom Thou hast given us to be our
Mother. Come, to fill with Thy sweet presence the vacancies which misfortune
and death have wrought in our midst.
O most faithful Friend, hadst Thou been here in the midst of sorrow, our
tears would have been less bitter; the comforting balm of peace would then
have soothed these hidden wounds, which are known to Thee alone. Come, for
even now perhaps, there is drawing near for us the twilight of tribulation,
and the decline of the passing days of our youth and our illusions. Stay
with us, for already it is late, and a perverted world seeks to envelop us
in the darkness of its denials while we wish to adhere to Thee Who alone art
the Way the Truth and the Life. Repeat for us those words Thou didst utter
of old "This day I must abide in this home."
Yes, dear Lord, take up Thy abode with us, so that we may live in Thy love
and in Thy presence, we who proclaim Thee as our King and wish no other!
May Thy triumphant Heart, Jesus, be forever loved, blessed, and glorified in
this home! Thy Kingdom Come! Amen!
9. (All stand) To thank the Immaculate Heart of Mary for the grace of
the Enthronement, and to proclaim this loving Mother as the Queen of the
home, all recite the "Hail Holy Queen." (If so desired, an Act of
Consecration to the Heart of Mary may be added, and her image installed near
the Sacred Heart.)
HAIL HOLY QUEEN
Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness, and our hope!
To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve; to thee do we send up our
sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn then, most
gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us, and after this our
exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus, O clement, O
loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.
ACT OF CONSECRATION OF THE FAMILY
TO THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY
Queen of the most Holy Rosary, and tender Mother of men, to fulfill the
desires of the Sacred Heart, and the request of the Vicar of your Son on
earth, we consecrate ourselves to you, and to your Immaculate Heart, and
recommend to you, all the families of our nation, and of all the world.
Please accept our consecration, dearest Mother, and use us and all families
as you wish, to accomplish your designs upon the world.
O Immaculate Heart of Mary, Queen of heaven and earth, and of our family,
rule over us, together with the Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ, our King.
Save us from the spreading flood of modern paganism, kindle in our hearts
and homes, the love of purity, the practice of the Christian life, and an
ardent zeal for souls, and for the holiness of family life.
We come with confidence to you, O Throne of Grace and Mother of Fair Love;
inflame us with the same divine fire which has inflamed your own Immaculate
Heart.
Make our hearts and homes your shrine, and through us make the Heart of
Jesus rule and triumph in every family in the world. Amen.
10. Most Sacred Heart of Jesus: Have mercy on us! (3 times)
Immaculate Heart of Mary: Pray for us
St. Joseph: Pray for us.
St. Margaret Mary: Pray for us.
(All) Glory to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus forever and ever!
Amen
11. The priest gives his blessing: Benedictio Dei omnipotentis, Patris, et
Filii, et Spiritus Sancti, descendat super vos et maneat semper. Amen. May
the blessing of Almighty God, Father, Son and Holy Ghost, descend upon you
and remain forever. Amen.
12. Then the members of the family and the priest sign the Certificate of
the Enthronement, which should be framed and hung near the image of the
Sacred Heart.
Note: The CEREMONY of the Enthronement is only the beginning: the
following practices of devotion will help you LIVE the Enthronement.
This is the TRUE reign of the Sacred Heart in your family.
SUGGESTED PRACTICES OF DEVOTION
1. Frequent and even daily attendance at Mass by at least one member of
the family, and Communion of Reparation. Recite the "Mass of St. John"
during the day.
2. Observance of the First Friday of each month. (Holy Mass, Communion
of Reparation: renewal of act of consecration before enthroned image.)
3. Daily Family Rosary before the enthroned image of the Sacred Heart,
with renewal of the act of consecration. (Short Form. See below.)
4. Celebration of the Feast of the Sacred Heart by the entire family;
attendance at Mass, Communion for the extension of the Reign of the Sacred
Heart through the Enthronement; family gathering and celebration at home,
with renewal of Enthronement; special party for the children.
5. Observe the month of June, the month of the Sacred Heart; keep
flowers before the "throne." Mass and Communion as often as possible.
6. Assist at Holy Hour in Church.
7. Night Adoration in the home. Any hour between 9 and 6, by anyone or
all the members of the family at least once a month. Special FAMILY HOLY
HOUR BOOKLETS available.
8. Celebrate the Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary on the 22nd of
August. Mass, Communion; Consecration of family to Immaculate Heart.
9. Make the five First Saturdays in reparation to the Immaculate Heart
of Mary and for the conversion of Russia; Holy Mass and Communion of
reparation; five decades of the Rosary plus a fifteen minute meditation on
the fifteen mysteries of the Rosary. The Rosary and meditation may be
carried out at any hour on the First Saturday; a sermon in church will
satisfy the obligation of the meditation.
10. Practice devotion to the Holy Ghost. Recite "Rosary of the Holy Ghost."
RENEWAL OF 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."
SPECIAL OCCASIONS ON WHICH THE FAMILY SHOULD
RENEW THE ENTHRONEMENT CEREMONY
1. Feast of Sacred Heart; Christ the King.
2. Anniversary of the Enthronement.
3. Anniversary of parents and children.
4. At births; after Baptism in the Church, consecrate the children to
the Sacred Heart before the "throne" in the home.
5. At First Communion: prepare the children before the image of the
Sacred Heart in the home. When they return from Church, let the children
renew the act of consecration made for them by parents at birth.
6. Before a departure from home: to join army, convent, seminary,
before marriage, etc.
7. On the return of an absent member of family.
8. On days of great family joys: in times of sorrow, sickness and
death.
Taken from "Jesus King of Love" by Father Mateo Crawley-Boevey, SS.CC.
IMPRIMATUR; + Patrick A. O'Boyle
Archbishop of Washington
February 1, 1963