Sacred Heart of Jesus

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Catholic Church in Turkey consecrated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

June 10, 2024 Catholic News Agency 0
On Friday, June 7, 2024, the day of the feast of the Sacred Heart, the Catholic Church in Turkey was consecrated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus in St. John’s Cathedral, Izmir. / Credit: Nathalie Ritzmann

ACI MENA, Jun 10, 2024 / 15:15 pm (CNA).

On Friday, June 7, the feast of the Sacred Heart, the Catholic Church in Turkey was consecrated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus in St. John’s Cathedral, Izmir.

Monsignor Marek Solczyński, apostolic nuncio to Turkey, presided over the ceremony and was surrounded by almost all the bishops of the country’s four Catholic communities —  Latin, Armenian, Syriac, and Chaldean. Also present was Father James Buxton of Izmir’s Anglican Church.

On Friday, June 7, 2024, the Catholic Church in Turkey was consecrated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus in St John's Cathedral, Izmir. Monsignor Marek Solczyński, apostolic nuncio to Turkey, presided over the ceremony and was surrounded by almost all the bishops of the country's four Catholic communities. Credit: Nathalie Ritzmann
On Friday, June 7, 2024, the Catholic Church in Turkey was consecrated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus in St John’s Cathedral, Izmir. Monsignor Marek Solczyński, apostolic nuncio to Turkey, presided over the ceremony and was surrounded by almost all the bishops of the country’s four Catholic communities. Credit: Nathalie Ritzmann

Father Alessandro Amprino, chancellor of the Archdiocese of Izmir, had the idea for the consecration. He will be representing the Turkish Catholic Church in Quito, Ecuador, from Sept. 8–15 at the 53rd International Eucharistic Congress, the theme of which will be: “Fraternity to Heal the World: You Are All Brothers and Sisters (Mt 23:8).”

Ecuador was the first country to be consecrated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus in 1874, 150 years ago.

Amprino explained that when he saw the enthusiasm and current spiritual fruits of this consecration in Ecuador, his heart was filled with the wish to offer the same opportunity to the Church in Turkey. He proposed it to the CET (Turkish Episcopal Conference) as an initiative for the national Eucharistic year of the Catholic Church in Turkey, organized this year in conjunction with the Quito Congress.

On Friday, June 7, 2024, the day of the feast of the Sacred Heart, the Catholic Church in Turkey was consecrated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus in St. John's Cathedral, Izmir. Credit: Nathalie Ritzmann
On Friday, June 7, 2024, the day of the feast of the Sacred Heart, the Catholic Church in Turkey was consecrated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus in St. John’s Cathedral, Izmir. Credit: Nathalie Ritzmann

Three events will take place at the national level, one for each diocese: a spiritual retreat for religious in Iskenderun, the consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus in the Cathedral of St. John the Apostle in Izmir (which just took place), and the conclusion of the national Eucharistic year in Istanbul. 

As for the choice of the Izmir cathedral named after St. John, it was St. John the Apostle who laid his head against the heart of Jesus during the Last Supper.

The homily was given by Monsignor Martin Kmetec, archbishop of Izmir’s Roman Catholics, whose mandate as president of the CET was renewed the previous day.

The Catholic Church in Turkey was consecrated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus in St John's Cathedral, Izmir on June 7, 2024. The homily was given by Monsignor Martin Kmetec, archbishop of Izmir’s Roman Catholics, whose mandate as president of the CET was renewed the previous day. Credit: Nathalie Ritzmann
The Catholic Church in Turkey was consecrated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus in St John’s Cathedral, Izmir on June 7, 2024. The homily was given by Monsignor Martin Kmetec, archbishop of Izmir’s Roman Catholics, whose mandate as president of the CET was renewed the previous day. Credit: Nathalie Ritzmann

After Communion, everyone knelt before the altar to adore the Eucharist, which was exposed there. The hymn “Pange Lingua” was sung, followed by silent adoration. Next, the litanies of the Sacred Heart were prayed.

Then, in unison with the whole assembly, the nuncio read the prayer of consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the celebration ended with a Eucharistic blessing.

This story was first published by ACI Mena, CNA’s Arabic-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

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Pope Francis to write reflection on Sacred Heart of Jesus devotion

June 5, 2024 Catholic News Agency 2
Pope Francis speaks at the general audience in St. Peter’s Square on May 22, 2024. An altar painting of the Sacred Heart of Jesus by Francesco de Rhoden inside the Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Rome, Italy. / Credit: Daniel Ibanez/CNA. [L] CNA file photo [R]

Vatican City, Jun 5, 2024 / 05:40 am (CNA).

Pope Francis will prepare a reflection on the Sacred Heart of Jesus for a world “that seems to have lost its heart,” he announced Wednesday.

“I am happy to prepare a document that brings together the valuable reflections of previous magisterial texts and a long history going back to the Sacred Scriptures to re-propose today to the whole Church this devotion, full of spiritual beauty,” he said at the end of his weekly audience with the public June 5.

The pontiff said he intends to publish the document in September, and asked for prayers as he prepares the reflection.

“I believe it will do us much good to meditate on various aspects of the Lord’s love, which can illuminate the path of ecclesial renewal, which says something meaningful to a world that seems to have lost its heart,” he said.

The pope noted that the Church dedicates the month of June to the Sacred Heart, and pointed out that last December 27 was the 350th anniversary of the first appearance of the Sacred Heart of Jesus to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque. The December anniversary began a period of celebration that will extend to June 27, 2025, he explained.

The solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus will be celebrated this year on June 7, the Friday after the second Sunday after Pentecost. The following day, the Church celebrates the feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

After his announcement, Pope Francis added a heartfelt appeal to pray for Mary’s intercession for peace in the world.

“The feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the memorial of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, which the Church is preparing to celebrate in the coming days, reminds us of the need to respond to the redemptive love of Christ, and invites us to entrust ourselves with confidence to the intercession of the Mother of the Lord,” he said.

“We ask the Lord, through the intercession of his Mother, for peace,” the pope prayed, pausing before adding, “peace in the tormented Ukraine, peace in Palestine, Israel, peace in Myanmar.”

“We pray that the Lord will give us peace and that the world will not suffer so much from war. May the Lord bless everyone. Amen.” he concluded.

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Bishops invite Catholics to pray Litany of Sacred Heart in response to Dodgers’ ‘blasphemy’

June 12, 2023 Catholic News Agency 0
Detail from a window in St Nicholas’ Cathedral, Newcastle, England / Lawrence OP|Flickr

CNA Staff, Jun 12, 2023 / 13:15 pm (CNA).

The United States Catholic Conference of Bishops (USCCB) is inviting Catholics to join together in making an act of reparation for the act of “blasphemy” scheduled to take place at Dodgers Stadium on June 16 on the day the Catholic Church celebrates the solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

The Archdiocese of Los Angeles, alongside the USCCB, is asking parishes across the country to pray the Litany of the Sacred Heart of Jesus on June 16 at Mass or during a Holy Hour with the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament.

An act of reparation such as the bishops recommend is offered to the Lord with the intention of repairing the spiritual damage inflicted by sin.

This comes after the Los Angeles Dodgers announced they would be honoring the “Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence,” an anti-Catholic drag show that mocks the faith, with a “Community Hero Award” on the same day.

Archbishop Timothy Broglio of the Archdiocese for Military Services, USA, president of the USCCB; Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York; and Archbishop Jose Gomez of Los Angeles shared this message:

“Catholic Christians traditionally recognize June as the month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. During this time, we call to mind Christ’s love for us, which is visible in a special way in the image of his pierced heart, and we pray that our own hearts might be conformed to his, calling us to love and respect all his people.”

They added: “This year, on June 16 — the day of the solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus — a professional baseball team has shockingly chosen to honor a group whose lewdness and vulgarity in mocking Our Lord, his Mother, and consecrated women cannot be overstated. This is not just offensive and painful to Christians everywhere; it is blasphemy.”

“It has been heartening to see so many faithful Catholics and others of goodwill stand up to say that what this group does is wrong, and it is wrong to honor them. We call on Catholics to pray the Litany of the Sacred Heart on June 16, offering this prayer as an act of reparation for the blasphemies against Our Lord we see in our culture today,” the bishops concluded. 

Here is the full text of the Litany of the Sacred Heart of Jesus:

Lord, have mercy.

R. Lord, have mercy.

Christ, have mercy.

R. Christ, have mercy.

God our Father in heaven, have mercy on us.

God the Son, redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.

God the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us.

Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, Son of the eternal Father, have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, formed by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mother, have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, one with eternal Word, have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, infinite in majesty, have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, holy temple of God, have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, tabernacle of the Most High, have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, house of God and gate of heaven, have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, aflame with love for us, have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, source of justice and love, have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, full of goodness and love, have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, well-spring of all virtue, have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, worthy of all praise, have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, king and center of all hearts, have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, treasure-house of wisdom and knowledge, have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, in whom there dwells the fullness of God, have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, in whom the Father is well pleased, have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, from whose fullness we have all received, have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, desire of the eternal hills, have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, patient and full of mercy, have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, generous to all who turn to you, have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, fountain of life and holiness, have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, atonement for our sins, have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, overwhelmed with insults, have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, broken for our sins, have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, obedient even to death, have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, pierced by a lance, have mercy on us. 

Heart of Jesus, source of all consolation, have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, our life and resurrection, have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, our peace and reconciliation, have mercy on us. 

Heart of Jesus, victim of our sins, have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, salvation of all who trust in you, have mercy on us. 

Heart of Jesus, hope of all who die in you, have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, delight of all the saints, have mercy on us.

Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.

Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.

Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.

Jesus, gentle and humble of heart, touch our hearts and make them like your own.

Let us pray.

Grant, we pray, almighty God,
that we, who glory in the Heart of your beloved Son
and recall the wonders of his love for us,
may be made worthy to receive
an overflowing measure of grace
from that fount of heavenly gifts.
Through Christ Our Lord.
Amen.

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