June is the Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

"It is in the adorable Heart of Jesus that we shall find every help for our necessities, every remedy for the cure of our ills, the most powerful assistance against the assaults of our enemies, the sweetest consolation to soothe our sufferings, the purest delight to fill our souls with joy.

Are you in sorrow? Do your enemies persecute you? Does the recollection of your past sins disturb you? Is your heart troubled or full of fear? Throw yourself…in the wounds of Jesus Christ, even into His Sacred Heart, it is a sanctuary, it is the retreat for holy souls, and a place of refuge wherein your soul is safe.

It is to Him and through Him that we should ask for all we require, it is through Him and in Him that we should offer to the Eternal Father all we do, because this Sacred Heart is the treasury of every supernatural gift, the source of every grace. It is the channel through which we unite ourselves more intimately to God, and through which God communicates Himself more freely. It is…to this Sacred Heart we should continually strive to unite ours, no longer wishing to have other desires or sentiments than those of Jesus, and then we may be sure that His will and His Sacred Heart may…merge into our heart, and that the two will be as one.

Draw waters at leisure out of the Savior's fountains, you will never exhaust them."

Cardinal St. Peter Damian, Doctor of the Church, c. 1007-c. 1072

“If all shall follow [this Consecration to the Sacred Heart] out with hearty good will, we not unreasonably expect extraordinary and lasting benefits for Christendom in the first place and also for the whole human race…And since there is in the Sacred Heart a symbol and a sensible image of the infinite love of Jesus Christ which moves us to love one another, therefore is it fit and proper that we should consecrate ourselves to His most Sacred Heart, an act which is nothing else than an offering and a binding of oneself to Jesus Christ, seeing that whatever honor, veneration and love is given to this divine Heart is really and truly given to Christ Himself.

…the most Sacred Heart of Jesus, with a cross rising from it and shining forth with dazzling splendor amidst flames of love. In that Sacred Heart all our hopes should be placed, and from it the salvation of men is to be confidently besought.”

Pope Leo XIII

Our Holy Father Pope Leo XIV has said he chose “Leo” because of the inspiration of Pope Leo XIII, who was devoted to the Sacred Heart, particularly after being healed of an illness.  Leo XIII pronounced an encyclical, Annum Sacrum (Sacred Year): “On Consecration To The Sacred Heart,” May 25th, 1899.  This consecration of the whole world to the Sacred Heart, he considered to be his greatest contribution, an excerpt of which is above.  It is beautifully written and well worth reading, rife with deep Christology, mentioning both Saint Augustine and Saint Thomas Aquinas.  Leo XIII also discusses some of his social teaching (regarding Church and state), which everyone is talking about now, since this is what Leo XIV has pointed us towards.  Part of this consecration was the Litany of the Sacred Heart (PDF).  This effort was a completion of the investigation into the Sacred Heart devotion, under Pius IX.  Of course, Saint Margaret Mary of the 17th century, brought forth the Sacred Heart in a profound way, but it was not a new idea.  It is traced back to the Gospel account of the piercing of Our Lord’s Heart, and you can see Saint Peter Damian’s writings above, well before Margaret Mary.  Leo XIII’s encyclical brought this wonderful gift to a great fulfillment for our modern era. 

Pope Pius XII renewed the Vatican’s uplifting of the Sacred Heart with his encyclical, Haurietis Aquas (You Shall Drink the Waters): “On Devotion to the Sacred Heart,” May 15th, 1956.  It is likely he had read Peter Damian’s words above, “Draw waters at leisure out of the Savior's fountains,” and used this as inspiration for the title.  This encyclical is an exhaustive work, having 127 points, as opposed to Leo’s 15 points.  Again, well worth reading, I’m sure (I was able to read Leo’s but this one will be a project for the coming month). 

The theme of the Sacred Heart of Jesus pops up right away this month, on the First Friday, the 6th.  What a fabulous time to begin the “9 First Fridays Devotion to the Sacred Heart!”  This was given to Saint Margaret Mary directly by Our Lord and comes with 12 great promises.  It is longer than the Marian “5 First Saturdays” devotion, but simpler. The 27th is the feast of the Sacred Heart and the 28th is the Immaculate Heart.  It is no accident that the Church placed these feasts together, as Our Lord and His Mother are inseparable.  See these words from Haurietis Aquas…

"In order that favors in greater abundance may flow on all Christians, nay, on the whole human race, from the devotion to the most Sacred Heart of Jesus, let the faithful see to it that to this devotion the Immaculate Heart of the Mother of God is closely joined.

For, by God's Will, in carrying out the work of human Redemption, the Blessed Virgin Mary was inseparably linked with Christ in such a manner that our salvation sprang from the love and the sufferings of Jesus Christ to which the love and sorrows of His Mother were intimately united.

It is, then, entirely fitting that the Christian people, who received the divine life from Christ through Mary, after they have paid their debt of honor to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, should also offer to the most loving Heart of their heavenly Mother, the corresponding acts of piety, affection, gratitude and expiation. Entirely in keeping with this most sweet and wise disposition of divine Providence is the memorable act of consecration by which we ourselves solemnly dedicated Holy Church and the whole world to the spotless Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary."

Pope Pius XII

Theologically related to Jesus’ Heart, is the feast of Corpus Christi on the 19th, as this honors His Body and Blood.  On Sunday the 22nd, we celebrate Corpus Christi once again, so important is this feast (this is a simplified explanation of the 2 feasts).

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June begins with the feast of the Ascension of Our Lord in the post-conciliar calendar, which is effective in most provinces of the US.  (See blog post below for a meditation and litany you can print.)  Pentecost Sunday is the 8th.  The Novena to the Holy Ghost is prayed for 9 days prior (the original “Novena” of the 9 days between the Ascension and the Gift of the Paraclete), but don’t worry if you’re a bit late (see blog post below).  Pentecost has a vigil and an octave in the trad calendar, a week of joy.  Within this octave, we have the Ember Days of Summer on the 11th, 13th and 14th, which temper this octave with prayer and penance for the season.  One week after Pentecost, we have Trinity Sunday, which marks the beginning of “Time After Pentecost” in the trad calendar, extending till Advent.

His Holiness Leo XIV’s pontificate began in the month of Our Lady, who he has shown deep devotion to, and proceeds to the Month of the Sacred Heart, so loved by his patron predecessor.  Let us rejoice in this new day for Holy Mother Church and her children!

Here are some additional feasts, in the trad and post-con calendars:

9th-BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, MOTHER OF THE CHURCH

13th-Saint Anthony of Padua, Doctor of the Church

24th-Nativity of Saint John the Baptist (with vigil)

29th-Saints Peter & Paul, Apostles (with vigil)

30th-Commemoration of Saint Paul / First Martyrs of the Holy Roman Church

Homeschool Activities for June

1)       Draw of picture of the Sacred Heart of Jesus & the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

2)      What are the Ember Days?  Write a short explanation.

3)      Make a craft for the Ember Days, celebrating the season of Summer in a spiritual light.

+++ Cordis Sanctae Iesu, Miserere Nobis! +++

June is the Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

“I promise you in the excessive mercy of My Heart that My all-powerful love will grant to those who receive Holy Communion on the First Fridays in nine consecutive months the grace of final perseverance; they shall not die in My disgrace, nor without receiving their sacraments. My divine Heart shall be their safe refuge in this last moment.”

Our Blessed Lord spoke these words to Saint Margaret Mary, seer of the Sacred Heart and nun of the Visitation Order.  She lived a short life of 43 years, from 1647 to 1690.  Our Dear Jesus asked for Communion on 9 First Fridays in reparation to His merciful Heart and veneration of the image of His Heart.  This parallels Our Lady’s request at Fatima for the 5 First Saturdays Communions of Reparation.   What better time than this June, on the feast of the Sacred Heart, to begin this pious act of love for Our Lord?  This feast is 19 days after Pentecost, always a Friday, and is also a solemnity, so no Friday penance is required.    This year, it falls on June 7th.  The day after, is the feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary…so intimate is the love between these 2 Hearts, Holy Church celebrates them together!

We just celebrated Corpus Christi in the trad on May 30th.  The new celebrates it June 2nd.  The Sacred Heart and the Body and Blood of Christ are one and the same.  Let us renew our devotion to and appreciation for the Holy Eucharist this month.  There is also a non-standard trad feast, the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus, on the 13th…which is also the day we honor Saint Anthony of Padua, friend of Saint Francis of Assisi and seer of the Christ Child.  Our Blessed Lord is distressed at the outrages against His Body and Blood and we must make reparation and do all we can to defend His honor in this great sacrament.  It is one of the greatest sins of our times.  In addition, with geopolitical tensions dramatically increasing in recent days, let us flee to the Sacred Heart and beseech the great mercy and graces contained therein.

Here are some other notable feasts this month:

11th-Saint Barnabas 

24th-Nativity of Saint John the Baptist

26th-Saint Josemaria Escriva, 20th Century Saint

29th-Saints Peter & Paul

The traditional calendar for the month of June:  calefactory.org 

June is the Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

June continues the traditional Ember Days of Summer on the First Friday and First Saturday.  The Masses of these days are beautiful to read.  Of course, First Fridays are dedicated to the Sacred Heart, so, something to think about there.  We have Trinity Sunday and the 2 feasts of Corpus Christi (or Body and Blood of Christ), in the trad and the new.  Very exciting, the back-to-back feasts of our Two Hearts are on the 16th and the 17th (the 16th being a Friday solemnity, no penance). 

Where does one start when contemplating all the devotional riches of the Sacred Heart, which Holy Church has given us?  Here is a great place to start, from The Catholic Encyclopedia:  Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.  This topic is divided into 2 parts:  Doctrinal Explanations and Historical Ideas.

Have a look at the full trad calendar for June:  calefactory.org

And here is a thought to meditate on this coming month.  This came to me today when trying to take a nap and cope with my chronic pain condition.  I thought of a short poem by novelist Gunnel Beckman and changed the words to express what I was feeling.  I felt compelled to share this…

Suffering is only the thorn upon the rose

The broken key

Offering admission to Thine Heart

Saint Margaret Mary, pray for us!

June is the Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

This week, we have talked about “Mary, Mother of the Church” and the Ember Days of Summer in the Octave of Pentecost (prayer and penance for the coming season). What else do we have to look forward to in this Month of June? Let’s look at a sampling, as we normally do….

Trinity Sunday is both an old and new feast. In the old, it marks the end of Eastertide and the beginning of the Season After Pentecost. However, we are still celebrating the Mystery of the Redemption, as we are still in the Easter Cycle, the Second Part of the Liturgical Year. A new Liturgical Year begins at Advent, when we contemplate the Mystery of the Incarnation.

We have several feasts of Our Lord this month and one for Our Lady. I get excited every June, when we celebrate the “back-to-back” feasts of the Sacred Heart and the Immaculate Heart. Let’s think in advance how we will honor these feasts together. We can be celebratory, since the Sacred Heart is a Solemnity! We honor 3 Doctors of the Church and several Apostles as well.

What can we do to give glory to the Sacred Heart of Jesus this month? We can educate ourselves about St. Margaret Mary and the Devotion that was given to her. Please see link on our last post and link below. The Sacred & Immaculate Hearts at EWTN, has a variety of wonderful prayers. One of Our Lord’s “12 Promises of the Sacred Heart” to St. Margaret Mary was:  “I will bless those places wherein the image of my Sacred Heart shall be exposed and venerated.” If you do not already have this image in a place of honor in your home, that would be a great little project this month!

7-Trinity Sunday

9-St. Ephrem of Syria, Doctor

11-Corpus Christi

13-St. Anthony of Padua, Doctor

14-Most Holy Body & Blood of Christ (new version of Corpus Christi), St. Basil the Great, Doctor

18-St. Ephrem of Syria, Doctor (trad)

19-Most Sacred Heart of Jesus-Solemnity, no penance

20-Immaculate Heart of Mary

23-Vigil of St. John the Baptist

24-Nativity of St. John the Baptist (my 25th wedding anniversary:)

26-Sts. John & Paul

27-St. Cyril of Alexandria, Doctor

28-Vigil of Sts. Peter & Paul

29-Sts. Peter & Paul

30-Commemoration of St. Paul

We provide both old and new feasts.

Image courtesy Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in London-please read their page on the Sacred Heart.

June is the Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

My son is home from college...he was just remarking on my strangeness.  He said, "I wouldn't have you any other way, except a little bit different."  Yay.  This is the summer I have to look forward to.

Holy Church dedicates this month to Our Lord's Sacred Heart, His actual LOVE for us!  It is a Love which must be reciprocated.  And we know the way to reciprocate it...by conforming to His Holy Will.  The feast of His Sacred Heart is the 23rd, and the very next day is the feast of His Mother's Immaculate Heart!  They cannot be separated-they are of one fiber.  In addition, we have Corpus Christi and the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus this month.  A great month to perform Sacred Heart devotions and read up on the life of Saint Margaret Mary.

If you have not celebrated the Five First Saturdays, if you start this month, you'll still complete them during the six-month Fatima apparitions time frame.  Of course, this devotion was given to Sister Lucia, the oldest of the Fatima seers, who lived to a ripe old age, while the other two died very young.  We have the glorious feast of Pentecost and the Ember Days during Pentecost Week-let us offer these days for the coming season of summer, to be safe and fruitful for all the world.

Four Marian feasts (five if you count the 13th) and four Doctors of the Church, we honor this month.  Again, we will celebrate our Fatima Holy Hour on the 13th-stay tuned to the Home Page for more details.  Contact us if you would like an email reminder....think about asking your pastor if you can do this Holy Hour in church....I've already been there-you can expect him to say OK only if you will be doing it with a parish group you are already active with.....and please let us know if you participate-you may add your voice to our comments on the 13th-we would love to hear from you!  Here is a sampling of this month's feasts....Happy June!....

6/2-First Friday

6/3-First Saturday (good time to start the First Saturday Devotion, during this Fatima Centennial!)/Vigil of Pentecost (trad no meat)

6/4-Pentecost (commencing Pentecost Week)

6/7-Ember Wednesday After Pentecost (trad meat at one meal)

6/8-Mary, Mediatrix of All Graces

6/9-Ember Friday After Pentecost

6/10-Ember Saturday After Pentecost (trad meat at one meal)

6/11-Trinity Sunday

6/13-100th Anniversary of the Second Apparition at Fatima/St. Anthony of Padua, Doctor of the Church, 1231 (pray for our culture to find its sanity-my son is in college-you won't believe how bad the gender thing has gotten-the stories he tells me are truly stomach-turning...he even knows someone who demands to be referred to as "It!")

6/14-St. Basil the Great, Doctor of the Church, 379 (here's a thought-if you read one book of each of the Doctors of the Church per year, it would take 35 years!...kind of makes you think twice when you pick up a book, huh?)

6/15-Corpus Christi

6/18-Most Holy Body & Blood of Christ/St. Ephrem of Syria, Doctor of the Church, 373

6/20-Our Lady of Consolation

6/22-St. Thomas More, Martyr under Henry VIII, 1535

6/23-Most Sacred Heart of Jesus (Solemnity-no penance)/Vigil of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist

6/24-Immaculate Heart of Mary/Nativity of St. John the Baptist

6/27-Our Lady of Perpetual Help/St. Cyril of Alexandria, Doctor of the Church, 444

6/28-Vigil of Sts. Peter & Paul

6/29-Eucharistic Heart of Jesus/Sts. Peter & Paul

6/30-First Martyrs of the Holy Roman Church/Commemoration of St. Paul

This blog features both old and new feasts.

June is the Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus!

I said in my previous post that you would hear from me again when I could catch my breath.  Actually, I haven't caught my breath yet.  My son came home from college for the summer and its been hectic.  I'm also planning a few trips and just juggling a lot right now.  So I thank you for your patience.  There is nothing I like better than writing blog posts, because I love to hear myself talk, but sometimes the duties of the Long Island housewife must take precedence.  I'm pretty swamped for the next 2 weeks, then I do expect I'll be able to catch my breath again.

I always post the interesting (according to me) feasts of the month on the first day of the month.  I don't have time right now to do this, though I'll get to it within the next few days.  It is the month of the Sacred Heart...please take note that this Friday, June 3rd, is the feast of the Sacred Heart, a solemnity (Friday penance is not required), in both the new and old calendars.  Let us give the Sacred Heart of Our Lord, burning with love for the whole world, special honor this Friday and during the coming month in as many ways as we can....use your creativity (or, as I like to say to my son, "Use the brain God gave you!")....:)  I also always post a special prayer related to the theme of the month on the Home page, usually from a novena...please have a look!  Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy upon us!