Enthronement of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

 

We all know that parishes throughout the world have entrusted themselves to the Sacred Heart of Jesus (ours included). But did you know that this particular devotion is one that you can observe in your own home by enthroning an image of the Sacred Heart? But before we get into that, let’s review the history around this devotion.

 

In the late 1500s and early 1600s, a heavy emphasis was being placed on the justice of God rather than on his mercy. The rise of movements within Protestantism (Calvinism, Puritanism, etc.) and of the Jansenist movement within Catholicism prompted our Lord to remind us of his love for us and of his unending mercy. Throughout the 1670s, he appeared several times to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque. In His apparitions, he made a series of promises (known today as the “12 promises“) whereby he told us through St. Margaret Mary that those would honor and revere his Sacred Heart would receive many special benefits and blessings.

 

The adoption of this devotion by the church was seen during the latter part of the 17th century and included the addition of the Feast of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Litany of the Sacred Heart. But it wasn’t until the early 1900s that the enthronement of the Sacred Heart into one’s home was first developed.

 

On August 24, 1907 Fr. Mateo Crowley-Boevey was praying in the Chapel of the Apparitions at Paray-le-Monial in eastern France (that is, the chapel dedicated to the apparitions of Our Lord to St. Margaret Mary). He had been taken gravely ill while working to establish a Catholic law school in Chile, and was sent to France in order to recover. While praying that night, experienced a complete healing and a deeper understanding of how this devotion could bring about a revival in the hearts of Catholics.

 

In his own words:

 

“I prayed, and suddenly I felt within myself a strange shock. I was struck by a blow of grace, at the same time very strong, yet infinitely gentle. When I arose, I was completely cured. Then, kneeling in the sanctuary, absorbed in an act of thanksgiving, I understood what Our Lord wished of me. That very evening I conceived the plan to reconquer the world home by home, family by family for the love of the Heart of Jesus.”

 

Fr. Mateo developed the idea of concentrating the home to the Sacred Heart, and established the process by which this could be done. The concept is simple: in order to receive the blessings and promises of the Sacred Heart, we should have a ceremony wherein the family proclaims that Jesus Christ is the king of their home. There are only two conditions which must be met. First, the mother and father must be sacramentally married in the church, and second, that the family is sincerely committed to living a Christian life, following Our Lord‘s commandments and to serving Him.

 

The consecration ceremony is performed in the home by the parish priest, (or in extreme circumstances, by the father of the family). During the ceremony, an image of the Sacred Heart is placed in a prominent location in the main room of the home by the father of the family. The image must not be placed in a hallway or back bedroom, so that any guest entering the home will be able to see that it is a Catholic home, and that the family has chosen to consecrate it, and themselves, to Our Lord. The priest blesses the image, then leads the family in a special prayer, after which the family will recite the Creed and other prayers. There are several different versions of the consecration ceremony to choose from, and it is recommended to be done after the family has attended Mass and received Holy Communion. The ceremony only needs to be performed once by a priest, even if the family moves. Remember that it is the home which is being concentrated, not the house! But it is also recommended that the consecration be renewed periodically by the family, particularly annually on the Feast of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.

 

It is important to be mindful that this isn’t done simply for bragging rights, or to show off one’s piety. When we enthrone the Sacred Heart in our homes, we must also remember that it is our responsibility to do what we can to avoid undermining the Kingship of Christ. We must keep our homes free from evil and sinful things in deference to our Lord. As parents, we must ensure that we are leading virtuous lives and being examples of faith and virtue to our children. We must be mindful of things which may enter our home through television, the internet, and even through books, and govern our eyes and our ears so as to avoid introducing evil into our lives. Our Lord is more merciful and generous than we can ever imagine, but still we must do our part.

 

For more information on the ceremony itself, there are several resources available on the internet, including SacredHeartSisters.org and CatholicTradition.org.