There are a number of approaches that can be used to accomplish the goal of increasing devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus in your parish. Regardless of the activities, you decide to undertake, the most important action is to begin in prayer and to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. You should discuss the promotion of the Sacred Heart with your pastor, along with the ideas listed below which best suit your parish, to get his guidance and support. A focused plan can help integrate this very special devotion into the life of your parish.
Select a person that will be on point to promote this devotion – this person would coordinate activities for this devotion within the parish, working with the pastor and parish council. This person would also be the primary contact for Enthronements.com. They can order self-Enthronement kits and work with the Pastor on the best way to promote this. For example, he could do a group blessing of the images after Mass, have them gather on Sunday morning to watch the instructional videos and follow up with discussion and prayer. Here is a link to the videos.- www.welcomeHisHeart.com
Promote Enthronement to the Sacred Heart- Enthronement is “the act of allowing our Lord to reign over our homes, take charge of our affairs, be they spiritual, social and economical”. He is enthroned as King of the family but invited in as a Friend, Brother, and Savior to all who live there. He wants to live amongst all of us, as the unseen, ever-present guest.
Encourage parish members to order Self-Enthronement kits or order them in bulk. An individual packets has a suggested donation price of $20. If 20, or more, kits are ordered each kit is $10 plus shipping. Kits can be ordered at www.welcomeHisHeart.com.
Celebrate the Annual Feast Day of the Sacred Heart- On the Feast of the Sacred Heart, schedule an evening Mass followed by a social event. This year the Feast day falls on Friday, June 19, 2020.
Implement a Preaching Series- Begin a monthly preaching homily on the Sacred Heart of Jesus, or announce a nine-week preaching series. Either of these could lead up to the Enthronement of the parish. As a resource, I recommend reading Enthronement of the Sacred Heart by Fr. Francis Larkin for homily ideas. Here are a few suggested ideas:
- The importance of all families and how the Sacred Heart is a devotion that sets our hearts and homes on fire with His love.
- The importance of friendship with Jesus and how this devotion leads to a greater love for Christ.
- That Jesus wants to be invited into our life, not just meet us here at Mass each week.
Consider Incorporating the Sacred Heart into a Parish Mission- A parish mission is a great way to gather men and women together to help grow this devotion. We would be happy to send Emily Jaminet, our Director, to speak at this event and share with your community about Enthronement. This event would include a brief overview of the history of the devotion, how it relates to family life, and how it can be lived out in today’s secular world. Reach out to Emily directly to discuss this option for your group at info@enthronements.com.
Host a Monthly Family Holy Hour and Celebrate Mass on First Fridays– Other parishes have started to offer a First Friday Family Holy Hour or a special Mass, with a social afterward. These Masses can be followed by Confession for families trying to go to monthly Confession. We recommend the book 20 Holy Hours by Fr. Mateo Crawley-Boevey for beginning this activity. Also, encouraging First Friday Mass allows parishioners to actually live out the devotion for the nine consecutive First Fridays.
Create a Sacred Heart Shrine in your Church- Dedicate a sacred space in your Church where you honor the Sacred Heart of Jesus. This is especially important during the month of June which is dedicated to the Sacred Heart.
Pray a prayer to the Sacred Heart after Mass- Some local parishes pray the “Holy Heart of Jesus Prayer” after each Mass. Prayer cards are placed inside the booklets in the pews. These prayer cards can be purchased in bulk at www.welcomeHisHeart.com
Place Plaques or Images of the Sacred Heart throughout your Parish Buildings and School- Smaller images are perfect for classrooms and parish gathering spaces to remind parishioners that this space is dedicated to the Sacred Heart. Many schools and parishes do this after the Enthronement of the School or Parish.
Share our website link for our Monthly Newsletter in your Bulletin – We publish a monthly newsletter to help people to grow in their love for the Sacred Heart. Parishioners may sign up for this newsletter at www.WelcomeHisHeart.com or www.enthronements.com.
Emily Jaminet
Director of The Sacred Heart Enthronement Network
