By Christina Gray
One day before the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops consecrates the nation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Our Lady of the Pillar Parish in coastal Half Moon Bay will solidify the “kingship of Christ” with a large-scale “enthronement” of participating homes and businesses.
The national consecration will take place on June 11, the eve of the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The consecration is aligned with the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
In a recent letter to pastors, Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone outlined opportunities during the month of June for participating in the National Consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. It includes praying the Novena prayer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus available on the usccb.org website from June 3-11, encouraging Eucharistic adoration after Masses, and watching the live broadcast of the consecration on the website, YouTube, and on EWTN.
Catholic San Francisco learned about the preparations of several local parishes and parishioners for this historic event tied to the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Our Lady of the Pillar Parish
Our Lady of the Pillar parishioner Derek Kulda reported that on June 10, longtime pastor Father Jose Corral and parochial vicar Father Mark Taheny will in a single day travel to more than 70 local homes and businesses to enthrone an image of the Sacred Heart. The day will begin with a morning Mass and the blessing of the images that will be enthroned as an a “outward sign of an inward commitment” to Christ as the center of lives, he said.
The act of consecration is pivotal, said Kulda. “Enthronement without the consecration would simply be placing an image on a wall.” Consecration transforms the gesture into a “covenant of love” that places the entire household or business under the kingship and protection of the Sacred Heart.
Enthronement of the Sacred Heart in the home and workplace is a longstanding practice started by Father Mateo Crawley-Boevey, SSCC, (1875-1961). The Peruvian-born priest promoted the reign of the Sacred Heart in the family home, seeking fulfillment of a promise Jesus made in an apparition to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque in the 17th century. The French Visitation nun and mystic was told that “where my image is exposed and honored, you shall be blessed,” and that He will “establish peace in their homes.”
Kulda and his wife, Juliette, local real estate professionals spearheaded the opening of the parish’s perpetual adoration chapel two years ago. The Kuldas teamed with Catholic colleague Stephanie Dombrowski and OLP parishioner Rachelle Carmony to create a comprehensive large-scale enthronement campaign for the parish.
The campaign, enthusiastically supported by Father Corral and Archbishop Cordileone, includes the creation of a digital guide for parishes and others who may want to follow its lead this year or next. It includes instructions for planning, signups, promotion, the Mass, and field logistics.
“Especially in light of the U.S. bishops formally enthroning the nation to the Sacred Heart this year, we felt called to document this successful process and spread it to others,” said Kulda. “Getting your home or workplace Enthroned to the Sacred Heart of Jesus isn’t just a beautiful Catholic tradition — it’s a spiritual reset button,” reads a web link entitled Instructions for Parishes on how to Execute a Large Scale Enthronement of Homes & Businesses to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The multi-page document explains the history and meaning of the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the 12 promises of devotion, and the history, practice and “fruits of enthronement.”
Another component of the enthronement is the placement of a visible, external witness, in OLP’s case a flag, in the office or home to be honored and venerated.
“We are encouraging our community to fly the Sacred Heart flag as a physical witness to what is happening in our hearts,” said Kulda, who flies the flag outside his headquarters. The flags are “gaining momentum” in the community.
“Now when you drive over Highway 92 you will see many Sacred Heart flags coming into town and throughout the town,” he said.
In a culture where secular symbols are increasingly prevalent in June, “flying the Sacred Heart flag serves as a powerful statement that Christ is King of our world, nation, businesses, homes, and hearts.”
Mater Dolorosa Parish/Legion of Mary
Ando Perlas is a longtime parishioner of Mater Dolorosa Parish in South San Francisco. He is also President of the Legion of Mary’s San Francisco Senatus, a large territorial boundary that encompasses the Archdiocese of San Francisco and six other Western states.
Perlas told Catholic San Francisco that enthronement of homes to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary has been happening for “many years.” In fact, enthronement of the family home to the Sacred Heart of Jesus is one of the three central apostolic works of Legion members.
A pamphlet available at sfsenatus.com outlines the enthronement process for both priests and parishioners, including preparation, prayers, and the 12 Promises of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
“At Mater Dolorosa, we have enthroned the Sacred Heart of Jesus in 12 homes,” he said.
“Families have commented that it made them aware of the presence of Jesus as the center of their home, visually at first, and eventually becoming spiritually more conscious of family prayer,” he said. Some will request an enthronement renewal to reinforce the consecration of the home.
“In addition to the actual rite of enthronement, members of the Legion of Mary will do a short reflection encouraging family members to love God and each other as the Sacred Heart is the symbol of Christ’s love for us.”
Notre Dame des Victories Parish
Notre Dame des Victoires pastor Father Gregory Heidenblut, OSA, will be leading a large-scale enthronement on Sunday, June 7, at his parish. NDDV has prepped images of the Sacred Heart and prayer cards to distribute to families after Mass. At every Mass this weekend, Father Heidenblut will include a consecration prayer in the liturgy blessing the images and enthroning the homes of those who take one and display it in there home. The effort is in coordination with the U.S. bishop’s consecration of the United States to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
The parish is also using Instagram to share daily stories throughout the Novena leading up to the consecration of the United States, as well as to encourage prayer through reposting content from the U.S. bishops.
Photo above: The Kulda Group headquarters is one of several public places in and around Half Moon Bay where the Sacred Heart flag is seen flying. (Photo courtesy of Derek Kulda)
Photo below: Parishioners of Notre Dame des Victoires will receive a blessed image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus from Father Gregory Heidenblut for their homes, along with a prayer card with the U.S. bishops’ Prayer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus on Sunday, June 7. (Photo courtesy of Notre Dame des Victoires Parish)
