Enthronement of the Sacred Heart

Preliminary Steps before the Ceremony

1. Learn what it is and how important it is. Click the booklet to order the enthronement booklet from the Mary Immaculate Queen Center. See, also, the Overnight Adoration in the Home booklet, written by the Founder of the Enthronement and Apostle of the Sacred Heart Father Mateo, which he recommends is prayed by at least one member of the family in front of the throne monthly. enthronement booklet

2. Set a date for the Enthronement in agreement with the Pastor. It is desirable to have a priest preside at the ceremony, but it is not essential to gain the indulgences. For serious reasons, the father, or someone else may preside and lead the prayers. In any case, please consult the appropriate parish priest.

3. If possible, assist at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and offer it that morning for the reign of the Sacred Heart in your home, and as an act of love and reparation to the Sacred Heart. The entire family should try to receive Communion at this Mass, or at another Mass.

4. Obtain as beautiful a picture or statue of the Sacred Heart as possible. If you already have a picture, use that one. [Suitable pictures may be obtained reasonably at a local Catholic shop or on the web.]

5. Below the place of honor reserved for the statue or picture, prepare a "throne" or "altar," that is to say, a table [or perhaps the mantelpiece] covered with a white cloth, beautifully decorated with flowers and candles. The picture or statue should be placed on a small table near this "throne" before the ceremony.

6. Invite your relatives and friends to be present; thus you will already begin to be an "apostle of the Sacred Heart." Have a family party after the ceremony, with a special treat for the children, who, of, course, should be present at the ceremony ---- even the smallest.

7. Make this day one of the outstanding events of the family life ---- one long to be remembered. The greater the solemnity, the better and celebrate the anniversary of the Enthronement each year with a reaffirmation of your commitment to the Sacred Heart.

    Note: Even though your home has been consecrated to the Sacred Heart, you may still have the Enthronement, as the two are not the same.

The Ceremony

1. All gather around the image of the Sacred Heart; father, mother and children nearest to the priest.

2. Priest, in surplice and white stole, blesses the image. [If no priest is present; have the image blessed beforehand.]

The Blessing of a Picture or Statue of the Sacred Heart
        V. Adjutorium nostrum in nomine Domini.
        R. Qui fecit coelum et terram.
        V. Dominus vobiscum.
        R. Et cum spiritu tuo.

        Oremus. Omnipotens sempiterne Deus, qui sanctorum tuorum imagines pingi non reprobas, ut quoties illas oculis corporia intuemur, toties eorum actus et sanctitatern ad imitandum memoriae oculis meditemur, hanc quaesumus, imaginem in honorem et memoriam Sacratissimi Cordis Unigeniti Filii tui Domini Nostri Jesu Christi adaptatam bene + dicere et sancti + ficare digneris; et praesta ut quicumque coram illa, Cor Sacratissimum Unigeniti Filii tui suppliciter colere et honorare studuerit, illius meritis et obtentu a te gratiam in praesenti, et aeternam gloriam obtineat in futurum. Per Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.

        V. Our help is in the name of the Lord.
        R. Who made Heaven and earth.
        V. The Lord be with you.
        R. And with thy spirit.

        Let us pray. Almighty and everlasting God, who dost approve the painting and sculpturing of the images of Thy Saints, so that as often as we gaze upon them we are reminded to imitate their deeds and sanctity; vouchsafe, we implore Thee, to bless and sanctify this image made in honor and in memory of the Most Sacred Heart of Thy only begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ; and grant, that whosoever in its presence, will suppliantly worship and honor the Most Sacred Heart of Thy only begotten Son, may obtain through His merits and intercession grace in this life and everlasting glory in the world to come. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

[The priest here sprinkles the image with holy water]

3. Then the father [or in his absence, the mother or some other member of the family] enthrones the image in the place of honor prepared for it. This is the symbolic act of Enthronement.

4. All stand while the Apostle's Creed is recited as an act of faith on the part of the family.

5. Everyone is seated while the priest addresses a few words to those present, reminding the members of the family of what the Sacred Heart expects from families which have acknowledged Him as King; recalling the magnificent promises of the Sacred Heart; urging the family to live its Enthronement and frequently to renew the act of consecration which they are about to make.

6. All kneel, while the priest and the father [or father alone, or his representative] recite the official Act of Consecration of the Human Race to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.


    Act of Consecration of the Human Race
    to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

        Most sweet Jesus, Redeemer of the human race, look down upon us humbly prostrate before Thy altar. We are Thine, and Thine we wish to be; but, to be more surely united with Thee, behold each one of us freely consecrates himself today to Thy Most Sacred Heart. Many indeed have never known Thee; many too, despising Thy precepts, have rejected Thee. Have mercy on them all, most merciful Jesus, and draw them to Thy Sacred Heart.

        Be Thou King, O Lord, not only of the faithful who have never forsaken Thee, but also of the prodigal children who have abandoned Thee; grant that they may quickly return to their Father's house lest they die of wretchedness and hunger.

        Be Thou King of those who are deceived by erroneous opinions, or whom discord keeps aloof; call them back to the harbor of truth and unity of faith, so that soon there may be but one flock and one Shepherd.

        Be Thou King of all those who are still involved in the darkness of idolatry or of Islamism; refuse not to draw them all into the light and kingdom of God. Turn Thine eyes of mercy toward the children of that race, once Thy chosen people: of old they called down upon themselves the Blood of the Savior; may it now descend upon them a laver of redemption and of life.

        Grant, O Lord, to Thy Church assurance of freedom and immunity from harm; give peace and order to all nations, and make the earth resound from pole to pole with one cry: Praise to the Divine Heart that wrought our salvation; to It be glory and Honor forever. Amen.

      Saint Andrew Daily Missal, p. 1906, Indulgence of 300 days each time it is said. On the feast of Christ the King and the Sacred Heart of Jesus, when solemnly read with the Litany of the Sacred Heart before the Blessed Sacrament exposed one can gain 7 years indulgence and 7 quarantines, and a plenary indulgence supposing Confession and Holy Communion. The Act of Reparation below carries the same indulgence but only on the Feast of the Sacred Heart. This is the official text first composed by Father Ladislaus, SS.CC., and approved by His Holiness Pope Saint Pius X at the request of the Procurator General of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts by Rescript of May 19, 1908. It was made obligatory to gain the indulgences of an Enthronement by a decision of the Sacred Penitentiary on March 1, 1918. [A.A.8. April 1, 1918, II. 154.]

    Act of Reparation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

        O sweet Jesus, Whose overflowing charity for men is requited by so much forgetfulness, negligence and contempt, behold us prostrate before Thy altar eager to repair by a special act of homage the cruel indifference and injuries, to which Thy loving Heart is everywhere subject.

        Mindful alas! that we ourselves have had a share in such great indignities, which we now deplore from the depths of our hearts, we humbly ask Thy pardon and declare our readiness to atone by voluntary expiation not only for our own personal offenses, but also for the sins of those, who, straying far from the path of salvation, refuse in their obstinate infidelity to follow Thee, their Shepherd and Leader, or, renouncing the vows of their baptism, have cast off the sweet yoke of Thy Law.

        We are now resolved to expiate each and every deplorable outrage committed against Thee; we are determined to make amends for the manifold offenses against Christian modesty in unbecoming dress and behavior, for all the foul seductions laid to ensnare the feet of the innocent, for the frequent violations of Sundays and holidays, and the shocking blasphemies uttered against Thee and Thy Saints.

       We wish also to make amends for the insults to which Thy priests are subjected, for the profanation, by conscious neglect or terrible acts of sacrilege, of the very Sacrament of Thy Divine Love; and lastly for the public crimes of nations who resist the rights and teaching authority of the Church which Thou hast founded.

        Would, O divine Jesus, we were able to wash away such abominations with our blood. We now offer, in reparation for these violations of Thy divine honor, the satisfaction Thou didst once make to Thy eternal Father on the cross and which Thou dost continue to renew daily on our altars; we offer it in union with the acts of atonement of Thy Virgin Mother and all the Saints and of the pious faithful on earth; and we sincerely promise to make recompense, as far as we can with the help of Thy grace, for all neglect of Thy great love and for the sins we and others have committed in the past. Henceforth we will live a life of unwavering faith, of purity of conduct, of perfect observance of the precepts of the gospel and especially that of charity. We promise to the best of our power to prevent others from offending Thee and to bring as many as possible to follow Thee.

        O loving Jesus, through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, our model in reparation, deign to receive the voluntary offering we make of this act of expiation; and by the crowning gift of perseverance keep us faithful unto death in our duty and the allegiance we owe to Thee, so that we may one day come to that happy home, where Thou with the Father and the Holy Ghost livest and reignest God, world without end. Amen.

    Act of Consecration by Family to the Sacred Heart

    [Recited by the priest and the father together, or father alone, or representative, if no priest is present. At the time that this ceremony was approved by the Holy See, this Act was also mandatory for the indulgence.]

          O Sacred Heart of Jesus, * who didst make known to St. Margaret Mary Thine ardent desire to reign over Christian families, * behold us assembled here today * to proclaim Thine absolute dominion over our home.

          Henceforth we purpose to lead a life like unto Thine, * so that amongst us may flourish the virtues * for which Thou didst promise peace on earth, * and for this end * we will banish from our midst * the spirit of the world which Thou dost abhor so much.

          Thou wilt reign over our understanding * by the simplicity of our faith. Thou wilt reign over our hearts * by an ardent love for Thee; * and may the flame of this love * be kept burning in our hearts * by the frequent reception of the Holy Eucharist.

          Deign, O Divine Heart, * to preside over our meetings, * to bless our undertakings, both spiritual and temporal, * to banish all worry and care, * to sanctify our joys * and soothe our sorrows. * If any of us * should ever have the misfortune to grieve Thy Sacred Heart, * remind him of Thy goodness and mercy * toward the repentant sinner.

          Lastly * when the hour of separation will sound * and death will plunge our home into mourning, * then shall we all and everyone of us * be resigned to Thy eternal decrees, * and seek consolation in the thought * that we shall one day be reunited in Heaven, * where we shall sing the praises and blessings of Thy Sacred Heart * for all eternity.

          May the Immaculate Heart of Mary * and the glorious Patriarch St. Joseph * offer Thee this our Consecration, * and remind us of the same * all the days of our life. * Glory to the Divine Heart of Jesus, * our King and our Father!

7. The priest here asks those present to say with him ONE Our Father and Hail Mary for all the absent members, both living and dead, so that all may share in the graces of the Enthronement.

8. All recite with the priest [or head of the family] the following:

    Prayer of Thanksgiving

          Glory be to Thee, * O Sacred Heart of Jesus, * for the infinite mercy Thou hast bestowed * upon the privileged members of this family. * Thou hast chosen it from thousands of others, * as a recipient of Thy love * and a sanctuary of reparation * wherein Thy most loving Heart shall find consolation * for the ingratitude of men. * How great, O Lord Jesus, * is the confusion of this portion of Thy faithful flock * as we accept the unmerited honor * of seeing Thee preside over our family!

          Silently we adore Thee, * overjoyed to see Thee sharing * under the same roof * the toils, cares and joys of Thy children! * It is true, we are not worthy * that Thou shouldst enter our humble abode, * but Thou hast already reassured us, * when Thou didst reveal Thy Sacred Heart to us, * teaching us to find in the wound of Thy Sacred Side * the source of grace and life everlasting. * In this loving and trusting spirit * we give ourselves to Thee, * Thou who art unchanging Life. * Remain with us, Most Sacred Heart, * for we feel an irresistible desire * to love Thee and make Thee loved.

          May our home be for Thee * a haven as sweet as that of Bethany, * where Thou canst find rest * in the midst of loving friends, * who like Mary * have chosen the better part * in the loving intimacy of Thy Heart! * May this home be for Thee, * O beloved Savior, * a humble but hospitable refuge * during the exile imposed on Thee by Thine enemies.

          Come, then, Lord Jesus, come, * for here as at Nazareth, * we have a tender love for the Virgin Mary, Thy sweet Mother * whom Thou hast given us to be our Mother. * Come, * to fill with Thy sweet presence the vacancies * which misfortune and death have wrought in our midst.

          O most faithful Friend, * hadst Thou been here * in the midst of sorrow, * our tears would have been less bitter; * the comforting balm of peace * would then have soothed these hidden wounds, * which are known to Thee alone. * Come, for even now perhaps, * there is drawing near for us * the twilight of tribulation, * and the decline of the passing days * of our youth and our illusions. * Stay with us, * for already it is late, * and a perverted world seeks to envelop us * in the darkness of its denials * while we wish to adhere to Thee * who alone art the Way * the Truth * and the Life. * Repeat for us those words * Thou didst utter of old: * "This day I must abide in this home."

          Yes, dear Lord, * take up Thy abode with us, * so that we may live in Thy love * and in Thy presence, * we who proclaim Thee as our King * and wish no other! * May Thy triumphant Heart, O Jesus, * be forever loved, * blessed, * and glorified * in this home! * Thy Kingdom Come! Amen!

9. [All stand] To thank the Immaculate Heart of Mary for the grace of the Enthronement, and to proclaim this loving Mother as the Queen of the home, all recite the Hail Holy Queen (Salve Regina).

[It is also suggested, the Act of Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary
be prayed here, and her image installed near the Sacred Heart.]

      Consecration to the IHM

          O Immaculate Heart of Mary, Queen of Heaven and Earth, and tender Mother of men, in accordance with thy ardent wish made known at Fatima, I consecrate to thy Immaculate Heart myself, my brethren, my country and the whole human race.

          Reign over us, Most Holy Mother of God, and teach us how to make the Heart of Thy Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ reign and triumph in us even as It has reigned and triumphed in thee. Reign over us, dearest Mother, that we may be thine in prosperity and in adversity; in joy and in sorrow; in health and in sickness; in life and in death.

          O most compassionate Heart of Mary, Queen of Virgins, watch over our minds and our hearts and preserve them from the deluge of impurity which thou didst lament so sorrowfully at Fatima. We want to be pure like thee. We want to atone for the many sins committed against Jesus and thee. We want to call down upon our country and the whole world the peace of God in justice and charity.

          Therefore, we now promise to imitate thy virtues by the practice of a Christian life without regard to human respect. We resolve to receive Holy Communion on the First Saturday of every month and to offer thee five decades of the rosary each day together with our sacrifices in a spirit of reparation and penance. Amen.

      Act of Reparation to the Immaculate Heart

          Most Holy Virgin, and our beloved Mother, we listen with grief to the complaints of thy Immaculate Heart, surrounded with thorns which ungrateful men place therein at every moment by their blasphemies and ingratitude. Moved by the ardent desire of loving thee as our Mother and of promoting true devotion to thy Immaculate Heart, we prostrate ourselves at thy feet to prove the sorrow we feel for the grief that men cause thee and to atone by means of our prayers and sacrifices for the offenses with which men return thy tender love.

          Obtain for them and for us the pardon of so many sins. A word from thee will obtain grace and forgiveness for us all. Hasten O Lady, the conversion of sinners, that they may love Jesus and cease to offend God, already so much offended, and thus avoid eternal punishment. Turn thine eyes of mercy toward us so that henceforth we may love God with all our hearts while on earth and enjoy Him forever in Heaven. Amen.

      10. Finish up with the short ejaculations:

        Most Sacred Heart of Jesus: Have mercy on us! [3 times]
        Immaculate Heart of Mary: Pray for us.
        St. Joseph: Pray for us.
        St. Margaret Mary: Pray for us.
        [ALL] Glory to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus forever and ever! Amen.

11. The priest gives his blessing: May the blessing of Almighty God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, descend upon you and remain forever. Amen.

12. Then the members of the family and the priest sign the Certificate of the Enthronement, which should be framed and hung near the image of the Sacred Heart or kept in the family vault.

After the ceremony, send in name and address of family to a Local Center or to the National Center. Give date of ceremony, name of officiating priest, if any, and parish. The last known address for the national center as printed on an older booklet is:

          National Enthronement Center
          3 Adams Street
          Fairhaven, MA 02719
For more information, call the Center at 508-999-2680.

Devotional Family Practice

   The ceremony of the Enthronement is only the beginning; the following practices of devotion will help you LIVE the Enthronement. This is the TRUE reign of the Sacred Heart in our family. The consecration should be renewed on:

    1. The Feasts of Sacred Heart and Christ the King

    2. Anniversary of the Enthronement.

    3. Anniversaries of parents and children.

    4. At births; after Baptism in the church consecrate the children to the Sacred Heart before the "throne" in the home.

    5. At First Communion: prepare the children before the image of the Sacred Heart in the home. When they return from church, let the children renew the act of consecration made for them by parents at birth.

    6. Before a departure from home: to join army, convent, seminary, or before marriage for there is no more appropriate way for a young couple to begin their married life, than to enthrone the Sacred Heart in their new home.

    7. On the return of an absent member of family.

    8. On days of great family joys: in times of sorrow, sickness and death.

   In addition, the following times are important to reaffirm your commitment:

1. Frequent and even daily attendance at Mass by at least one member of the family, and Communion of Reparation.

2. Observance of the First Friday of each month. [Holy Mass, Communion of Reparation: renewal of act of consecration before enthroned image.]

3. Daily Family Rosary before the enthroned image of the Sacred Heart, with renewal of the act of consecration.

4. Celebration of the Feast of the Sacred Heart by the entire family; attendance at Mass, Communion for the extension of the Reign of the Sacred Heart through the Enthronement; family gathering and celebration at home, with renewal of Enthronement; special party for the children.

5. Observe the month of June, the month of the Sacred Heart; keep flowers before the "throne." Mass and Communion as often as possible.

6. Assist at Holy Hour in Church.

7. Night Adoration in the home. Any hour between 9 and 6, by any one or all the members of the family at least once a month.

8. Celebrate the Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary on the 22nd of August. Mass, Communion; Consecration of Family to Immaculate Heart.

9. Make the five First Saturdays in reparation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and for the conversion of Russia; Holy Mass and Communion of reparation; five decades of the Rosary plus a fifteen minute meditation on the fifteen mysteries of the Rosary. The Rosary and meditation may be carried out at any hour on the First Saturday; a sermon in church will satisfy the obligation of the meditation.

    Renewal of the Consecration of the Family

    [To be said at night prayer in union with all families in which the Sacred Heart has been enthroned.]

          Most sweet Jesus, humbly kneeling at Thy feet, we renew the consecration of our family to Thy Divine Heart. Be Thou our King forever! In Thee we have full and entire confidence. May Thy spirit penetrate our thoughts, our desires, our words and our works. Bless our undertakings, share in our joys, in our trials and in our labors. Grant us to know Thee better, to love Thee more, to serve Thee without faltering.

          By the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Queen of Peace, set up Thy kingdom in our country. Enter closely into the midst of our families and make them Thine own through the solemn enthronement of Thy Sacred Heart, so that soon one cry may resound from home to home: "May the triumphant Heart of Jesus be everywhere loved, blessed and glorified forever!" Honor and glory to the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary!

    A Prayer for the Christian Family

          O God of goodness and mercy, to Thy fatherly protection we commend our family, our household and all that belongs to us. We commit all to Thy love and keeping; do Thou fill this house with Thy blessings even as Thou didst fill the holy house of Nazareth with Thy presence. Keep far from us, above all things, the taint of sin, and do Thou alone reign in our midst by Thy law, by Thy most holy love and by the exercise of every Christian virtue. Let each one of us obey Thee, love Thee and set himself to imitate in his own life Thine example, that of Mary, Thy Mother and our Mother most loving, and that of Thy blameless guardian, Saint Joseph.

          Preserve us and our house from all evils and misfortunes, but grant that we may be ever resigned to Thy Divine will even in the sorrows which it shall please Thee to send us. Finally give us all the grace to live in perfect harmony and in the fulness of love toward our neighbor. Grant that every one of us may deserve by a holy life the comfort of Thy holy Sacraments at the hour of death. O Jesus, bless us and protect us.

          O Mary, Mother of grace and of mercy, defend us against the wicked spirit, reconcile us with Thy Son, commit us to His keeping, that so we may be made worthy of His promises. St. Joseph, foster father of our Savior, guardian of His holy Mother, head of the Holy Family, intercede for us, bless us and defend our home at all times. Amen.


      Novena to the Sacred Heart

         O, Jesus, Who hast said: "Ask, and you shall receive; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you." Behold, I knock, I seek, and I ask that my prayer be granted (mention your petition).

      Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be
      Sacred Heart of Jesus, I put my trust in Thee.

         O, Jesus, Who hast said: "All that you ask of the Father in My Name, He will grant you." Behold, in Thy Name, I ask the Father that my prayer be granted (mention your petition).

      Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be
      Sacred Heart of Jesus, I put my trust in Thee.

      O, Jesus, Who hast said: "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My Words shall not pass away." Behold, encouraged by Thy infallible words, I ask that my prayers be granted (mention your petition again).

      Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be
      Sacred Heart of Jesus, I put my trust in Thee.

      O, Sacred Heart of Jesus, to Whom one thing alone is impossible, namely, not to have compassion on those who are afflicted. Have pity on us poor, miserable sinners, and grant us the grace which we ask of Thee through the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, Thine and our tender Mother.

      Hail, Holy Queen.

      St. Joseph, foster father of Jesus, pray for us.

        Litany of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
      • Lord, have mercy on us.
      • Christ, have mercy on us.
      • Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, hear us.
      • Christ, graciously hear us.
      • God, the Father of Heaven, have mercy on us.
      • God, the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
      • God, the Holy Ghost, 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 Ghost in the womb of the Virgin Mother, have mercy on us.
      • Heart of Jesus, substantially united to the Word of God, have mercy on us.
      • Heart of Jesus, of infinite majesty, have mercy on us.
      • Heart of Jesus, sacred 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, burning furnace of charity, have mercy on us.
      • Heart of Jesus, abode of justice and love, have mercy on us.
      • Heart of Jesus, full of goodness and love, have mercy on us.
      • Heart of Jesus, abyss of all virtues, have mercy on us.
      • Heart of Jesus, most worthy of all praise, have mercy on us.
      • Heart of Jesus, king and center of all hearts, have mercy on us.
      • Heart of Jesus, in Whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, have mercy on us.
      • Heart of Jesus, in Whom dwells the fullness of divinity, have mercy on us.
      • Heart of Jesus, in Whom the Father was well-pleased, have mercy on us.
      • Heart of Jesus, of Whose fullness we have all received, have mercy on us.
      • Heart of Jesus, desire of the everlasting hills, have mercy on us.
      • Heart of Jesus, patient and most merciful, have mercy on us.
      • Heart of Jesus, enriching all who invoke Thee, have mercy on us.
      • Heart of Jesus, fountain of life and holiness, have mercy on us.
      • Heart of Jesus, propitiation for our sins, have mercy on us.
      • Heart of Jesus, loaded down with opprobrium, have mercy on us.
      • Heart of Jesus, bruised for our offenses, have mercy on us.
      • Heart of Jesus, obedient unto death, have mercy on us.
      • Heart of Jesus, pierced with 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 for sin, have mercy on us.
      • Heart of Jesus, salvation of those who trust in Thee, have mercy on us.
      • Heart of Jesus, hope of those who die in Thee, have mercy on us.
      • Heart of Jesus, delight of all the saints, have mercy on us.
      • Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, spare us, O Lord.
      • Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, O Lord.
      • Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
        V. Jesus, meek and humble of heart.
        R. Make our hearts like unto Thine.

        Let us pray: Almighty and eternal God, look upon the Heart of Thy dearly beloved Son and upon the praise and satisfaction He offers Thee in the name of sinners. And, being appeased, grant pardon to those who seek Thy mercy in the Name of the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, One God, world without end. Amen.

The Founder and Apostle of the Enthronement

    Father Mateo Crawley-Boevey, SS.CC. was the Founder of the Work of the Enthronement of the Sacred Heart in the home. He was born in Peru, South America, on September 18, 1875. At the age of sixteen he joined the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary in Valparaiso, Chile, and applied himself with great zeal to promoting devotion to the Sacred Heart. Animated with the desire to make more effective the promises of the Sacred Heart to St. Margaret Mary, he conceived the idea of drawing families closer to Jesus, the King of Love, by placing the image of His Sacred Heart in a place of honor in the home and thus bringing the family's life into intimate relations with Him.

    In 1907, a breakdown in health sent him on a trip to Europe. After visiting the Motherhouse of his Congregation in Belgium, he went to Paray-le-Monial in France, overjoyed at being able to realize his desire to visit the scene of the apparitions of the Sacred Heart to St. Margaret Mary. He then went to Rome, where he submitted to a prominent Cardinal an outline of his proposed apostolate for the social reign of the Sacred Heart, together with a rough outline of the ceremonial of the Enthronement. Being greatly encouraged by this prince of the Church, Father Mateo next sought and obtained a private audience with Pope Pius X, who in turn gave his whole-hearted approval and "commanded" the young priest to devote his life to this magnificent work.

    Receiving this "command" as a mandate from Heaven, Father Mateo at once prepared to carry out his commission, with the approval and blessing of his Superior General. First he returned to Paray-le-Monial to give thanks for this singular grace and to implore light and guidance as well as the necessary health for his mission. As he knelt in prayer at this hallowed spot, a strange sensation suddenly gripped his whole being, and he rose to his feet, perfectly cured. At the same time a clear methodic plan of the work took shape in his mind. It was August 24, 1907. That same evening, he drew up his plan "to conquer the whole world for the Heart of Jesus, home after home, family after family."

    After making a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, Father Mateo returned to Valparaiso, where he resumed his post of teaching in the school conducted by his religious community. At the same time he inaugurated his crusade for the Enthronement of the Sacred Heart in the home. The work was attended with remarkable blessings ---- clearly indicating that it was truly the work of the Sacred Heart. Fallen-aways returned to the Sacraments, notorious sinners [including enemies of the Church] were converted, the spiritual life of the whole parish was renewed.

    With the help of many "secretaries" ---- principally children, at first ---- letters were sent to various countries and brought an enthusiastic response. Father Mateo himself embarked on a crusade, literally traversing the world to "preach love," as he expressed it. South America, Spain, France, Portugal, Italy, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Belgium, Holland, England, Scotland, China, Japan, Indo-China, India, Ceylon, the Philippines and Hawaii, and finally the United States and Canada, came under the sway of his fiery eloquence, and responded magnanimously to his appeal "for love for the Beggar of Love." Some of these countries he visited twice and even three times, in response to pressing invitations from the hierarchy and clergy.

    In his world-wide crusade, Father Mateo's heart and soul, mind and body, combined in a heroic effort to do the maximum amount of good to the greatest possible number of souls. He preached retreat after retreat, usually giving four sermons a day of one hour each. In his younger years he frequently preached as often as eight times a day. In later years he at times showed signs of great fatigue, but when he rose to speak, his burning love for the Sacred Heart sent a magic current of life into his exhausted body and he spoke with astounding energy and volume of voice.

    Along with the Enthronement, Father Mateo promoted Night Adoration in the home as a means of intensifying the devotion of families to the Sacred Heart and of offering reparation to Him, especially for sins committed in and by families. He also found time to write books of devotion and various treatises on the Enthronement, as well as periodical circular letters aimed at stimulating the fervor of his fellow-workers in the apostolate.

    In the course of time, the work of the Enthronement was efficiently organized by the establishment of Enthronement Centers in each country, where priests, religious and zealous lay persons work enthusiastically in promoting both the Enthronement and the Night Adoration. In 1917, the Benedictine Convent of Perpetual Adoration at Clyde, Missouri, became the first authorized Center in the United States, outside the one operated by the Sisters of the Sacred Hearts at Fairhaven, Massachusetts.

    Each of the four Popes who reigned during the life of Father Mateo gave his full approbation and blessing to the Work: St. Pius X, Benedict XV, Pius XI, and Pius XII.

    Styling himself the "beggar of love for the King of Love," Father Mateo spent himself unstintingly for the reign of the Sacred Heart over hearts and homes and nations. But he did not seek to attain this end by preaching alone. Rather, his preaching was ever the fruit of prayer, sacrifice and suffering, upon which he depended for the fruitfulness of his apostolate. He also used to very good effect the literary talent with which God had endowed him. But the paramount reality in his life, the sun and center of all his days and the source from which he drew light and strength and inspiration, was the holy Sacrifice of the Mass. To see him celebrate the Sacred Mysteries was in itself a seen more eloquent than any he could preach. He also insisted upon a living, loving devotion to the Holy Spirit, the source of all interior light and supernatural inspiration.

    Worn out by his incessant labors and by the ravages of various ailments, as well as by the weakness of advancing age, Father Mateo was forced, at length, to give up his preaching apostolate. In the fall of 1946 he was confined to a hospital in Canada, and the remaining years of his life were spent for the most part in his "cloister of the Divine Will," his own term for a hospital. Nevertheless, he continued his crusade of love by writing, praying, and suffering. He still made his Holy Hour each night, and daily offered Holy Mass seated at an improvised altar in one of his hospital rooms, using a privilege granted him by Pope Pius XI some years before. In time, even this became impossible because of his physical condition, and it was one of the greatest privations of his life not to be able to offer the Mass.

    In 1956, to the surprise of all who knew him, he rallied sufficiently to return by plane to the monastery of the Sacred Hearts in Valparaiso, Chile, from which he had set forth some forty years before. For a time he seemed marvelously renewed in strength and health, but old age and chronic illness continued their ravages, and he died on May 4, 1960, after months of intense suffering ---- a veritable crucifixion, and yet a great blessing from Heaven, sparing him of what loomed on the horizon: the heresies of Vatican II.

    Regarding his well-beloved apostolate, Father Mateo once wrote to a friend: "If you should hear that I have become paralyzed, that I am no longer able to preach, to write, to walk, do not say, 'What of his mission?" No, for as long as I have a heart to love and a body to suffer, I will still be an apostle. I would not then be preaching four or five times a day, but a hundred times, on the cross. In life and in death I will be an apostle, for I love Him, I love Him, I LOVE Him! In sickness and in health, I will be an apostle, for I want all to love Him, to love Him, to LOVE Him!"

    As mentioned above he was given a special appropation from Pope Pius XI. Here below is that letter:

    Pontifical Letter of Approbation

    To Our Beloved Son,
    MATEO CRAWLEY-BOEVEY,
    Priest of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary

    Beloved Son, Health and Apostolic Benediction!

    We have read your letter with interest; also the documents that accompanied it. They give proof of the zealous and untiring labors with which you have devoted yourself, for many years, to the work of consecrating families to the Sacred Heart of Jesus in this particular manner: by placing an image or painting of the Sacred Heart in the most prominent place in the home, as on a throne, as a sign that Our Lord reigns visibly in these families.

    Already Our Predecessor, Leo XIII, of blessed memory, consecrated the whole human race to the Divine Heart of Jesus, and his encyclical Annum Sacrum upon this subject is well known. Nevertheless, it seems that even after this general consecration, the devotion extending to individual families is not without benefit; on the contrary it is in perfect accordance with the former, and can only contribute greatly to the realization of the pious intentions of that Pontiff of blessed memory.

    What concerns every single individual affects Us more deeply, indeed, than what is of general interest. Therefore, We rejoice that your efforts in this regard have brought such abundant fruit. We exhort you to continue zealously in the apostolate you have so successfully begun. At present nothing Is more timely.

    The malicious efforts of the wicked are specially directed against the home, the family circle. Since the family contains the root, the elements of civil society, the enemies realize well that the hoped-for transformation or rather the hoped-for destruction of all human society cannot take place before the ruin of the family is accomplished. Every effort is being made to weaken the firmness and indissolubility of the marriage bond and to prevent our youth from coming under religious influence. Wickedness goes so far as to endanger the very propagation of the human race, and to defile the sanctity of matrimonial life by praising shameful practices for the gratification of lust which frustrate the rights of the laws of nature.

    You do well, therefore, beloved son, to take in hand the welfare of society to awaken and spread above all things a Christian spirit in the home that the love of Jesus Christ may permeate the families, and His love reign there like a queen. By so doing you obey Jesus Christ Himself Who promised to pour out His blessings on those homes where a picture of His Sacred Heart is exposed and venerated.

    It is a holy and salutary work to show our most loving Savior this honor and homage; yet, all is not accomplished thereby. Of equal importance it is to know Christ, to take to heart His doctrine. His life, His Passion, His glorification. To follow Him does not consist in being guided by passing religious sentiments which easily touch tender hearts and move to tears but leave vices unchecked. To follow Christ means to grasp Him with a lively and constant faith which at the same time influences heart and mind, and regulates our morals. Indeed, the very reason why Jesus is forgotten by so many, and so little loved by others, is that to some He is almost unknown and by others not known sufficiently.

    Continue, then, beloved son, your labors and your apostolate, in order to enkindle the flames of love for the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Catholic families. Above all, let your efforts and labors tend to this ---- it is Our will ---- that to every home where you apply, this love may come as a result of the knowledge of Jesus Christ, and of the truths and laws which He has given us.

    In 1913, Our Predecessor, Pius X, of blessed memory, granted special privileges at the request of the bishops of Chile to the families of that country who had consecrated themselves to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. To encourage this universal pious work, We desire all these privileges to be extended to the families of the whole Catholic world who perform this consecration.

    As a pledge of Divine favors, and as a mark of Our paternal good will, We impart to you affectionately, beloved son, the Apostolic Blessing.

      Given at St. Peter's, Rome, April 27, 1915 ---- Benedict XV, Pope.

    Closely allied to the Enthronement of the Sacred Heart, though not essential to it, is the practice of Night Adoration in the Home, founded by Father Mateo as a means of offering reparation to the Sacred Heart in families for sins committed in and against the home. Families may have the Enthronement without adopting the practice of Night Adoration, but the ideal is to have at least some members of the family offer a night hour of adoration and reparation to their Enthroned King at least once a month in their home.

    Hundreds of thousands of people the world over have joined the League of Night Adoration, so that there is a veritable "army" of devoted souls keeping an hour vigil with Our Lord during the night in a spirit of love, of social reparation and apostolate. And Jesus, who is never outdone in generosity, has repaid them with remarkable favors and blessings, even in visible form.

    Father Mateo strongly urged the night adorers to begin their hour by uniting in spirit with the priests who are then offering the Holy Sacrifice in some part of the world. Let them "Pray the Mass" by using their prayer book and reciting the Canon of the Mass.

    Night adorers are urged to pray for the following intentions: for holy Mother Church; our country and for civil authorities; for peace; for the clergy; for the members of family who have gone astray or for those who may have special need of their prayers; for those in their agony that night; for the Social Reign of the Sacred Heart, particularly through the Enthronement in the home.

    From the beginning of his apostolate, Father Mateo encouraged children to help him in the work of promoting the Reign of the Sacred Heart. The children co-operated very zealously, and wonderful results were obtained. Because of these graces, Father Mateo formed a league of youthful apostles, and called the members Tarsicians after Saint Tarsicius, the young martyr of the Blessed Sacrament.

  • Annum Sacrum - Encyclical by Pope Leo XIII

    Litany of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus

        Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, have mercy on us.
        Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us.
        God the Father of Heaven, Have mercy on us.
        God the Son, Redeemer of the world, Have mercy on us.
        God the Holy Ghost, Have mercy on us.
        Holy Trinity, One God, Have mercy on us.
        Blood of Christ, only-begotten Son of the Eternal Father, Save us.
        Blood of Christ, Incarnate Word of God, Save us.
        Blood of Christ, of the New and Eternal Testament, Save us.
        Blood of Christ, falling upon the earth in the Agony, Save us.
        Blood of Christ, shed profusely in the Scourging, Save us.
        Blood of Christ, flowing forth in the Crowning with Thorns, Save us.
        Blood of Christ, poured out on the Cross, Save us.
        Blood of Christ, Price of our salvation, Save us.
        Blood of Christ, without which there is no forgiveness, Save us.
        Blood of Christ, Eucharistic drink and refreshment of souls, Save us.
        Blood of Christ, river of mercy, Save us.
        Blood of Christ, Victor over demons, Save us.
        Blood of Christ, Courage of martyrs, Save us.
        Blood of Christ, Strength of confessors, Save us.
        Blood of Christ, bringing forth virgins, Save us.
        Blood of Christ, Help of those in peril, Save us.
        Blood of Christ, Relief of the burdened, Save us.
        Blood of Christ, Solace in sorrow, Save us.
        Blood of Christ, Hope of the penitent, Save us.
        Blood of Christ, Consolation of the dying, Save us.
        Blood of Christ, Peace and Tenderness of hearts, Save us.
        Blood of Christ, Pledge of Eternal Life, Save us.
        Blood of Christ, freeing souls from Purgatory, Save us.
        Blood of Christ, most worthy of all glory and honor, Save us.

        Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, Spare us, OLord.
        Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, Graciously hear us, O Lord.
        Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, Have mercy on us.

        Thou hast redeemed us, O Lord, in Thy Blood,
        And made of us a kingdom for our God.

        Let Us Pray:
        Almighty and Eternal God, Thou hast appointed Thine only-begotten Son the Redeemer of the world, and willed to be appeased by His Blood. Grant, we beseech Thee, that we may worthily adore this Price of our salvation, and through its power be safeguarded from the evils of this present life, so that we may rejoice in its fruits forever in Heaven. Through the same Christ Our Lord. Amen.

          Source: Treasury of Novenas, Fr. Lawrence G. Lovasik

          Other Devotions to the Most Precious Blood

          Hail, saving Victim, offered on the gibbet of the cross for me and for the whole human race. Hail, precious blood, flowing from the wounds of our crucified Lord Jesus Christ and washing away the sins of the whole world. Remember, O Lord, Thy creature that Thou hast redeemed by Thy precious blood.

            Indulgence of 60 days, once a day, at the elevation during Mass. Leo XIII, June 30, 1893
          O SACRAMENT most holy! O Sacrament divine! All praise and all thanksgiving be every moment Thine!
            Indulgence of 100 days, once during each Mass, when said at the elevation of both species. Pius VII, Dec. 7, 1819
          Most Precious Blood of Jesus Christ, shed, in order to obtain mercy for all men, behold us prostrate before Thee; flow upon us abundantly. Behold our heads, our hands, our wills, our understandings, our memories, our thoughts, our affections, our work, our senses, interior and exterior; wash all because all is soiled; purify all because all is corrupt; cure all because all is diseased. Change us by Thy adorable virtue that we may unite ourselves to Thee, O infinite Purity! Purify us, adorn us, save us, and crown us. Amen.

          O Precious Blood of Jesus, wash and purify all sinners!
          O Precious Blood of Jesus, may Thy powerful voice drive away from us and from our dwellings the scourges merited by our sins!
          O Precious Blood of Jesus, through Thee, may the Glory of God be repaired!
          O Eternal Father, I most ardently beg, through the Precious Blood of Thy Divine Son, the cessation of the evils which afflict the Church, the destruction of heresies, and the rapid propagation of the faith in infidel countries. Amen.

    Mother Catherine Aurelia, Foundress of the Institute of the Precious Blood, wrote about the Heart of the Most Precious Blood:
      ". . . Wear this with confidence; it will continually say to you, 'Do not fear; the Blood of Jesus is protecting you.' Yes; in Holy Communion the Precious Blood penetrates your soul, gives you strength to overcome the difficulties on your way to Calvary, and assures you of victory."



    Enthronement of the Sacred Heart in the Home and Holy Hour in the Home