Day: June 12, 2026

June 12, 2021: Seiji Ueda discovers Nova Herculis 2021

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On June 12, 2021, Nova Herculis 2021 (V1674 Herculis) erupted, and was discovered by amateur astronomer Seiji Ueda of Japan. The white dwarf quickly became visible to the naked eye, surging to 10,000 times brighter than it originally had been. Its speed was unprecedented: V1674 Herculis faded from that peak brightness in just over oneContinue reading “June 12, 2021: Seiji Ueda discovers Nova Herculis 2021”

The post June 12, 2021: Seiji Ueda discovers Nova Herculis 2021 appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

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Our Lady of Guadalupe image begins 6-month pilgrimage in the Philippines – #Catholic – An image of Our Lady of Guadalupe from Mexico arrived in the Philippines on June 11, marking the start of a six-month nationwide pilgrimage that Church leaders hope will strengthen people’s faith.Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo of Kidapawan, spiritual director of the Our Lady of Guadalupe Philippine Pilgrimage, led the reception and blessing of the pilgrim image at Malacañang Palace in Manila in the presence of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.; first lady Liza Araneta-Marcos; papal nuncio Archbishop Charles Brown; Manila Mayor Francisco Domagoso; and other government officials, clergy, and lay faithful.Marcos and the first lady hosted the reception and blessing, formally launching the Philippine Pilgrimage 2026. Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo of Kidapawan, far left; first lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., sixth and seventh from left; papal nuncio Archbishop Charles Brown; and others gather after the blessing of the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe at Malacañang Palace in Manila on June 11, 2026. | Credit: Photo courtesy of the Presidential Communications Office The occasion highlighted the Philippines’ deep Marian devotion and its participation in the Novena Intercontinental Guadalupana, a worldwide spiritual preparation for the 500th anniversary of the apparitions of Our Lady of Guadalupe to St. Juan Diego. She appeared on four occasions on Dec. 9–12, 1531: three at the hill of Tepeyac and a fourth before Juan de Zumárraga, then the first bishop of Mexico and a Spanish Basque Franciscan prelate.The replica of the Mexican Marian icon and an image of St. Juan Diego, a Nahua peasant and Marian visionary, are considered a source of inspiration for many around the world.The pilgrimage forms part of a global initiative promoting prayer, evangelization, and unity among Catholics across different nations.The image, a replica of the original enshrined at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City, embarks on a pilgrimage across the Philippines, visiting more than 50 churches.In a social media video, Bagaforo invited the faithful to join the nationwide pilgrimage, calling it a “moment of grace” and an opportunity to pray for hope, peace, and blessings amid today’s challenges.Cardinal Jose Advincula, archbishop of Manila, will hold a special Mass at the Manila Cathedral on June 13, formally opening the pilgrimage, before the image visits more than 50 cathedrals, shrines, and parish churches across the country.The image will also be present during the 132nd Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) Plenary in Ozamiz City on July 3–10 before its permanent installation at the Manila Cathedral in December.Bishops call for a spiritual journeyIn a June 3 pastoral letter, the CBCP urged Catholics to take part in the spiritual journey and renew their relationship with Jesus through Mary.According to Archbishop Gilbert Garcera of Lipa, the CBCP president, churches hosting the pilgrimage will recite the Act of Consecration and Entrustment to Our Lady of Guadalupe during all Masses while the image is present.“During this pilgrimage, the Act of Consecration and Entrustment to Our Lady of Guadalupe shall be recited in all Masses in the churches to be visited,” he said.The pilgrimage hopes to inspire Filipinos to come closer to Jesus and to deepen their devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary.“This visit aims to bring us, Filipinos, closer to Our Lord Jesus Christ and our Blessed Mother,” Garcera said.Advincula named the pilgrim image “Madre Peregrina de Guadalupe,” or “Pilgrim Mother of Guadalupe,” underscoring Mary’s role as a mother who journeys with the faithful. Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo of Kidapawan, spiritual director of the Our Lady of Guadalupe Philippine Pilgrimage, takes part in the blessing of the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe at Malacañang Palace in Manila on June 11, 2026, in the presence of government officials, Church leaders, and other guests. | Credit: Photo courtesy of the Presidential Communications Office According to event organizers, the pilgrimage would deepen devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe and prepare Filipino Catholics for the 500th anniversary celebrations in 2031.The Philippines is home to more than 93 million Catholics and has the third-largest Catholic population globally, after Brazil and Mexico. In the Asian context, it is the largest Catholic nation, followed by East Timor.Pope Pius XI declared Our Lady of Guadalupe the “Celestial Patroness of the Philippines” in 1935. In 2001, the CBCP declared Dec. 12 an obligatory memorial, and in 2002 it recognized her as the “Pro-Life Patroness of the Philippines” in response to the global movement to entrust the plight of unborn children to her intercession.“I am glad to know that the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe is on a pilgrimage in the Philippines. It will strengthen people’s prayer, Marian devotion, and spiritual renewal,” Janice Castro, an elementary school teacher from the Diocese of Cubao, told EWTN News.
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Our Lady of Guadalupe image begins 6-month pilgrimage in the Philippines – #Catholic – An image of Our Lady of Guadalupe from Mexico arrived in the Philippines on June 11, marking the start of a six-month nationwide pilgrimage that Church leaders hope will strengthen people’s faith.Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo of Kidapawan, spiritual director of the Our Lady of Guadalupe Philippine Pilgrimage, led the reception and blessing of the pilgrim image at Malacañang Palace in Manila in the presence of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.; first lady Liza Araneta-Marcos; papal nuncio Archbishop Charles Brown; Manila Mayor Francisco Domagoso; and other government officials, clergy, and lay faithful.Marcos and the first lady hosted the reception and blessing, formally launching the Philippine Pilgrimage 2026. Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo of Kidapawan, far left; first lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., sixth and seventh from left; papal nuncio Archbishop Charles Brown; and others gather after the blessing of the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe at Malacañang Palace in Manila on June 11, 2026. | Credit: Photo courtesy of the Presidential Communications Office The occasion highlighted the Philippines’ deep Marian devotion and its participation in the Novena Intercontinental Guadalupana, a worldwide spiritual preparation for the 500th anniversary of the apparitions of Our Lady of Guadalupe to St. Juan Diego. She appeared on four occasions on Dec. 9–12, 1531: three at the hill of Tepeyac and a fourth before Juan de Zumárraga, then the first bishop of Mexico and a Spanish Basque Franciscan prelate.The replica of the Mexican Marian icon and an image of St. Juan Diego, a Nahua peasant and Marian visionary, are considered a source of inspiration for many around the world.The pilgrimage forms part of a global initiative promoting prayer, evangelization, and unity among Catholics across different nations.The image, a replica of the original enshrined at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City, embarks on a pilgrimage across the Philippines, visiting more than 50 churches.In a social media video, Bagaforo invited the faithful to join the nationwide pilgrimage, calling it a “moment of grace” and an opportunity to pray for hope, peace, and blessings amid today’s challenges.Cardinal Jose Advincula, archbishop of Manila, will hold a special Mass at the Manila Cathedral on June 13, formally opening the pilgrimage, before the image visits more than 50 cathedrals, shrines, and parish churches across the country.The image will also be present during the 132nd Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) Plenary in Ozamiz City on July 3–10 before its permanent installation at the Manila Cathedral in December.Bishops call for a spiritual journeyIn a June 3 pastoral letter, the CBCP urged Catholics to take part in the spiritual journey and renew their relationship with Jesus through Mary.According to Archbishop Gilbert Garcera of Lipa, the CBCP president, churches hosting the pilgrimage will recite the Act of Consecration and Entrustment to Our Lady of Guadalupe during all Masses while the image is present.“During this pilgrimage, the Act of Consecration and Entrustment to Our Lady of Guadalupe shall be recited in all Masses in the churches to be visited,” he said.The pilgrimage hopes to inspire Filipinos to come closer to Jesus and to deepen their devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary.“This visit aims to bring us, Filipinos, closer to Our Lord Jesus Christ and our Blessed Mother,” Garcera said.Advincula named the pilgrim image “Madre Peregrina de Guadalupe,” or “Pilgrim Mother of Guadalupe,” underscoring Mary’s role as a mother who journeys with the faithful. Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo of Kidapawan, spiritual director of the Our Lady of Guadalupe Philippine Pilgrimage, takes part in the blessing of the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe at Malacañang Palace in Manila on June 11, 2026, in the presence of government officials, Church leaders, and other guests. | Credit: Photo courtesy of the Presidential Communications Office According to event organizers, the pilgrimage would deepen devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe and prepare Filipino Catholics for the 500th anniversary celebrations in 2031.The Philippines is home to more than 93 million Catholics and has the third-largest Catholic population globally, after Brazil and Mexico. In the Asian context, it is the largest Catholic nation, followed by East Timor.Pope Pius XI declared Our Lady of Guadalupe the “Celestial Patroness of the Philippines” in 1935. In 2001, the CBCP declared Dec. 12 an obligatory memorial, and in 2002 it recognized her as the “Pro-Life Patroness of the Philippines” in response to the global movement to entrust the plight of unborn children to her intercession.“I am glad to know that the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe is on a pilgrimage in the Philippines. It will strengthen people’s prayer, Marian devotion, and spiritual renewal,” Janice Castro, an elementary school teacher from the Diocese of Cubao, told EWTN News.

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Church leaders launched a six-month journey for the Marian icon, which will travel to more than 50 churches before its permanent installation at the Manila Cathedral in December.

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Migrants in Tenerife tell Pope Leo XIV: We do not ask for privileges or compassion #Catholic TENERIFE, Canary Islands — “No one leaves their land, their family and their roots by choice when they can live in peace,” said Bousso Diouf, a woman from Senegal who spoke with the moral authority of someone who risked her life crossing the Atlantic in a wooden boat, knowing the journey could last a week or end adrift at sea.Diouf was among the migrants who greeted Pope Leo XIV at the Las Raíces reception center in Tenerife, where some 700 sub-Saharan African migrants — all adult men — are currently housed. The center is located in the humid Las Raíces area of Tenerife, a eucalyptus-filled area about 3,300 feet above sea level.The number is relatively low compared with the hardest years of the “cayuco” crisis, especially at the end of 2024, when the center received between 2,000 and 3,000 migrants amid overcrowding and widely reported tensions.Most of those currently housed at the center come from Senegal, Gambia, and Mali, and on average spend about three months there before being transferred to mainland Spain.They arrive exhausted after having spent up to 72 hours in police custody for identification and registration procedures.“We come from countries where poverty, violence, war, persecution, and lack of opportunity forced us to leave,” Diouf said.Las Raíces opened in 2021 in response to the 2020 crisis, when more than 23,000 migrants arrived on the coasts of the Canary Islands.Now those numbers have fallen sharply, and the situation is very different.“Our work is to offer them an initial welcome that is dignified, humane, and organized at an especially difficult moment, immediately after their arrival by sea,” Navarro Atiénzar, regional director of Accem, the NGO that manages the Las Raíces Reception Center for Refugees and Immigrants in Tenerife, told Pope Leo.The pope arrived in Tenerife early in the morning from Las Palmas and went to the large camp set up inside a former rural military barracks after six marathon days in Spain that had taken him to Barcelona and Madrid.He listened to those housed there as a father listens when a child opens his heart to recount a trauma.One young Nigerian man said that crossing the ocean to the Canary Islands means facing hunger, cold, desperation, and often death.“Many brothers and sisters lost their lives at sea, and others continue to suffer in silence, victims of mafias that take advantage of need and human suffering,” he said.He also made a plea for humanity: “May we not be seen only as migrants, numbers, or documents, but as people with stories, dreams, families, and hope.”“We do not ask for privileges. We do not ask for compassion. We ask for respect, humanity, and the opportunity to live with dignity,” he said.Among those present was also Aliu Ceesay, a 16-year-old Gambian who arrived in the Canary Islands just one month ago in an irregular boat after a difficult journey from his home country. Like many other migrant minors, his goal is to find work so he can help support his family.Amid an experience marked by uncertainty, Aliu has followed Pope Leo XIV with interest online. The teenager said he wanted to see him in person and was struck by the pope’s message.“I have been following him on the internet and wanted to see him. He is very kind, very good,” Aliu said. He also emphasized the pope’s inclusive spirit: “He does not care if we are black or white, Muslim or Christian. He wants to help us.”More than 54,000 people have passed through Las Raíces. Behind each one is a story, a difficult journey, and, above all, a hope.In his address, Pope Leo repeated the message he gave on the first day he set foot in Las Palmas: “God’s love knows no borders, makes no distinctions, is given to all and brings us together in unity.”“As I look at your faces and listen to your stories, I also think of your hearts — wounded by so many difficulties, yet also comforted by the love you have received from other open, generous and merciful hearts,” the pope said.“Christ’s heart suffered and was pierced out of love, and he was also comforted by compassionate people who eased his pain,” he added.Missionary saints and migrantsThe pope dedicated part of his address to missionary saints such as St. Brother Peter of St. Joseph de Betancur and St. José de Anchieta, who set out from the Canary Islands to proclaim the Gospel in the Americas, opening new missionary horizons.“They too were migrants who ventured into the unknown, carrying faith, hope and charity as their greatest possessions,” he said.The pope called for “responsibility” with an eye toward future generations, to whom, he said, “we wish to bequeath the heritage of a civilization of love.”“Migration will play an important role in this,” he said, because it “can become an opportunity for encounter and mutual enrichment among peoples.”“Dear brothers and sisters, in a sense, all of us are migrants, for we are all pilgrims on our way to our heavenly homeland,” he said. “Let us help make this journey more humane for everyone by contributing in whatever way we can.”The pope said the name of the center, Las Raíces — “the roots” — had caught his attention. He recalled that Pope Francis, “who so longed to be with you,” often used the image of roots “to emphasize the importance of remembering our origins, staying united and trusting in the Lord.”“May this image of roots also help you to be firmly rooted in the Lord, so that no storm may drive you away from his presence, which strengthens and gives life,” Pope Leo said.At the end of his address, the pope told those gathered: “Dear friends, I carry you in my heart and will remember you in my prayers. May God bless you, your families and all who do good to you. And may the Blessed Virgin Mary, Consolation of Migrants, always accompany and assist you with her maternal protection.”During the meeting, when the pope announced that he would speak in French and English, many migrants responded with loud applause.This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
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Migrants in Tenerife tell Pope Leo XIV: We do not ask for privileges or compassion #Catholic TENERIFE, Canary Islands — “No one leaves their land, their family and their roots by choice when they can live in peace,” said Bousso Diouf, a woman from Senegal who spoke with the moral authority of someone who risked her life crossing the Atlantic in a wooden boat, knowing the journey could last a week or end adrift at sea.Diouf was among the migrants who greeted Pope Leo XIV at the Las Raíces reception center in Tenerife, where some 700 sub-Saharan African migrants — all adult men — are currently housed. The center is located in the humid Las Raíces area of Tenerife, a eucalyptus-filled area about 3,300 feet above sea level.The number is relatively low compared with the hardest years of the “cayuco” crisis, especially at the end of 2024, when the center received between 2,000 and 3,000 migrants amid overcrowding and widely reported tensions.Most of those currently housed at the center come from Senegal, Gambia, and Mali, and on average spend about three months there before being transferred to mainland Spain.They arrive exhausted after having spent up to 72 hours in police custody for identification and registration procedures.“We come from countries where poverty, violence, war, persecution, and lack of opportunity forced us to leave,” Diouf said.Las Raíces opened in 2021 in response to the 2020 crisis, when more than 23,000 migrants arrived on the coasts of the Canary Islands.Now those numbers have fallen sharply, and the situation is very different.“Our work is to offer them an initial welcome that is dignified, humane, and organized at an especially difficult moment, immediately after their arrival by sea,” Navarro Atiénzar, regional director of Accem, the NGO that manages the Las Raíces Reception Center for Refugees and Immigrants in Tenerife, told Pope Leo.The pope arrived in Tenerife early in the morning from Las Palmas and went to the large camp set up inside a former rural military barracks after six marathon days in Spain that had taken him to Barcelona and Madrid.He listened to those housed there as a father listens when a child opens his heart to recount a trauma.One young Nigerian man said that crossing the ocean to the Canary Islands means facing hunger, cold, desperation, and often death.“Many brothers and sisters lost their lives at sea, and others continue to suffer in silence, victims of mafias that take advantage of need and human suffering,” he said.He also made a plea for humanity: “May we not be seen only as migrants, numbers, or documents, but as people with stories, dreams, families, and hope.”“We do not ask for privileges. We do not ask for compassion. We ask for respect, humanity, and the opportunity to live with dignity,” he said.Among those present was also Aliu Ceesay, a 16-year-old Gambian who arrived in the Canary Islands just one month ago in an irregular boat after a difficult journey from his home country. Like many other migrant minors, his goal is to find work so he can help support his family.Amid an experience marked by uncertainty, Aliu has followed Pope Leo XIV with interest online. The teenager said he wanted to see him in person and was struck by the pope’s message.“I have been following him on the internet and wanted to see him. He is very kind, very good,” Aliu said. He also emphasized the pope’s inclusive spirit: “He does not care if we are black or white, Muslim or Christian. He wants to help us.”More than 54,000 people have passed through Las Raíces. Behind each one is a story, a difficult journey, and, above all, a hope.In his address, Pope Leo repeated the message he gave on the first day he set foot in Las Palmas: “God’s love knows no borders, makes no distinctions, is given to all and brings us together in unity.”“As I look at your faces and listen to your stories, I also think of your hearts — wounded by so many difficulties, yet also comforted by the love you have received from other open, generous and merciful hearts,” the pope said.“Christ’s heart suffered and was pierced out of love, and he was also comforted by compassionate people who eased his pain,” he added.Missionary saints and migrantsThe pope dedicated part of his address to missionary saints such as St. Brother Peter of St. Joseph de Betancur and St. José de Anchieta, who set out from the Canary Islands to proclaim the Gospel in the Americas, opening new missionary horizons.“They too were migrants who ventured into the unknown, carrying faith, hope and charity as their greatest possessions,” he said.The pope called for “responsibility” with an eye toward future generations, to whom, he said, “we wish to bequeath the heritage of a civilization of love.”“Migration will play an important role in this,” he said, because it “can become an opportunity for encounter and mutual enrichment among peoples.”“Dear brothers and sisters, in a sense, all of us are migrants, for we are all pilgrims on our way to our heavenly homeland,” he said. “Let us help make this journey more humane for everyone by contributing in whatever way we can.”The pope said the name of the center, Las Raíces — “the roots” — had caught his attention. He recalled that Pope Francis, “who so longed to be with you,” often used the image of roots “to emphasize the importance of remembering our origins, staying united and trusting in the Lord.”“May this image of roots also help you to be firmly rooted in the Lord, so that no storm may drive you away from his presence, which strengthens and gives life,” Pope Leo said.At the end of his address, the pope told those gathered: “Dear friends, I carry you in my heart and will remember you in my prayers. May God bless you, your families and all who do good to you. And may the Blessed Virgin Mary, Consolation of Migrants, always accompany and assist you with her maternal protection.”During the meeting, when the pope announced that he would speak in French and English, many migrants responded with loud applause.This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

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At Las Raíces reception center in Spain’s Canary Islands, the pope heard testimonies from migrants who risked their lives crossing the Atlantic and urged a more humane response rooted in dignity.

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Everything you need to know about devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus #Catholic The solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus falls on the Friday after the Corpus Christi octave, which in 2026 is on June 12. What exactly is the meaning behind this feast day? Below are answers to some common questions.Why do Catholics venerate the Sacred Heart of Jesus?“Devoting ourselves to the Sacred Heart is one of the easiest, fastest, and most pleasant ways to grow in holiness,” Father Ambrose Dobrozsi, a priest of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, told EWTN News.“Many saints have done many things to grow close to Jesus Christ, but no way is more sure and more pleasing to him than to consecrate ourselves to his Sacred Heart through the Immaculate Heart of his mother,” he added.Where does devotion to the Sacred Heart come from?The story behind the modern iteration of the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, however, begins on Dec. 27, 1673, at a monastery belonging to the Order of the Visitation of Holy Mary (Visitandines) in eastern France.There, a nun named Sister Margaret Mary Alacoque began experiencing visions of the Sacred Heart. Those visions continued for 18 months.During her visions, Sister Margaret Mary learned ways to venerate the Sacred Heart of Christ.These devotions included the concept of a Holy Hour on Thursdays, the creation of the feast of the Sacred Heart after Corpus Christi, and the reception of the Eucharist on the first Friday of every month.As with many mystics, many people were skeptical of Sister Margaret Mary’s claims of visions. Her confessor, the then-Father Claude La Colombière, SJ, (now St. Claude La Colombière) believed her, and eventually, the mother superior of her community began to believe as well.The first feast of the Sacred Heart was celebrated privately at the monastery in 1686.Sister Margaret Mary died in 1690 and was canonized by Pope Benedict XV on May 13, 1920.Initially, the Vatican was hesitant to declare a feast of the Sacred Heart but did allow the Visitandines to celebrate a Mass special to this day. As the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus spread throughout France, the Vatican granted the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus to France in 1765.In 1856, after much lobbying by French bishops on behalf of the feast of the Sacred Heart, Pope Pius IX designated the Friday following the feast of Corpus Christi as the feast of the Sacred Heart for the entire Latin-rite Church.On May 25, 1899, Pope Leo XIII promulgated the encyclical Annum Sacrum, which consecrated the entire world to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. This encyclical was written after a nun, Sister Mary of the Sacred Heart, sent two letters to the pope requesting that he consecrate the world to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.Sister Mary of the Divine Heart wrote the letters, she said, after Jesus made the request to her. Pope Leo XIII called this encyclical and the subsequent consecration the “great act” of his papacy.“Finally, there is one motive which we are unwilling to pass over in silence, personal to ourselves it is true, but still good and weighty, which moves us to undertake this celebration. God, the author of every good, not long ago preserved our life by curing us of a dangerous disease,” Leo XIII wrote.“We now wish, by this increase of the honor paid to the Sacred Heart, that the memory of this great mercy should be brought prominently forward, and our gratitude be publicly acknowledged.”But why consecrate the world — or anyone — to the Sacred Heart of Jesus? What does that mean?Pope Leo XIII described the act of consecration as one that will “establish or draw tighter the bonds which naturally connect public affairs with God,” which was especially needed for the world at the turn of the century.“While many see religion as unnecessary in a world with more and more technology and resources, swearing allegiance and consecrating ourselves to Christ the King in his Sacred Heart shows that humanity still needs and longs for a compassionate and all-powerful God,” Dobrozsi, the Cincinnati priest, told EWTN News.“In a society where some live in decadence and prideful luxury while others are destitute, the burning love of Christ’s Sacred Heart reminds us that the fires of his mercy are also fires of justice. And when the culture, and so many of us, feel hopeless that we could ever change after falling to sins of the flesh, the heart of Our Lord beats with powerful love, eternally declaring that true charity has triumphed over sin and death,” he added.These are the promises the Sacred Heart of Jesus made to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque:1. I will give them all the graces necessary for their state of life.2. I will give peace in their families.3. I will console them in all their troubles.4. I will be their refuge in life and especially in death.5. I will abundantly bless all their undertakings.6. Sinners shall find in my heart the source and infinite ocean of mercy.7. Tepid souls shall become fervent.8. Fervent souls shall rise speedily to great perfection.9. I will bless those places wherein the image of my Sacred Heart shall be exposed and venerated.10. I will give to priests the power to touch the most hardened hearts.11. Persons who propagate this devotion shall have their names eternally written in my heart.12. In the excess of the mercy of my heart, I promise you that my all powerful love will grant to all those who will receive Communion on the first Fridays, for nine consecutive months, the grace of final repentance: They will not die in my displeasure, nor without receiving the sacraments; and my heart will be their secure refuge in that last hour.This story was first published on EWTN News on June 19, 2020, and has been updated.
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Everything you need to know about devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus #Catholic The solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus falls on the Friday after the Corpus Christi octave, which in 2026 is on June 12. What exactly is the meaning behind this feast day? Below are answers to some common questions.Why do Catholics venerate the Sacred Heart of Jesus?“Devoting ourselves to the Sacred Heart is one of the easiest, fastest, and most pleasant ways to grow in holiness,” Father Ambrose Dobrozsi, a priest of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, told EWTN News.“Many saints have done many things to grow close to Jesus Christ, but no way is more sure and more pleasing to him than to consecrate ourselves to his Sacred Heart through the Immaculate Heart of his mother,” he added.Where does devotion to the Sacred Heart come from?The story behind the modern iteration of the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, however, begins on Dec. 27, 1673, at a monastery belonging to the Order of the Visitation of Holy Mary (Visitandines) in eastern France.There, a nun named Sister Margaret Mary Alacoque began experiencing visions of the Sacred Heart. Those visions continued for 18 months.During her visions, Sister Margaret Mary learned ways to venerate the Sacred Heart of Christ.These devotions included the concept of a Holy Hour on Thursdays, the creation of the feast of the Sacred Heart after Corpus Christi, and the reception of the Eucharist on the first Friday of every month.As with many mystics, many people were skeptical of Sister Margaret Mary’s claims of visions. Her confessor, the then-Father Claude La Colombière, SJ, (now St. Claude La Colombière) believed her, and eventually, the mother superior of her community began to believe as well.The first feast of the Sacred Heart was celebrated privately at the monastery in 1686.Sister Margaret Mary died in 1690 and was canonized by Pope Benedict XV on May 13, 1920.Initially, the Vatican was hesitant to declare a feast of the Sacred Heart but did allow the Visitandines to celebrate a Mass special to this day. As the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus spread throughout France, the Vatican granted the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus to France in 1765.In 1856, after much lobbying by French bishops on behalf of the feast of the Sacred Heart, Pope Pius IX designated the Friday following the feast of Corpus Christi as the feast of the Sacred Heart for the entire Latin-rite Church.On May 25, 1899, Pope Leo XIII promulgated the encyclical Annum Sacrum, which consecrated the entire world to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. This encyclical was written after a nun, Sister Mary of the Sacred Heart, sent two letters to the pope requesting that he consecrate the world to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.Sister Mary of the Divine Heart wrote the letters, she said, after Jesus made the request to her. Pope Leo XIII called this encyclical and the subsequent consecration the “great act” of his papacy.“Finally, there is one motive which we are unwilling to pass over in silence, personal to ourselves it is true, but still good and weighty, which moves us to undertake this celebration. God, the author of every good, not long ago preserved our life by curing us of a dangerous disease,” Leo XIII wrote.“We now wish, by this increase of the honor paid to the Sacred Heart, that the memory of this great mercy should be brought prominently forward, and our gratitude be publicly acknowledged.”But why consecrate the world — or anyone — to the Sacred Heart of Jesus? What does that mean?Pope Leo XIII described the act of consecration as one that will “establish or draw tighter the bonds which naturally connect public affairs with God,” which was especially needed for the world at the turn of the century.“While many see religion as unnecessary in a world with more and more technology and resources, swearing allegiance and consecrating ourselves to Christ the King in his Sacred Heart shows that humanity still needs and longs for a compassionate and all-powerful God,” Dobrozsi, the Cincinnati priest, told EWTN News.“In a society where some live in decadence and prideful luxury while others are destitute, the burning love of Christ’s Sacred Heart reminds us that the fires of his mercy are also fires of justice. And when the culture, and so many of us, feel hopeless that we could ever change after falling to sins of the flesh, the heart of Our Lord beats with powerful love, eternally declaring that true charity has triumphed over sin and death,” he added.These are the promises the Sacred Heart of Jesus made to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque:1. I will give them all the graces necessary for their state of life.2. I will give peace in their families.3. I will console them in all their troubles.4. I will be their refuge in life and especially in death.5. I will abundantly bless all their undertakings.6. Sinners shall find in my heart the source and infinite ocean of mercy.7. Tepid souls shall become fervent.8. Fervent souls shall rise speedily to great perfection.9. I will bless those places wherein the image of my Sacred Heart shall be exposed and venerated.10. I will give to priests the power to touch the most hardened hearts.11. Persons who propagate this devotion shall have their names eternally written in my heart.12. In the excess of the mercy of my heart, I promise you that my all powerful love will grant to all those who will receive Communion on the first Fridays, for nine consecutive months, the grace of final repentance: They will not die in my displeasure, nor without receiving the sacraments; and my heart will be their secure refuge in that last hour.This story was first published on EWTN News on June 19, 2020, and has been updated.

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This year, the solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus is celebrated on June 12.

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