Pope Leo XIV has released the following prayer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. June is considered to be month of the Sacred Heart.
Prayer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Pope Leo XIV
Lord, I come to your tender heart today, to you who have words that set my heart ablaze, to you who pour out compassion on the little ones and the poor, on those who suffer and on all human miseries.
I desire to know you more, to contemplate you in the Gospel, to be with you and learn from you and from the charity with which you allowed yourself to be touched by all forms of poverty.
You showed us the Father’s love by loving us without measure with your divine and human heart.
Grant all your children the grace of encountering you. Change, shape, and transform our plans, so that we seek only you in every circumstance, in prayer, in work, in encounters, and in our daily routine.
From this encounter send us out on mission, a mission of compassion for the world in which you are the source from which all consolation flows.
Amen
Sacred Heart of Jesus have mercy on us!
Pope Leo XIV during the Regina Caeli prayer on the balcony of Saint Peter’s Basilica in Vatican on May 11, 2025. (Photo by Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Pope Leo XIV has released the following prayer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. June is considered to be month of the Sacred Heart.
Prayer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Pope Leo XIV
Lord, I come to your tender heart today, to you who have words that set my heart ablaze, to you who pour out compassion on the little ones and the poor, on those who suffer and on all human miseries.
I desire to know you more, to contemplate you in the Gospel, to be with you and learn from you and from the charity with which you allowed yourself to be touched by all forms of poverty.
You showed us the Father’s love by loving us without measure with your divine and human heart.
Grant all your children the grace of encountering you. Change, shape, and transform our plans, so that we seek only you in every circumstance, in prayer, in work, in encounters, and in our daily routine.
From this encounter send us out on mission, a mission of compassion for the world in which you are the source from which all consolation flows.
Amen
Sacred Heart of Jesus have mercy on us!
Pope Leo XIV during the Regina Caeli prayer on the balcony of Saint Peter’s Basilica in Vatican on May 11, 2025. (Photo by Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
June is the month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. It is celebrated on Friday, 19 days after Pentecost. Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus is very popular…it touches our hearts in many ways.
When I ponder on the mystery of the Sacred Heart, I see the image and marvel at the wounds of Jesus. He suffered and died for our many sins. The art shows Jesus’ heart on fire for His love of all of us. It shows His heart wounded by the crown of thorns and the lance that pierced His side. I see the rays of light coming forth from His heart, showing that He is the Light of the World! The suffering of the world (the cross) is supported by His heart…His love for us. The wounded heart of Jesus supports each of us if we turn to Him for mercy and love.
God so loved the world that He gave His only Son. (John 3:16)
The following quotes from the saints are inspirational and helpful for meditating on the Mystery of the Sacred Heart.
Love overcomes, Love delights, those who love the Sacred heart rejoice!
Consider often that it is only the humble of Heart that can enter into the Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ and converse with Him, Love Him and be Loved by Him.
St. Margaret Mary
Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, teach me an entire forgetfulness of myself, since that is the only way one can find entrance into You.
O Sacred Heart of Jesus, fountain of eternal life, Your Heart is a glowing furnace of Love. You are my refuge and my sanctuary.
St. Gertrude
No matter what my sufferings may be, I will never complain and if I have to undergo any humiliation, I will seek refuge in the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
St. Alphonsas
Oh, how good and pleasing a thing it is to dwell in the Heart of Jeus! Who is there that does not love a heart so wounded? Who can refuse a return of love to a heart so loving?
June is the month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. It is celebrated on Friday, 19 days after Pentecost. Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus is very popular…it touches our hearts in many ways.
When I ponder on the mystery of the Sacred Heart, I see the image and marvel at the wounds of Jesus. He suffered and died for our many sins. The art shows Jesus’ heart on fire for His love of all of us. It shows His heart wounded by the crown of thorns and the lance that pierced His side. I see the rays of light coming forth from His heart, showing that He is the Light of the World! The suffering of the world (the cross) is supported by His heart…His love for us. The wounded heart of Jesus supports each of us if we turn to Him for mercy and love.
God so loved the world that He gave His only Son. (John 3:16)
The following quotes from the saints are inspirational and helpful for meditating on the Mystery of the Sacred Heart.
Love overcomes, Love delights, those who love the Sacred heart rejoice!
Consider often that it is only the humble of Heart that can enter into the Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ and converse with Him, Love Him and be Loved by Him.
St. Margaret Mary
Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, teach me an entire forgetfulness of myself, since that is the only way one can find entrance into You.
O Sacred Heart of Jesus, fountain of eternal life, Your Heart is a glowing furnace of Love. You are my refuge and my sanctuary.
St. Gertrude
No matter what my sufferings may be, I will never complain and if I have to undergo any humiliation, I will seek refuge in the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
St. Alphonsas
Oh, how good and pleasing a thing it is to dwell in the Heart of Jeus! Who is there that does not love a heart so wounded? Who can refuse a return of love to a heart so loving?
The feast day of St. Peter Canisius is celebrated on December 21. He is the patron saint of the Catholic Press, a Jesuit priest and a Doctor of the Church.
St. Peter Canistius was born in Holland in 1521. He received his masters degree at the age of 19 from the University of Cologne. He studied art, law, and theology. He met Peter Faber, the first disciple of Ignatius, at a retreat. Soon after, he decided to become a member of the Society of Jesus, (the Jesuits). He was ordained in 1546. During the Council of Trent he was a delegate. St. Peter taught at several universities and established colleges and seminaries. He also wrote a catechism for lay people which was easy to understand. It was translated into twelve languages. He was an eloquent preacher, leading the counter reformation and renewing the faith in southern Germany. He also led reform in Austria, Bavaria and Bohemia.
After Mass one day, he received a vision of the Sacred Heart. Afterward, he offered his work to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Prior to his death he suffered from a paralytic seizure. He continued preaching and writing until his death on Dec. 21, 1597.
“Anyone who wishes to frolic with the devil cannot rejoice with Christ.”
The feast day of St. Rose Phillippine Duchesne is celebrated on Nov. 18. St. Rose is the patron saint of the Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau, Missouri
St. Rose was born in Grenoble, France in 1769. She was drawn to the contemplative life. During the French revolution she spent her time nursing prisoners. She soon joined the Society of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
During Eucharistic Adoration she experienced a vision where she was serving God in the New World. Twelve years later , at the age of 49, she moved to the United States. She was sent to the Louisiana Territory.
In Louisiana, she opened the first free school west of the Missouri River. By 1828 she had founded six houses. She worked among the Potawatomie Indians who named her Quah-kak-ka-num-ad, “Woman-Who-Prays-Always”.
St. Rose died at the age of 83 at St. Charles, Missouri on November 18, 1852.
St. Rose was Beatified by Pope Pius XII in 1940.
St. Rose was canonized by Pope John Paul II in 1988.
Humility is the virtue that requires the greatest amount of effort.”
The feast day of St. Gertrude is celebrated on November 16. She is the patron saint of West Indies, Nuns and travelers.
St. Gertrude was born at Eisleben in Saxony, Germany on Jan. 6, 1256. At the age of five, Gertrude was placed in the care of Benedictine nuns. She later joined the monastery, living a cloistered life.
At the age of 24, St. Gertrude was experiencing an interior crisis and depression. She experienced a vision of Jesus on Jan. 27, 1281. He told her:
“I have come to comfort you and bring you salvation.”
St. Gertrude was filled with a new zeal for her vocation to love Jesus. She considered herself a “bride of Christ”. She dedicated herself to studying scripture and spiritual writing. St. Gertrude was inspired to write five books. Three of them still exist.
Eventually she was elected Abbess. She also took charge of the monastery at Hefta. She and her nuns moved there. Gertrude was well educated. She was a mystic and had a great devotion to the saints, the souls in purgatory, the Passion of Our Lord and to His Sacred Heart. She also was devoted to the Bl. Virgin Mary.
“O Sacred Heart of Jesus, fountain of eternal life, Your Heart is a glowing furnace of Love. You are my refuge and my sanctuary. O my adorable and loving Savior, consume my heart with the burning fire with which Yours is aflamed. Pour down on my soul those graces which flow from Your love. Let my heart be united with Yours. Let my will be conformed to Yours in all things. May Your Will be the rule of all my desires and actions. Amen. “
Prayer of Saint Gertrude the Great
In 1298, St. Gertrude became very ill. The suffering she experienced was transfigured into love. St. Gertrude died in the year 1302.
The devotion St. Gertrude had for the Poor Souls in Purgatory is well known. The following prayer was written by her out of compassion for those still on their journey to heaven.
Eternal Father, I offer You the most Precious Blood of your Son, Jesus Christ, in union with all the masses said around the world today, for all the Poor Souls in Purgatory,for sinners everywhere, in the Universal Church, in my home and in my family. Amen.
The feast day of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini is celebrated on November 13. She is the patron saint of immigrants, orphans and against malaria.
St. Frances Xavier Cabrini was born in Lombardi, Italy in 1850. She wanted to become a nun but was hindered by poor health. She became a teacher, teaching at a girl’s school for six years.
Frances took religious vows in 1877, adding Xavier to her name to honor St. Francis Xavier.
At the urging of Pope Leo XIII, she immigrated to the Unites States with six nuns to work with Italian immigrants. She crossed the Atlantic ocean in spite of her great fear of water.
She founded many schools, hospitals, and orphanages in the United States, England, France, Spain and South America. In New York City, St. Frances Cabrini founded Columbus Hospital and Italian Hospital. In the 1980’s they merged into Cabrini Hospital.
In 1909 St. Frances Xavier Cabrini became a naturalized United States citizen. She died from malaria at the age of 67, on December 22, 1917, at Columbus Hospital in Chicago, IL.
In 1931, her body was exhumed, found partially incorrupt, and is now enshrined under glass in the altar at St. Frances Cabrini Shrine in Manhattan.
The following prayer was written by St. Frances Xavier Cabrini.
Fortify me with the grace of Your Holy Spirit and give Your peace to my soul that I may be free from all needless anxiety, solicitude and worry. Help me to desire always that which is pleasing and acceptable to You so that Your will may be my will. Amen
St. Frances Xavier Cabrini
Stretch every fiber of my being, dear Lord, that I may more easily fly towards you. May your Spirit, which once breathed over the chaos of the earth, give life to all the powers of my soul.
The feast day of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque is celebrated on October 16. She is known as the Apostle of the Sacred Heart.
St. Margaret Mary was born to Claude and Philiberte Lamyn on July 22, 1647 in Lhautecour, France. She was the fifth of seven children. She was baptized with name of Margaret and added the name of Mary when she was confirmed in the faith in 1669. From an early age Margaret had a strong devotion to the Blessed Sacrament. Margaret’s father died when she was eight years old. She was sent to a school run by Urbanist Nuns at Chavolles.
Margaret became very ill and was unable to walk. After consecrating herself to the Blessed Virgin, she promised that if cured, she would be one of her daughters. She was immediately cured.
Thrust into poverty after her father’s death, she considered marriage, which caused her internal conflict. Her desire to become a nun prevailed. She joined the Visitation Order in 1671.
St. Margaret Mary began having visions on Dec. 17, 1073. They continued until June 1675. Jesus appeared to her giving her the task of encouraging and teaching a devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. This included a Holy Hour on Thursdays to reflect on how the Apostles abandoned Him during the Agony in the Garden. It also encouraged receiving communion on 1st Fridays.
After suffering many years of from doubt and despair, St. Margaret Mary died at the age of 43. She had served two terms as assistant supervisor. With the help of St. Claude de la Columbiere, the feast day became popular. The Sacred Heart symbolizes the boundless love given by Jesus in the Eucharist and His Passion and death
I need nothing but God and to lose myself to the Heart of Jesus.
The feast day of St. Veronica Giuliani is celebrated on July 9.
St. Veronica was born in Mercatello, Italy in 1660. She was the youngest of seven children. Her mother died when she was seven. Even as a child she had a great compassion for the poor. She was known to give away food and her clothing. At the age of 17, she refused to marry. After pleading with her father, she joined the Poor Clares in 1677. She worked in the kitchen, infirmary and sacristy.
St. Veronica had a great devotion to the Sacred Heart and to the Eucharist. She offered her sufferings to the missions. She was known as a mystic. After a vision in which she saw her own heart as a ‘heart of steel’ she became much more compassionate and loving.
At the age of 34 St. Veronica became the novice mistress. She held the position for twenty two years. In 1697, at the age of 37, Veronica received the stigmata. She bore the marks of the crown of thorns and five wounds on her body. She underwent a humiliating investigation during which she was temporarily removed from her position. The investigation concluded the stigmata was real and she regained her position of novice mistress. She became the abbess at the age of 56. Eleven years later she died on July 9, 1727.
The body of St. Veronica was found to be incorrupt. She was canonized by Pope Gregory XVI on May 26, 1839.
The feast day of St. Damien of Molokai is celebrated on May 10. He is the patron saint of leprosy and outcasts.
St. Damien of Molokai was born Josef de Veuster on Jan. 3, 1840 in Treinelo, Belgium. His parents were farmers. He attended college at Braine-le-Comte. Josef became a novitiate at the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary. He took the name of Damien when he made his vows. As a missionary he arrived in Honolulu in 1864. He was ordained a priest on May 1864.
Hawaii was in the midst of a health crisis; primarily, influenza, syphilis and leprosy. The king of Hawaii, Kink Kamehameha IV created a leper colony on the island of Molokai. Fr. Damien requested to be sent to Molokai to tend to their spiritual needs. He arrived at Kalaupapa on May 10, 1873, where he cared for 600 lepers.
St. Damien Public Domain Image
Fr. Damien built the Parish Church of St. Philomena where he preached and taught the Catholic faith. He restored pride and dignity to the people in the settlement. He organized a band, horse riding and choir. He provided comfort to the people on the island for 16 years serving as priest, doctor and home builder. He built their coffins and dug their graves.
Father Damien said,
“My greatest pleasure is to go there (the cemetery) to say my beads, and meditate on that unending happiness which so many of them are already enjoying.”
Fr. Damien had a profound faith in the Holy Eucharist, believing his strength came from receiving the Eucharist on a daily basis. In 1885 he contracted the illness of leprosy, yet he continued to serve the people of the settlement. He died April 15, 1889 at the age of 49. St. Damien is known as the Apostle of the Lepers.
“Without the constant presence of Our Divine Master upon the altar in my poor chapels, I never could have persevered casting my lot with the lepers of Molokai”
Quote of St. Damien of Molokai
St. Damien of Molokai
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