ENTHRONEMENT OF THE SACRED HEART

New Zealand Tablet, 14 February 1918, Page 35

ENTHRONEMENT OF THE SACRED HEART

' The Enthronement of the Sacred Heart of Jesus is no new devotion; it is closer, more fervent observance of an old. - The incentive is to be found in the promise made by our Divine Lord Himself, “I will give peace to their families”the blessing, for which we crave beyond all others in this hour, made terrible with burning hate, with bloodshed, and with slaughter; and again, ‘ I will Bless the homes wherein the image of My Sacred Heart shall be exposed and honored.” The zeal, of the promoter of the Enthronement has been specially, blessed by our Hply Father, Pope Benedict XV., who believes that it is specially desirous at the present day, when there is so much need of “a Christian sjririt in the home that there should be set up in each family the reign of the love of Christ. What the Pope describes as “a holy and salutary work” will surely appeal to each one of his faithful children. . Cardinal Billot, of the Society of Jesus, in recommending the consecration of the family, and the Enthronement of the Sacred Heart, finds in this a simple and practical method of realising the desires expressed by our Lord to Blessed Margaret Mary. The demands which are made are as simple as the rewards will be great, if, as a result, the ends which the promoters set before them are achieved, namely — “ The repairing of the dual sins of our —the laieisation and dissolution of family life and the social attempt against the divine right of Christ to reign over human society. The founder of the work is Father Matthew Craw-ley-Boevey, of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, who, on submitting the scheme to Cardinal Vives in 1907, was encouraged by the blessing of this Prince of the Church. “This,” said the Cardinal, “is a magnificent work. You must devote your life to it.” Obeying this voice as a divine command, Father Crawley-Boevey began his work at Valparaiso, in Chili, with results so great and a success so supernatural that his Holiness Pope Pius X. gave it his special blessing in 1911, special indulgences being added at the request of the Bishops of Chili in 1913. Pope Benedict has now extended these spiritual favors to all families of , the Christian worlds -

From Chili the movement spread to Columbia, the United States, the Antilles, Panama, Eucador, Brazil, Bolivia,, the Argentine, Peru, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Mexico, Belgium, Holland, England, Poland, Corea, Italy, Cairo, Alexandria, Jerusalem, Burmah, China, Madagascar, Guinea, the Congo, Senegal, Oceania, and even to the leper settlement of Molokai. In France, needless to say, the response was what might have been expected from the land which cradles at Paray le Monial the Sacred Heart devotion. In Spain the most active encouragement was given by the Bishops to this work of domestic and social regeneration. ’ . By March, 1915, over two hundred Bishops, Archbishops, arid r Cardinals had given v their ’ approval, and nearly three hundred diocesan, national, and international secretaries - were engaged {in the i propagation of the work in the: Spanish, French, English, Portuguese, - Italian i Gentian, Polish, Bulgarian, Arabic,- .Chinese,

Russian, and Peruvian languages. More than two ’ years ago three million families had been consecrated, and since then millions have joined them. Is you family among them ? : Love and . reparation are the ! mainsprings of 5 the movement, and each family should be an apostolate. i It is from, the homes consecrated to ■ the' Sacred Heart that our Lord will .look for vocations to the priesthood' and the religious life, and it is in such homes that the spirit of the world will have no power . for . evil. v The practices recommended are — .- ; -aT ■ Family, prayers before an image of - the : Sacred Heart at . least of an evening. : - -j; - The observance of the. first Friday each month. , The holy hour on Thursdays,. or at least on the vigils of the fimt Fridays. ’ Frequent. Communion . and reparation. . jW:The month of the Sacred Heart. --v; /. ini , The blessing of children -every evening by the parent before the image of the Sacred 'Heart and in the name .of the Divine Head of the home. The ceremonial of the Enthronement is at once simple and beautiful. The image should be placed in the principal room of the house, where an altar/ should be decorated with lights and flowers, and the priest should, if possible, preside. It is a happy thought to honor the occasion as we do , other celebrations by inviting the friends we love, and some special day— a feast of the Church or of the mother oHthe home— be chosen. Afterwards, in simpler fashionstill, the consecration may be renewed on such occasions ’ as, the birth of a child, the birthday, of one .of the v family. First Communion days, the. departure from the home fold of any member of the household, the occasion of marriage, times of sickness or death. For .choice of a career, or for any special grace or favor, a family., novena may be made. , Is there ‘any-need to add that the festival day ofany home so consecrated should be the -Feast of the Sacred Heart ? ' . -