St. Gabriel's Sacred Heart ministry assists with the Christian renewal of families through enthronement of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in our homes with the goal of bringing about a civilization of love.
The ministry propagates "A way of life" for God's people; fosters the Eucharistic life of individuals and families, which in turn extends to the St. Gabriel parish family and the community at large; encourages the Enthronement of the Sacred Heart in order to give primacy to Christ in our lives, homes, and workplaces and to obtain love and reparation for the Heart of Jesus; and places high priority on the spiritual formation of apostles in order to bring about a devotedness towards the person of Jesus Christ.
For more information on having Jesus enthroned in your home or to participate in promoting the Sacred Heart of Jesus throughout the St. Gabriel community, please send an email to sacredheart@stgabriel.org.
The Devotion
Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus was made known by Jesus Christ to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, a humble Visitandine of the monastery at Paray-le-Monial, through many apparitions, revealing the desires of His Heart and to confide the task of imparting new life to the devotion.
One especially remarkable apparition occurred on the feast of St. John (Dec 27, 1673), when Jesus permitted Margaret Mary, as He had formerly allowed St. Gertrude, to rest her head upon His Heart, and then disclosed to her the wonders of His love, telling her that He desired to make them known to all mankind and to diffuse the treasures of His goodness, and that He had chosen her for this work.
In favor of those who devote themselves to His Sacred Heart, Jesus revealed to St. Margaret Mary the following 12 promises:
- I will give them all the graces necessary for their state of life.
- I will give peace in their families.
- I will console them in all their troubles.
- I will be their refuge in life and especially in death.
- I will abundantly bless all their undertakings.
- Sinners shall find in my Heart the source and infinite ocean of mercy.
- Tepid souls shall become fervent.
- Fervent souls shall rise speedily to great perfection.
- I will bless those places wherein the image of My Sacred Heart shall be exposed and venerated.
- I will give to priests the power to touch the most hardened hearts.
- Persons who propagate this devotion shall have their names eternally written in my Heart.
- 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.
The Movement
The Sacred Heart of Jesus movement was founded by Fr. Mateo Crawley-Boevey, ss.cc. in Paray-le-Monial, France in 1907. 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.
All succeeding Popes have written letters, Encyclicals or general publications that either directly or indirectly support this Apostolate. In this 21st Century, Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI have encouraged families "to build a civilization of love" and to “welcome the Heart of Christ, entrusting our home to Him.”