The Church dedicates the month of June to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Celebrate our Lord’s love by enthroning the Sacred Heart in your home.
This special ceremony acknowledges Jesus as King of your family and carries many graces.
In an appearance to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque in the 17th century, Jesus promised that he would “bless the home in which the image of my Sacred Heart shall be exposed and honored.”
Follow these steps to enthrone the Sacred Heart in your home.
1. Get a statue or picture of the Sacred Heart.
Style doesn’t matter so long as it’s reverent. You can even print this beautiful image at home and frame it!
Set aside a place in your home as the “throne.” Many people create a throne above a fireplace or in another highly-visible part of the home. Decorate the space with candles, flowers and other beautiful items.
2. Set a date for the enthronement.
Choose a day and time when all members of the household can be present. Traditionally, a parish priest visits and recites the prayers, but this is optional. In the absence of a priest, the head of the household usually leads the ceremony. You can still take your Sacred Heart image to a priest prior to the ceremony to have it blessed.
3. Prepare yourself spiritually for the ceremony.
If possible, have the entire family go to Confession and receive the Eucharist on the day of the ceremony, or during the days leading up to it.
4. Gather your family and invited guests at the throne for the ceremony.
Have the leader of the ceremony place the image in the place of honor. Say prayers and read relevant Scripture passages. There are no mandatory prayers or readings, but we recommend the Litany of the Sacred Heart and the readings from the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart (for example, Year A readings here).
5. Strive to reflect the love of the Sacred Heart in your daily life.
After the enthronement, the real work begins as you let Jesus influence your interactions with your family, coworkers, neighbors and strangers. Look for daily opportunities to perform acts of love, such as taking on an extra chore for a family member, working to be more patient with a coworker or saying a short prayer for a stranger you pass on the street.
Pope St. John Paul II once said, “As the family goes, so goes the nation, and so goes the whole world in which we live.” Enthroning the Sacred Heart in your home is one of the best ways to create a spark of divine love in your family that will spread to others.
