Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus- 2020

Written on: June 18, 2020

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, we are unable to celebrate the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus together as a community. We will be joining together in prayer, from where we are, at 4 pm EDST on Friday June 19. We invite you to pray this prayer service with us at that time, or whenever it is convenient for you to do so. 

As part of prayer, we include a time of reflecting on the words of Sr. Denise Roche, GNSH, which are below. Be assured of our prayers for you and your loved ones.

From the time that she was very young, Marguerite D’Youville had a deep affection for the Sacred Heart of Jesus.  The practice of adoring Jesus’ heart and the love that flowed from it was growing in significance among Catholics in Europe, especially France, and spread to the territories influenced by them. When Marguerite studied with the Ursuline sisters, she became aware of the devotion and found solace and comfort in praying to Jesus, feeling belonging and protection in Jesus’ loving heart.

It was there at the Ursuline academy that Marguerite first joined the Confraternity of the Sacred Heart. Later, she would be an officer in it for many years, spreading the awareness of Jesus’ love and healing to many others. Her ardent desire was to build a chapel at the General Hospital to honor the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Although she never lost the desire to do so, the chapel was not complete until a few years before Marguerite died. Another indication of her love for the Sacred Heart and deep desire to demonstrate that love by her life is the fact that Marguerite chose to include a representation of the Sacred Heart on all the Grey Nun crucifixes. Her abiding love of God and confidence in God’s love for us led her to see God in the poor and disenfranchised and to devote herself to sharing God’s love with them and with all those in need.

• • How would Marguerite D’Youville see us continuing her mission in today’s world?
  • Who would she consider those in need of God’s compassionate, healing love which flowed from her love of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
  • What are the conditions in our community, country, world that cry for someone to notice and to care?
  • Am I able not only to love those who are abused, neglected, forgotten, but also to love those who are responsible for the condition?
  • Is there someone in my life whom I find difficult to forgive and to love with God’s unconditional love?
  • In what way does my love of the Sacred Heart require me to broaden and deepen my love at this time?
  • Do I find God’s loving presence in every circumstance of my life?

As we celebrate this beautiful Feast let us be filled with gratitude for the abiding, comforting love which emanates from God’s presence.

Let us ask God to inscribe deeply and indelibly in our heart the love made known to us in Jesus!

Blessing and love,

Sister Denise Roche, GNSH
President

This entry was posted in From our Sisters and tagged: affection, belonging, Catholics, Chapel, compassionate, Confraternity of the Sacred Heart, Covid-19, devotion, disenfranchised, Europe, Feast of the Sacred Heart, France, God, God's love, healing love, Jesus, Jesus' Heart, mission, poor, presence, protection, Sacred Heart of Jesus, St. Marguerite d'Youville, unconditional love, Ursuline Sisters