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Sacred Heart of
Jesus, who didst manifest to Saint Margaret Mary the desire of reigning in
Christian families, we today wish to proclaim Thy most complete regal dominion
over our own. We would live in the
future with Thy life, we would cause to flourish in our midst those virtues to
which Thou hast promised peace here below, we would banish far from us the
spirit of the world which Thou has cursed; and Thou shalt reign, over our minds
in the simplicity of our faith, and over our hearts by the whole-hearted love
with which they shall burn for Thee, the flame of which we shall keep alive by
the frequent reception of Thy Divine Eucharist.
Deign, O Divine Heart, to preside over our assemblings, to bless our enterprises, both spiritual and temporal,
to dispel our cares, to sanctify our joys, to alleviate our sufferings. If ever one or other of us should
have the misfortune to afflict Thee, remind him, O Heart of Jesus, that Thou art
good and merciful to the penitent sinner.
And when the hour of separation strikes, when death shall come to cast
mourning into our midst, we will all, both those who go and those who stay, be
submissive to Thy eternal decrees.
We will console ourselves with the thought that a day will come when the entire
family, reunited in Heaven, can sing forever Thy glories and Thy mercies.
May The Immaculate Heart of Mary and the glorious Patriarch, St. Joseph, present this consecration to Thee, and
keep it in our minds all the days of our life.
All glory to the Heart of Jesus, our King and our Father!
(Indulgenced May 19, 1908. Prescribed for the ceremony of
Consecration March 1, 1918.)
A Plenary Indulgence may be gained by
the members of the family on the day of consecration, and every year on the day
of renewal on the usual conditions:
Confession, Communion, Visit and prayers for the Pope’s intentions.
Imprimatur, Patrick Cardinal Hayes,
Archbishop of New York, July 1936
PRAYING WITH DEVOTION
Our life is a
warfare, a series of temptations. We
are fighting the very powers of hell as well as our own flesh. We can use combat against these
enemies by praying the Our Father, taught to us by Our Dear Lord, and the
Angelic Salutation, so powerful in chasing away devils. Meditation on the mysteries of the
Rosary, the life and passion of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will arm us and
help defend ourselves against the same enemies, which He conquered.
“Ever since the devil was crushed by the humility and passion of Jesus Christ he has been very nearly
unable to attack a soul that is armed with meditation on the mysteries of Our
Lord’s life, and, if he does trouble such a soul, he is sure to be shamefully
defeated.” (Cardinal Hugues)
It is not the length of a prayer, but the fervor with which it is said that pleases Almighty God and
touches His heart. One Hail Mary said with devotion is
worth more that one hundred and fifty that are badly said. Many Catholics say the Rosary, so why
is it then that so few give up their sins and do not progress in the spiritual
life? Surely it must be because they
are not saying the Rosary with the fervor and devotion that it merits. If we really want to please God and
become more holy, our purity of intention must accompany any prayer.
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