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Enthronement
and Consecration 0f the Sacred Heart
As King of the Family
(A Spiritual "Pledge of Allegiance")
"I
will bless every place in which an image of my Heart shall be exposed
and honored…."
Why He Made This Promise........
Most
of us, throughout our lives, take and keep pictures of families, friends,
loved ones and others in our homes and on our persons to look upon fondly
as pleasant reminders of present and past occasions or relationships we
have or had with people we love and/or admire.
Our
Lord, knowing this very human trait, so loves us and so wishes to be a
part of our daily lives, that He offers us His special blessing, if we
place His image in the place of honor in our homes, both to form a constant
reminder to us of His supreme love for us, and, by His constant presence,
to emphasize the all-important relationship we have with Him, Our King,
Our Lord, Our Means of Eternal Salvation.
What
It Means To Our Families......
Our
families gain enormous additional graces and blessings at this, the time
we need them most, if the installation of His image is accompanied by
a formal ceremony, (called enthronement, as a King is installed on a Throne)
and by a Consecration of the Family to the love of His Sacred Heart.
These
two acts together will:
*stabilize
the family,
*sanctify the family,
*create a Catholic atmosphere and spirit of piety in the home,
*bring back the wayward members and
*help console the members in times of trial and sorrow.
Thus,
it makes the home thoroughly Christian. It brings the Devotion into the
home where it is most needed and can be most effective. Plan on DOING
it for your family's sake!
Enthronement
and Family Consecration Ceremony
1.
Father: (or Mother, if only one is present)
Let us all stand while in your name I enthrone the Sacred Heart as the
head of our family. All gather around the father who takes the image and
slowly walks over to the place of honor prepared for it (preferably the
living room) and enthrones it, that is, puts it on the "Throne".
All:
Jesus, you are the King and Friend of our family. We accept your loving
rule over us. Stay with us as our Friend. We need you.
Father:
Now we are going to say the Apostles' Creed to make up for a lot of people
who we know do not believe or practice what Jesus taught.
2.
All: The Apostles Creed
3.
Father: Today we are going to turn our family over to the Sacred
Heart of Jesus. When we were baptized, we were dedicated to God. That
is what we are going to do now--renew our dedication to God by consecrating
ourselves to His loving Heart.
4.
Act of Consecration
Father:
Almighty and Eternal Father. We, the (……..) family, (then each member
of the family says his/her first name beginning with the father) consecrate
ourselves and our home to the Sacred Heart of Your Only Begotten Son,
Who loves us with a tender and everlasting love.
May
we return this love, as He comes into the midst of our family, to live
and share our lives in a special way from this day on.
We
accept You, Divine Heart of Jesus, as a living member of this family.
Stay with us Lord. Sanctify our joys and comfort us in all our sorrows.
May your Holy Spirit
inspire each of us so that we may continually be aware of Your special
Presence among us, especially in one another.
Help
us, through this consecration to have a deep and loving respect for one
another so that we may daily live this consecration in our family life.
Let our love go beyond our home into this world so that we may do our
part to win other families to your Sacred Heart thus helping to form a
real community among the families of this parish and of the whole world.
All:
Sacred Heart of Jesus, we love You . Sacred Heart of Jesus, Thy Kingdom
Come! Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us. Glory to the Sacred Heart
of Jesus forever and ever! Amen.
5.
Short Prayer of Intercession
Father: That the Sacred Heart of Jesus
may be known and loved and served in a special way, in our home, in our
neighborhood, and in our parish, we pray to the Lord. Lord hear our prayer!
Mother: That Mary, Our Mother, through her Immaculate Heart, help
us keep the spirit of our Enthronement by bringing us together daily to
pray in the Name of Jesus, let us pray to the Lord. Lord hear our prayer!
Children:
(or parents): For all the members of our family who are not with us today,
both living and dead, let us pray to the lord. Lord hear our prayer!
All: That God may bless our family with vocations to the priesthood
and religious life, let us pray to the Lord. Lord hear our prayer! (Note
personal requests may be added if desired.)
6.Litany of Thanksgiving
Father: Just as we thank God our heavenly Father, through Jesus
Christ His Son, during the Mass, so also now we thank the Sacred heart
of Jesus through the Heart of His mother. We thank you, Lord.
Mother:
For giving us our children. We thank you Lord.
Children:
For giving us our parents. We thank you Lord.
Father:
For coming to our home. We thank you Lord.
Mother;
For giving us Mary, Your Mother, as our Mother, we thank you Lord.
Children:
For Our holy Father the Pope, our Bishop, our priests, our sisters and
teachers. We thank you Lord.
Father:
Now, if there is anything special we would like to ask Jesus for, now
is the time to say it.
7.
Hail Holy Queen
Father:
Jesus is our King. Mary, His Mother, is our Queen. Many Catholics by their
deeds, by their bad talk, their immodesty, offend the Immaculate Heart
of our Queen. Let us Make up for this and at the same time promise our
mother that we will try not to offend her.
Hail,
Holy Queen, our life, our sweetness and our hope, to you do we cry, poor
banished children of Eve, to you do we send up our sighs, mourning and
weeping in this valley of tears. Turn then, most gracious advocate , your
eyes of mercy toward us, and after this exile , show us the Fruit of your
womb, Jesus. O Clement , O Loving, O sweet Virgin Mary! Pray for us, O
Holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
8.
All sign the Enthronement Pledge (certificate), first, the father, then
the mother, and then the children. It is to be framed and hung near the
Enthronement shrine.
The
parents now give the children the parental blessing. The children kneel
before the parents. First the father, then the mother, make the Sign of
the Cross on the forehead of each child saying: "I bless you, my child,
in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." The
child answers: "Amen."
The
Act of Consecration should be repeated often throughout the year.
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