Suggested Prayers and Practices
 

Note: The CEREMONY of the Enthronement is only the beginning; the following practices of devotion will help you LIVE the Enthronement. This is the TRUE reign of the Sacred Heart in our family.

1. Frequent and even daily attendance at Mass by at least one member of the family, and Communion of Reparation.

2. Observance of the First Friday of each month. [Holy Mass, Communion of Reparation: renewal of act of consecration before enthroned image.]

3. Daily Family Rosary before the enthroned image of the Sacred Heart, with renewal of the act of consecration.
4. Celebration of the Feast of the Sacred Heart by the entire family; attendance at Mass, Communion for the extension of the Reign of the Sacred Heart through the Enthronement; family gathering and celebration at home, with renewal of Enthronement; special party for the children.

5. Observe the month of June, the month of the Sacred Heart; keep flowers before the "throne." Mass and Communion as often as possible.

6. Assist at Holy Hour in Church.

7. Night Adoration in the home. Any hour between 9 and 6, by any one or all the members of the family at least once a month.

8. Celebrate the Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary on the 22nd of August. Mass, Communion; Consecration of Family to Immaculate Heart.

9. Make the five First Saturdays in reparation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and for the conversion of Russia; Holy Mass and Communion of reparation; five decades of the Rosary plus a fifteen minute meditation on the fifteen mysteries of the Rosary. The Rosary and meditation may be carried out at any hour on the First Saturday; a sermon in church will satisfy the obligation of the meditation.

10. Practice devotion to the Holy Spirit. Recite Chaplet of the Holy Spirit.

Special Occasions on Which the Family Should Renew the Act of Consecration

[PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING MAY BE ADDED.]

1. Feast of Sacred Heart; Christ the King; [Last Sunday in October, Traditional calendar]

2. Anniversary of the Enthronement.

3. Anniversaries of parents and children.

4. At births; after Baptism in the church consecrate the children to the Sacred Heart before the "throne" in the home.

5. At First Communion: prepare the children before the image of the Sacred Heart in the home. When they return from church, let the children renew the act of consecration made for them by parents at birth.

6. Before a departure from home: to join army, convent, seminary, before marriage, etc.

7. On the return of an absent member of family.

8. On days of great family joys: in times of sorrow, sickness and death.

Note: There is no more appropriate way for a young couple to begin their married life, than to enthrone the Sacred Heart in their new home.

Renewal of the Consecration of the Family

[To be said at night prayer in union with all families in which the Sacred Heart has been enthroned.]

Most sweet Jesus, humbly kneeling at Thy feet, we renew the consecration of our family to Thy Divine Heart. Be Thou our King forever! In Thee we have full and entire confidence. May Thy spirit penetrate our thoughts, our desires, our words and our works. Bless our undertakings, share in our joys, in our trials and in our labors. Grant us to know Thee better, to love Thee more, to serve Thee without faltering.

By the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Queen of Peace, set up Thy kingdom in our country. Enter closely into the midst of our families and make them Thine own through the solemn enthronement of Thy Sacred Heart, so that soon one cry may resound from home to home: "May the triumphant Heart of Jesus be everywhere loved, blessed and glorified forever!" Honor and glory to the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary!

A Prayer for the Christian Family

O God of goodness and mercy, to Thy fatherly protection we commend our family, our household and all that belongs to us. We commit all to Thy love and keeping; do Thou fill this house with Thy blessings even as Thou didst fill the holy house of Nazareth with Thy presence. Keep far from us, above all things, the taint of sin, and do Thou alone reign in our midst by Thy law, by Thy most holy love and by the exercise of every Christian virtue. Let each one of us obey Thee, love Thee and set himself to imitate in his own life Thine example, that of Mary, Thy Mother and our Mother most loving, and that of Thy blameless guardian, Saint Joseph.

Preserve us and our house from all evils and misfortunes, but grant that we may be ever resigned to Thy Divine will even in the sorrows which it shall please Thee to send us. Finally give us all the grace to live in perfect harmony and in the fulness of love toward our neighbor. Grant that every one of us may deserve by a holy life the comfort of Thy holy Sacraments at the hour of death. O Jesus, bless us and protect us.

O Mary, Mother of grace and of mercy, defend us against the wicked spirit, reconcile us with Thy Son, commit us to His keeping, that so we may be made worthy of His promises. St. Joseph, foster father of our Savior, guardian of His holy Mother, head of the Holy Family, intercede for us, bless us and defend our home at all times. Amen.