The Sacred Heart is King of the individual, the family and the human race. The Enthronement of the Sacred Heart in the home is the recognition of the Sacred Heart as King of the family. He is King of the home by divine appointment, conquest and excellence, but He desires to be such by OUR OWN PERSONAL CHOICE. The Enthronement is more than a mere blessing of Sacred Heart picture or the mere dedication of a family to the Divine Heart it is a WAY OF LIFE, it is the recognition of the Royal Power of Jesus Christ over the family which pledges to live in union with the Sacred Heart by love, grace and obedience to His Commandments. In this way the Enthronement brings countless graces and blessings on the family, sanctifies it and through the family, society.

It is intended for homes, schools, convents, institutions, parishes, dioceses, cities, states, and nations. We especially invite newlyweds and those contemplating marriage to place their homes in the Heart of Christ in this manner, thereby assuring themselves of special graces in their everyday problems and difficulties.

It stabilizes the family, the foundation of the Church and state; whoever rules the family rules society. It sanctifies the family, creates in the home the Catholic atmosphere and the spirit of piety, fosters vocations to the higher life, brings back the wayward members, helps and consoles the members in time of trial, mourning, etc. In short, it makes the home thoroughly Christian.

The family makes arrangement with a priest as to date, time, etc. If possible Holy Mass is offered that morning for the reign of the Sacred Heart in the home and as an act of love and reparation. The family should try to receive Holy Communion. A beautiful statue or picture of the Sacred Heart is procured and a place of honor or "throne" is prepared, preferably in the living room, and decorated with flowers, candles, etc. The steps in the ceremony are the following:

I. I will give them all the graces necessary in their state of life.

2. I will establish peace in their houses.

3. I will comfort them in all their afflictions.

4. 1 will be their refuge during life, and above all in death.

5. I will bestow a large blessing upon all their undertakings.

6. Sinners shall find in My Heart the source and the infinite ocean of mercy.

7. Tepid souls shall grow fervent.

8. Fervant souls shall quickly mount to high perfection.

9. 1 will bless every place where a picture of My Heart shall be set up and honored.

10. I will give to priests the gift of touching the most hardened hearts.

11. Those who shall promote this devotion shall have their names written in My Heart never to be blotted out.

12. I promise in the excessive mercy of My Heart that My all-powerful love will grant to all those who communicate on the First Friday in nine consecutive months the grace of final penitence; they shall not die in My disgrace nor without receiving their Sacraments; My Divine Heart shall be their safe refuge in this last moment.

With Ecclesiastical Approbation

All: Our Family Enthrones the Sacred Heart of Jesus As Our King, Provider and Friend. (All are seated while the father-or in his absence, mother - explains what is about to take place.)

Father: You know, I think this might well be one of the most important gatherings of our life. The reason I save this is because I'm convinced from what we have been told and what I've read about the Enthronement, it brings terrific blessings to families. And the good Lord knows we need them.

Actually what we are doing today is to invite Jesus to come into our home and to give Him a free hand. And we don't have to worry about what He does because He is the only One Who knows what He is doing and whatever He does is for our good, for He is the only One Who loves us and is our loyal and powerful Friend.

By the Enthronement, we are told we enthrone Jesus as our King Who rules over us through love - more like a Father than a ruler. He takes charge of all our affairs, big and small. He becomes our generous provider, our Family Friend, our spiritual Physician, our financial advisor, our life insurer, our heavenly banker, our constant Companion. the unseen Guest at every meal.

And we want Him to be all these things because each and everyone of us need His help. It isn't easy! to be good. We can't do it alone, but with Jesus help we can make it. Isn't it wonderful to think that Jesus will be a real member of our family from now on? He comes into our home, not because we are better than anyone else, but because He knows how much we need Him. But if we expect Jesus to bless us, we have to promise to try harder to be good - to God, to each other and to those we meet outside of our home.

We hope that by what we are going to do today, and by the way we think of Jesus and talk with Him and trust Him in the future, that we will make up for so many families and so many people who don't love Jesus and are offending Him.

Father: Now 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 Sacred Heart image and slowly walks over to the place prepared for it 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 we know who do not believe or practice what Jesus taught.

I believe in God, the Father Almighty Creator of Heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified died and was buried. He descended into hell; the third day He rose from the dead. He ascended into Heaven sits at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church the communion of Saints the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and life everlasting. Amen

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.

Almighty and Eternal Father we the ( Smith ) family. (than each member of the family says his 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 life 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 be continually 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

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? 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! Personal requests may be added, if desired

Father: Just as we thank God our heavenly Father through Jesus, His Son, during the Mass, so also now we thank the Sacred Heart of Jesus through the Heart of His mother.

Mother: For giving us our children.

Children: For giving us our parents.

Father: For coming to our home.

Mother: For giving us Mary, Your Mother, as our Mother.

Children: For Our Holy Father the Pope, our Bishop, our priests, our sisters and teachers.

Father: Now if there is anything special we would like to thank Jesus for, now is the time to say it...

Lord, have mercy on us.

Christ, have mercy on us

Lord have mercy on us, Christ, hear us.

Christ graciously hear us.

God, the Father of heaven, (have mercy on us after each of the following)

God, the Son, Redeemer of the world,

God the Holy Spirit,

Holy Trinity, one God,

Heart of Jesus, Son of the Eternal Father,

Heart of Jesus, formed by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mother,

Heart of Jesus, substantially united to the Word of God,

Heart of Jesus of infinite majesty,

Heart of Jesus, sacred temple of God,

Heart of Jesus, tabernacle of the most High,

Heart of Jesus, house of God and gate of heaven,

Heart of Jesus, burning furnace of charity

Heart of Jesus, abode of justice and love,

Heart of Jesus, full of goodness and love,

Heart of Jesus. abyss of all virtues.

Heart of Jesus. most worthy of all praise,

Heart of Jesus. king and center of all hearts.

Heart of Jesus, in whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge,

Heart of Jesus, in whom dwells the fullness of divinity.

Heart of Jesus, in whom the Father was well, pleased,

Heart of Jesus, of whose fullness we have all received.

Heart of Jesus, desire of the everlasting hills,

Heart of Jesus, patient and most merciful,

Heart of Jesus, enriching all who invoke thee,

Heart of Jesus, fountain of life and holiness,

Heart of Jesus, propitiation of our sins,

Heart of Jesus, loaded down with opprobrium,

Heart of Jesus, bruised for our offenses,

Heart of Jesus, obedient unto death,

Heart of Jesus, pierced with a lance,

Heart of Jesus, source of all consolation,

Heart of Jesus, our life and resurrection,

Heart of Jesus, our peace and reconciliation,

Heart of Jesus, victim of sin,

Heart of Jesus, salvation of those who trust in thee.

Heart of Jesus, hope of those who die in thee,

Heart of Jesus, delight of all the saints,

Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world, Spare us, O Lord.

Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world, Graciously hear us, O Lord.

Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world, Have mercy on us.

V. Jesus, meek and humble of Heart

R. Make our hearts like unto Thine.

Father: Jesus is our King, Mary, His Mother is our Queen. Many Catholics, by their deeds, 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, Mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope, to thee do we cry poor banished children of eve, to thee do we send up our cries, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us, and after this our exile, show unto us, the Blessed Fruit of Thy 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.

All: sign the Enthronement "Covenant" (certificate), first, the father, then the mother and then the children. It is to be framed and hung near the Enthronement Shrine.

Parents now give their children the parental blessing. the children kneel before the parents. First the father, then the mother, make a 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 answer, "Amen." 

Dear Sacred Heart of Jesus, we renew our pledge of love and loyalty to You. Keep us always close to Your loving Heart, and to the most pure Heart of Your Mother. May we love one another more and more each day, forgiving each other's faults as You forgive us our sins. Teach us to see You in the members of our family and those we meet outside our home, loving them as You love them, especially the poor and the oppressed, that we may be instrumental in bringing about justice and peace.

Please help us to carry our cross daily out of love for You, and to strengthen this love by frequent Mass and Holy Communion.

Thank You, dear Jesus, King and Friend of our fam- ily, for all the blessings of this day. Protect us and all families during this night. Help us so to live that we may all get to Heaven.

Immaculate Heart of Mary, Pray for us! St. Joseph, Protector of the Christian, Pray for us! Our Guardian Angels and Patron Saints, Pray for us!

Remember, 0 most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored by thy help, or sought thy intercession, was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, I fly unto thee, O virgin of virgins, my Mother. To thee I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. 0 Mother of the Word incarnate, despise not my petition, but in thy mercy and and answer me Amen. (now make a request of petition)

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