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Lay Missionaries Corner: Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Feast Day Reflections 2026

Admin — Thu, 11 Jun 2026 19:28:57 GMT

Lay Missionaries of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, Linwood, NJ
Feast of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. June 12, 2026.

Foreword

The reflections gathered herein bear moving witness to the inexhaustible love of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, that Heart pierced for our salvation and ever open to receive the faithful in love and mercy, radiating consolation, and peace. Rooted in prayer, marked by suffering, and sustained by grace, these testimonies reveal the intimate and abiding way in which Our Lord draws souls to Himself and forms them in the school of His charity. “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Matt 11:28-29

In the Catholic tradition, devotion to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus is not merely a pious sentiment, but a profound contemplation of the mystery of Christ’s redeeming love, a love poured out for the life of the world and made present to us in the Church, in the sacraments, and in the daily offering of our lives. This is a Love that loved us even while we were still sinners. These reflections show how that divine love is encountered personally: in childhood faith, in trials borne with trust, in the quiet fidelity of prayer, and in the hope that springs from union with the Heart of Jesus.

May those who read these pages be led to a renewed confidence in the mercy of Jesus, to a deeper love for His Sacred Heart, and to a more generous response to His invitation: “Come to me.” In a world so often marked by fear, suffering, and uncertainty, the Sacred Heart remains our refuge and strength, calling each of us to place our burdens within His wounded and glorious Heart. May this collection serve not only as a witness to personal faith, but also as an invitation to draw nearer to Christ, to abide in His love, and to entrust ourselves ever more fully to His Divine Mercy flowing from His wounded heart.

“From my earliest days, my godmother taught me to seek refuge in the Sacred Heart of Jesus. By age four, Jesus was already my closest friend. Decades later, that lifelong bond became my lifeline. At age 42, I was diagnosed with a severe neurological illness, enduring nine months of excruciating pain. Throughout the suffering, my constant prayer was for every breath and heartbeat to be a tribute to Him. The true crisis hit after major surgery, when a mismatched blood transfusion sent me into complete anaphylactic shock. As my body failed, I floated above myself and entered a space of absolute peace, encountering Jesus in a moment of unconditional love. Though I longed to stay, He called me back to earth because my mission wasn’t finished. Today, I live to share my testimony, rest in His Sacred Heart, and lift others up in prayer.”

Karen Stratotti

“My devotion to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus has been a steady source of prayer, strength, and guidance throughout my life. It began when I was in high school at St. Ignatius de Loyola High School in the Philippines, where I would go to the school chapel to pray and ask Jesus for help in my studies. As I grew older, it became my habit to talk to Jesus whenever I had problems in my work and family. After my retirement eleven years ago, I devoted myself more fully to my faith by attending Mass daily, receiving Holy Communion, going to confession regularly, and signing up for Eucharistic Adoration every Friday morning throughout the year.

As my devotion deepened during retirement, I began to feel that Jesus was calling me to serve in a more active way. In response, I enrolled to become an Extraordinary Minister of the Holy Eucharistic and Lector so that I could be of greater service to the Church. I now serve as a regular Lector in my parish and bring the Holy Eucharist every Thursday to Catholic residents of a nursing facility.

My devotion to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus is my profound thanksgiving for the many blessings Jesus has given to me and to my family. Through prayer, worship, and service, I continue to entrust my life to His Sacred Heart with gratitude and love.”

Nollie Cadacio

“This is a personal testimony of faith, family, trials, and grateful service to our Lord. Growing up in the Philippines, I was inspired by my mother’s devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

As I grew older, I migrated to the United States and eventually started my own family. Juggling work and family life was not easy, but despite everything, I tried to make sure that we attended Sunday Mass and Holy Days of Obligation together.

My faith was deeply tested when I was diagnosed with cancer twice, but by God’s grace, I was able to overcome both times. These trials and tribulations strengthened my faith in God and drew my family even closer to our Lord through the Most Sacred Heart.

Now that I have been retired for about four years, my devotion and love for our Lord have grown even deeper, especially as I have more time to dedicate to Him. I keep myself busy in church by helping with the linens in our parish, leading our parish nurse ministry, and recently enrolling as an extraordinary Eucharistic minister.

Above all, I am truly grateful and thankful for the opportunity to serve and to give back, even in my own small ways, to our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Lolita Lacambra

“Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus is the center of my faith as a Catholic, a Lay Missionary of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, a catechist, and especially as a mother and wife. I draw daily grace for these roles with humility, patience, and love through the Holy Eucharist and time before the Blessed Sacrament, adoring the Sacred Heart, who bore the pain of our sins and continues to pour out his mercy.

As a Catholic and Lay Missionary, I ask Jesus for the grace to show others the greatness of His Sacred Heart through genuine kindness and care. As a Catechist, I pray that the Holy Spirit may use me as an effective instrument in nurturing the faith of the youth I teach in our parish. As a wife and mother, I care for and nurture my family not only physically, mentally, and emotionally, but above all spiritually. We pray the rosary together and consecrate our family to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, asking for the grace to spread God’s love within our home and beyond.

My heart’s prayer is to live each day, as a Lay Missionary, catechist, and wife and mother, striving to return, in my own small way, the immense love that God has showered upon me through the Sacred Heart of Jesus.”

Sofia Solomon

“Through my most painful trials and sufferings, He was revealed to my heart. From this came the greatest gift of all: knowing Him. I have come to know and love my Creator and Savior in a personal way.

By meditating on His Most Sacred Heart, I see how His suffering, death and Resurrection have renewed my vision of His love through my own trials and suffering. He is a God so great that He can turn darkness into light and bring good out of sorrow and pain, drawing redemption even from sin. From this comes love, rebirth, and true life. From death comes life.

Rising from such depths, I have united my heart to His suffering and found consolation in the midst of desolation. Knowing that He gave His life for me, I can humbly ask for His grace, for the consecration of my heart to Him and the sanctification of my soul. Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place my life in your hands.”

Joe Jerome

The Heart that is LOVE and the Heart that Leads to that LOVE: The Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary

Admin — Thu, 11 Jun 2026 18:01:50 GMT

The Feast of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Memorial of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary are celebrated on June 12 and June 13, 2026, respectively.

The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus

To encounter God, who is Love (1 Jn 4:8), is to journey into the depths of one’s heart, where through prayer and trustful surrender we encounter both love and the One who is Love. The heart is often described as the “seat of emotions” and the center of our being, the place where joy and happiness, fear and anxiety, sadness and grief, hope and consolation converge.

In the Gospel of John, Jesus invites us to “abide in my love, just as I abide in my Father’s love” (Jn 15:9). Using the image of the vine and the branches, He teaches that those who remain united to Him will bear much fruit and glorify the Father. What better place to abide than in the Sacred Heart of Jesus, where we will find rest for our souls.

Jesus Himself says: “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble of heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Mt 11:29). His Heart is the source of divine compassion and mercy. Throughout His public ministry, we see that compassion expressed in action. He raised the daughter of Jairus, healed the woman suffering from hemorrhages, restored sight to the blind, and delivered those afflicted by evil spirits (Mt 9:18–33). Again and again, Jesus revealed the tender love of His Heart.

Many find it difficult to experience God’s unconditional love because the human heart has been wounded by sin. Original sin has left us with divided hearts, where love and selfishness, trust and doubt, humility and pride, forgiveness and resentment often struggle for dominance. Scripture reminds us that “the inclination of the human heart is evil from youth” (Gen 8:21). Yet God, in and through the merciful and compassionate Heart of His Son Jesus, does not abandon us. He forgives and restores because He remembers that we are frail and dependent upon Him, that we are but flesh. (Ps 78:38–39).

The devotion to the Sacred Heart reminds us that Christ invites us to bring our wounded hearts to His wounded Heart. There we encounter transforming grace. As the prophet Ezekiel foretold, God desires to remove our hearts of stone and give us hearts of flesh (Ezek 36:26). Through His love, our hearts are renewed and become instruments of compassion, mercy, and charity toward others.

Let us therefore find our rest in the Sacred Heart of Jesus. By abiding in His love, we are transformed into faithful disciples who bear lasting fruit and witness to the mercy of God in the world (Jn 15:8,16).

The Immaculate Heart of Mary

Devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary invites us to contemplate Mary’s interior life, her virtues, and her perfect love for God, her Son Jesus Christ, and all humanity. This devotion is rooted in the biblical understanding of the heart as the center of the human person, encompassing intellect, emotion, will, and moral choice.

In the Hebrew tradition, the heart was the unified center of human experience encompassing not just the seat of emotions but ones thought, decision, volition, and action, the entire person. To love God with one’s whole heart meant to love Him with one’s entire person, one’s entire being.

The traditional image of the Immaculate Heart contains several important symbols. Each of these depict scriptural and theological realities. The Flames represent a heart burning with the fire of divine love. Jesus declared, “I came to bring fire upon the earth, and how I wish it were already blazing” (Lk 12:49). In Mary, that desire was perfectly fulfilled.

The Sword recalls Simeon’s prophecy: “And a sword will pierce your own soul too” (Lk 2:35). It signifies Mary’s participation in the sufferings of her Son, especially as she stood faithfully at the foot of the Cross.

The White roses symbolize Mary’s purity and perfect love for God and humanity. They remind us of the singular grace she received from God in being preserved from the stain of original sin and of her wholehearted “Yes” to His saving plan.

Mary’s Immaculate Heart represents her entire person, her thoughts, emotions, will, decisions, and actions, completely united to the will of God. From the Annunciation to Calvary, she surrendered herself entirely to God’s redemptive plan made known through His promises in the Old Testament and fulfilled in Jesus Christ her Son. Throughout her life she pondered the mysteries of her Son in her heart and responded with unwavering faith and trust.

Through Mary’s heart unclouded by sin, through her pure, and transparent heart we behold the beauty and holiness of God. Her Immaculate Heart is a living example of what it means to love God with one’s whole being and to ‘ponder’ God’s plan for us. Through her faithful obedience, she became the Mother of God and a mother to all who follow Christ.

As we entrust ourselves to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, we are drawn ever closer to her Son. Her maternal love guides us to Jesus and teaches us how to live with faith, humility, purity, and trust. In her heart, God’s promises of redemption were received, cherished, and fulfilled in hope. United to her Immaculate Heart, we are led to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, where we encounter the fullness of God’s love and the promise of eternal life.

– Fr. Frederick Clement, m.ss.cc.

References

Lois Tverberg, Reading the Bible with Rabbi Jesus: How a Jewish Perspective Can Transform Your Understanding (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books: A Division of Baker Publishing Group, 2018), 257.

Gary C. Newton, Heart-Deep Teaching (Nashville, TN: B&H Books, 2012), 18.

Sagrado Corazon De Jesus y Inmaculado Corazon De Maria – Junio 2022

Admin — Mon, 20 Jun 2022 16:00:00 GMT

SOLEMNIDAD DEL SAGRADO CORAZÓN DE JESÚS

Esta es una fiesta movible que honra al Sagrado Corazón de Jesús. En 1675, Jesús le dijo a Santa Margarita María de Alacoque que quería que la Fiesta del Sagrado Corazón se celebrara el viernes después de la octava del Corpus Christi. En 1856, la Fiesta del Sagrado Corazón se convirtió en fiesta universal.
San Juan Pablo II, gran devoto del Sagrado Corazón dijo: “Esta fiesta nos recuerda el misterio del amor de Dios por el pueblo de todos los tiempos”.
En 2022, celebramos la Solemnidad del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús el 24 de junio.

Origen de la devoción al Sagrado Corazón de Jesús
Santa Margarita María de Alacoque era una religiosa de la Orden de la Visitación. Tenía un gran amor por Jesús. Y Jesús tuvo un amor especial por ella.
Se le apareció en varias ocasiones para decirle lo mucho que la amaba a ella y a todos los hombres y lo mucho que le dolía a su Corazón que los hombres se alejaran de Él por el pecado.
Durante estas visitas a su alma, Jesús le pidió que nos enseñara a quererlo más, a tenerle devoción, a rezar y, sobre todo, a tener un buen comportamiento para que su Corazón no sufra más con nuestros pecados.
El pecado nos aleja de Jesús y esto lo entristece porque Él quiere que todos lleguemos al Cielo con Él. Nosotros podemos demostrar nuestro amor al Sagrado Corazón de Jesús con nuestras obras: en esto precisamente consiste la devoción al Sagrado Corazón de Jesús.
“Te prometo, en la excesiva misericordia de mi Corazón, que su Amor omnipotente concederá a todos los que comulguen los nueve primeros viernes de mes seguidos, la gracia de la penitencia final” (Benedicto XV, en la bula de canonización de santa Margarita María de Alacoque recoge estas palabras de Cristo).
La comunión en estos primeros viernes de mes ha de llevar a una profunda renovación espiritual, como reparación por los pecados personales del mes precedente y como ayuda para vivir más unido a Cristo en el siguiente, y a incrementar la entrega al apostolado para la salvación de los hombres.
Las 12 promesas del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús son:

A las almas consagradas a mi Corazón, les daré las gracias necesarias para su estado.
Daré la paz a las familias.
Las consolaré en todas sus aflicciones.
Seré su amparo y refugio seguro durante la vida, y principalmente en la hora de la muerte.
Derramaré bendiciones abundantes sobre sus empresas.
Los pecadores hallarán en mi Corazón la fuente y el océano infinito de la misericordia.
Las almas tibias se harán fervorosas.
Las almas fervorosas se elevarán rápidamente a gran perfección.
Bendeciré las casas en que la imagen de mi Sagrado Corazón esté expuesta y sea honrada.
Daré a los sacerdotes la gracia de mover los corazones empedernidos.
Las personas que propaguen esta devoción, tendrán escrito su nombre en mi Corazón y jamás será borrado de él.
A todos los que comulguen nueve primeros viernes de mes continuos, el amor omnipotente de mi Corazón les concederá la gracia de la perseverancia final.

Condiciones para obtener las gracias prometidas por el Sagrado Corazón de Jesús:

Recibir sin interrupción la Sagrada Comunión durante nueve primeros viernes consecutivos.
Tener la intención de honrar al Sagrado Corazón de Jesús y de alcanzar la perseverancia final.
Ofrecer cada Sagrada Comunión como un acto de expiación por las ofensas cometidas contra el Santísimo Sacramento.

SOLEMNIDAD DEL INMACULADO CORAZÓN DE MARÍA
Ésta fiesta está íntimamente vinculada con la del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús, la cual se celebra el día anterior, viernes. Ambas fiestas se celebran, viernes y sábado respectivamente, en la semana siguiente al domingo de Corpus Christi. Los Corazones de Jesús y de María están maravillosamente unidos en el tiempo y la eternidad desde el momento de la Encarnación. La Iglesia nos enseña que el modo más seguro de llegar a Jesús es por medio de María. Por eso nos consagramos al Corazón de Jesús por medio del Corazón de María.
La fiesta del Corazón Inmaculado de María fue oficialmente establecida en toda la Iglesia por el papa Pío XII, el 4 de mayo de 1944, para obtener por medio de la intercesión de María “la paz entre las naciones, libertad para la Iglesia, la conversión de los pecadores, amor a la pureza y la práctica de las virtudes”.
Después de su entrada a los cielos, el Corazón de María sigue ejerciendo a favor nuestro su amorosa intercesión. El amor de su corazón se dirige primero a Dios y a su Hijo Jesús, pero se extiende también con solicitud maternal sobre todo el género humano que Jesús le confió al morir; y así la alabamos por la santidad de su Inmaculado Corazón y le solicitamos su ayuda maternal en nuestro camino a su Hijo.
Una práctica que hoy en día forma parte integral de la devoción al Corazón de María, es la Devoción a los Cinco Primeros sábados.

Origen de la devoción al Inmaculado Corazón de María
En diciembre de 1925, la Virgen se le apareció a Lucía Martos, vidente de Fátima y le dijo: “Yo prometo asistir a la hora de la muerte, con las gracias necesarias para la salvación, a todos aquellos que, en los primeros sábados de cinco meses consecutivos, se confiesen, reciban la Sagrada Comunión, recen la tercera parte del Rosario, con intención de darme reparación”. Junto con la devoción a los nueve Primeros Viernes de Mes, ésta es una de las devociones más conocidas entre el pueblo creyente.
El Papa Juan Pablo II declaró que la conmemoración del Inmaculado Corazón de María será de naturaleza “obligatoria” y no “opcional”. Es decir, por primera vez en la Iglesia, la liturgia para esta celebración debe de realizarse en todo el mundo católico.
En 2022, celebramos la Solemnidad del Inmaculado Corazón de María 25 de junio.
FUENTE: EWTN – ACIPRENSA Fr. John De Britto, MSSCC

Fr. Michael Messaro, M.SS.CC. Celebrates 50th Jubilee

Admin — Sun, 15 Apr 2018 16:00:00 GMT

On Sunday, April 15, Confreres, friends, family and parishioners gathered at St. Mary’s Church in Fairfield, PA to celebrate the 50th anniversary of ordination to the priesthood of Fr. Michael Messaro, M.SS.CC. Fr. Messaro was ordained on March 30, 1968 after completion of his studies at the Propagation of the Faith Pontifical University in Rome. He also attained a Master of Divinity and a Master of Arts in Biblical Studies at St. Charles Seminary in Philadelphia, PA.He previously served as Associate Pastor, Our Lady of Sorrows Church, Linwood, NJ and Pastor at Our Lady of FatimaMt. Carmel in Camden, NJ. He was appointed as Pastor of St. Mary’s, Fairfield and St. Rita’s, Blue Ridge Summit, PA in 1992 and served until his retirement in 2015.Fr. Mike resides at the Missionaries of the Sacred Hearts’ House of Studies in Fairfield. He remains active in the pastoral ministries of the Fairfield Community of the Missionaries of the Sacred Hearts.

Kumkuvarapalem Chapel Consecrated August 10, 2017

Admin — Thu, 10 Aug 2017 16:00:00 GMT

The new chapel in the village of Kumkuvarapalem, dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, was blessed on August 10, 2017 by most Rev. M.D. Prakasm, Bishop of Nellore.The con-celebrated Mass was attended by the people of the village who offered prayers of thanksgiving for their new Chapel. Major funding for the Chapel was realized through the generosity of a Family Foundation and donor support in the USA and offerings from the villagers. On the same day, a foundation stone was laid for another chapel in Bhimavarapadu village. With the grace of God, we pray it too will be completed soon.

Fr. Hector Luis Zordan, M.SS.CC. consecrated as Bishop of Gualeguaychu, Argentina

Admin — Tue, 28 Mar 2017 16:00:00 GMT

With great joy and thanksgiving to God, our Superior General announced that Pope Francis has appointed Father Hector Luis Zordan, M.SS.CC. Bishop of Gualeguaychu, Entre Rio province, Argentina by Pope Francis on March 28, 2017. He was consecrated Bishop on May 28, 2017 in the Cathedral of St. Joseph in Gualeguaychu. Bishop Zordan, born in Calchaqui, Sante Fe, Argentina in 1956 entered the Missionaries in 1976 and was perpetually professed on August 14, 1983. He completed philosophical and theological studies at the Carlo Borromeo Seminary of the Archdiocese of Rosario. Ordained in March 1984, he has served the Congregation as parochial vicar of San Roque Parish in Capital Bermudez; Pastor of Our Lady of Sorrows Parish in Buenos Aires; Rector of the religious community of Capitan Bermudez and as Novice Master and Vocation Director. In addition, he has held the office of vice-president of Archdiocesan Caritas of the Archdiocese of Rosario. Before his appointment as Bishop, he was the Delegate of the Superior General of the Missionaries of the Sacred Hearts for Argentina from 1998 to 2016. We give our fraternal wishes for a most fruitful apostolate and assure him of our prayers for God’s blessings on all his endeavors.

Mission Chapels Approved for Bhimavarpadu & Kumkuvaripalem, India

Admin — Wed, 01 Feb 2017 16:00:00 GMT

Father Delegate Antony Samy is eager to begin the work on two small Chapels in outlying villages where our Missionaries have been serving. The villagers are eager to have a worship space as they now attend Mass celebrated in one of the homes. The chapels once built will become the focal point for the villages which are in remote parts of Northeastern India. Donations and grants through our Office of Development in the United States will largely fund the project along with small donations from the villagers and a grant from the Diocese of Nellore. It is hoped that building will be completed by June 2017.

WATER PUMP PROJECT IN Dhingurpani Parish, Jharkhand, India

Admin — Thu, 08 Dec 2016 16:00:00 GMT

WATER PUMP PROJECT IN Dhingurpani Parish, Jharkhand, India has been completed under the direction of the Missionaries of the Sacred Hearts. Fr. S. Antony Samy, Delegate of our Indian Community stated that new bore wells were drilled in ten different villages in the parish allowing the residents to have a convenient source of clean water. Many had previously had to walk long distances from their homes to find water. Through the generosity of a family foundation and donors in the USA, this most worthwhile and vital project was brought to realization. Fr. Subash and Fr. Kujur who serve in the parish report they continually receive many words of appreciation from their parishioners whose daily lives have been positively impacted by this project.

Jubilee Year of Mercy, visit one of the several churches selected to pass through the Holy Doors

Admin — Thu, 01 Dec 2016 16:00:00 GMT

The Diocese of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania has designated Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary parish (St. Mary’s) in Fairfield, PA as a special pilgrimage site for the Year of Mercy from December 8, 2015 to November 20, 2016. Pilgrims are encouraged to visit one of the several churches selected to pass through the Holy Doors. Fr. Robert Malagesi, M.SS.CC., Pastor of St. Mary’s has encouraged pilgrims to visit the church during this special year. In fulfilling the additional requirements of a pilgrimage visit, praying for the Pope’s intentions, and performing works of mercy, a plenary indulgence may be obtained.

Mid-Chapter held in India in November 2016

Admin — Sun, 20 Nov 2016 16:00:00 GMT

Superior General Fr. Luigi Toscano presided on a Mid-Chapter November 7 through 13, 2016 in Thambuchettypalya, Bangalore, India. The Chapter was open to all the Delegates from the eight countries where we have an established presence which are, Italy, the United States, Argentina, India, Nigeria, Slovakia, Indonesia and Colombia. Before the Chapter began, each Delegate was to meet with the community members in his Delegation and compile a report on current activities and plans for the future in the areas of Vocation promotion, Initial Formation, Permanent Formation, Mission and Finance. The challenges for the future are great as the Congregation grows. Attention must always be given to strong formation programs for both those preparing for priesthood and newly ordained. Also discussed and recommended was developing a strong connection between Delegations where information and support are shared. Delegates were also asked to begin to think of the change for some delegations to possibly become Provinces in the future. Upon returning home all Delegates were to meet with the members to share the outcome of the Mid-Chapter and plan to work on the proposals put forth.