June 21, 2026 | Enthroning Your Home to the Sacred Heart of Jesus
Jesus Christ: Yesterday, Today, and Forever ~
Following up on my pastor’s columns about the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the First Friday and Saturday devotions, I here present to you a step-by-step rite of consecration of your home to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. This is a powerful devotion that will help to protect your home and family from the enemy, as well as to help foster a personal relationship with Jesus Christ through His Sacred Heart. Jesus promised to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque that, "I will bless the homes where an image of My Heart shall be exposed and honored."
Whatever method you use to dedicate your home to the Sacred Heart, the emphasis should be placed on spiritual preparation. It is not simply an activity where you place an image of Jesus in a prominent place in your home. It is focused on joining your heart to the heart of Jesus so that you are one with him in all things. To make it as easy as possible for you to do in your home, I have found instructions online, slightly abridged for space – https://www.omvusa.org/st-francis-chapel/enthronement-of-the-sacred-heart-of-jesus-in-your-home/. Normally this is presided over by a priest, so if you can get Fr. Bala or a visiting priest to do it, that would be great (regretfully, my time is too limited). If you can’t find a priest to preside, then it can still be presided over by the head of the household, and if they refuse, then you. I do hope you’ll make the effort to do it. Divine protection and blessings will follow.
In the Sacred Heart of Jesus,
Fr. Thomas Nathe
How to Enthrone the Sacred Heart in Your Home (and Heart)
Included are the necessary preparations for the Ceremony of Enthronement, the formula for the ceremony itself, suggested practices of devotion, and special occasions when renewal of the Consecration is encouraged.
Preparation for the Ceremony of Enthronement
1. Order this certificate of enthronement https://www.sistersofcarmel.com/sacred-heart-enthronement-certificate-gdof/.
2. Ask Fr. Bala or a visiting priest if they can preside, and if not, then the head of the household will preside, and if not them, then you. Then find a date.
3. Have a beautiful picture or statue of the Sacred Heart to place on your throne. This will be a permanent location in the home.
4. Prepare a “throne,” a table or mantelpiece. Cover it with white cloth and decorate with flowers and candles. Place picture or statue on small table near “throne.” Place pictures of departed and absent family members around “throne.” Have holy water handy. You can get some from the baptismal font at church or the narthex at Holy Redeemer.
5.Invite your relatives and friends to the ceremony.
6.Ideally, have the entire family receive Holy Communion at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass offered on the day. Of course, make sure everyone is in a state of grace.
7.Have a family party after the ceremony. Make the day as solemn as possible.
The Ceremony
1. All gather around the “throne,” the family, children nearest the presider.
2.If the presider is a priest, then wearing a stole, blesses the statue or picture. If a layperson, then formal clothing.
Presider: Let us pray…
Almighty and everlasting God, who does approve the painting and sculpturing of the images of Your saints, so that as often as we gaze upon them we are reminded to imitate their deeds and sanctity; vouchsafe, we implore You, to bless and sanctify this picture made in honor and in memory of the Most Sacred Heart of Your only begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ; and grant that whosoever, in its presence, will suppliantly worship and honor the Most Sacred Heart of Your only begotten Son, may obtain through His merits and intercession grace in this life and everlasting glory in the world to come. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
The presider sprinkles the picture with holy water.
3. The presider then installs the picture or statue in its place of honor.
4.All stand to recite the Apostles’ Creed.
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; on the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty; from there he will 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.
5.The presider then addresses a few words of exhortation if they can.
6.The presider recites the official Act of Consecration.
Please kneel.
O Sacred Heart of Jesus, who did make known to St. Margaret Mary Your ardent desire to reign over Christian families, behold us assembled here today to proclaim Your absolute dominion over our home. Henceforth we purpose to lead a life like Yours so that among us may flourish the virtues for which You did promise peace on earth, and for this end we will banish from our midst the spirit of the world which You abhor so much. You will reign over our understanding by the simplicity of our faith. You will reign over our hearts by an ardent love for You; and may the flame of this love be ever kept burning in our hearts by the frequent reception of the Holy Eucharist. Deign, O Divine Heart, to preside over our meetings, to bless our undertakings, both spiritual and temporal, to banish all worry and care, to sanctify our joys and soothe our sorrows. If any of us should ever have the misfortune to grieve Your Sacred Heart, remind him of Your goodness and mercy toward the repentant sinner. Lastly, when the hour of separation will sound and death will plunge our home into mourning, then shall we all and every one of us be resigned to Your eternal decrees, and seek consolation in the thought that we shall all one day be reunited in heaven, where we shall sing the praises and blessings of Your Sacred Heart for all eternity. May the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the glorious Patriarch St. Joseph offer You this our Consecration and remind us of the same all the days of our life. Glory to the Divine Heart of Jesus, our King and our Father!
7.All say together the Our Father and Hail Mary for all absent members, both living and dead.
8.All recite with the presider the following prayer of thanksgiving:
Glory be to You, O Sacred Heart of Jesus, for the infinite mercy You have bestowed upon the privileged members of this family. You have chosen it from thousands of others, as a recipient of Your Love and a sanctuary of reparation wherein Your most loving heart shall find consolation for all the ingratitude of men. How great, O Lord Jesus, is the confusion of this portion of Your faithful flock as we accept the unmerited honor of seeing You preside over our family! Silently we adore You, overjoyed to see You sharing under the same roof the toils, cares, and joys of Your innocent children! It is true we are not worthy that You should enter our humble abode, but You have already reassured us, when You revealed Your Sacred Heart to us, teaching us to find in the wound of Your Sacred Side the source of grace and life everlasting. In this loving and trusting spirit we give ourselves to You, You who are unchanging life. Remain with us, Most Sacred Heart, for we feel an irresistible desire to love You and make You loved. May our home be for You a haven as sweet as that of Bethany, where You can find rest in the midst of loving friends, who like Mary have chosen the better part in the loving intimacy of Your Heart! May this home be for You, O beloved Savior, a humble but hospitable refuge during the exile imposed on You by Your enemies. Come, then, Lord Jesus, come, for here as at Nazareth, we have a tender love for the Virgin Mary, Your sweet Mother, whom You have given us to be our Mother. Come to fill with Your sweet presence the vacancies which misfortune and death have wrought in our midst. O most faithful Friend, had You been here in the midst of sorrow, our tears would have been less bitter; the comforting balm of peace would have soothed these hidden wounds, which are known to You alone. Come, for even now perhaps, there is drawing near for us the twilight of tribulation, and the decline of the passing days of our youth and illusions. Stay with us, for already it is late, and a perverted world seeks to envelop us in the darkness of its denials while we wish to adhere to You, who alone are the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Repeat for us those words You uttered of old, “This day I must abide in this home.” Yes, dear Lord, take up Your abode with us, so that we may live in Your love and in Your presence, we who proclaim You as our King and wish no other! May Your triumphant Heart, O Jesus, be forever loved, blessed, and glorified in this home. Your Kingdom come! Amen.
9.As an act of homage to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, all recite the Hail Holy Queen, standing.
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 sighs, 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.
10.Presider:
(3 times) Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. All: Have mercy on us.
Immaculate Heart of Mary. All: Pray for us.
St. Joseph. All: Pray for us.
St. Margaret Mary, All: Pray for us.
All: Glory to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, forever and ever. Amen.
11.Presider: May Almighty God bless us,protect us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.
12.Then the members of the family and the presider sign the Certificate of the Enthronement, which should be framed and hung near the picture of the Sacred Heart or kept in the family archives.
