ENTHRONEMENT
OF THE
SACRED HEART OF JESUS
in a
SEMINARY
The Rector should plan a period of preparation of daily prescribed prayer in advance of assembling the seminarians and staff for the Enthronement. Two readings from Scripture are suggested for opening the program. The First Reading is from 2 Peter 1:2-8. The Second Reading is from John 4:33-38. The seminary Rector or his designee may give a presentation on the Sacred Heart. If a Mass will be celebrated, it is recommended that a votive Mass of the Sacred Heart be used unless there is another overriding Liturgical celebration.
♥OPENING
RECTOR OR DESIGNEE: Opening Remarks
MEMBER OF SEMINARY:
This is one of the most important gatherings of our lives since the Enthronement brings countless blessings to individuals, families, and all of our undertakings. By the Enthronement we proclaim Jesus as King who rules over us through love….but He is more like a Father than a ruler. He becomes our generous Provider, our Friend, our Guide, our Counselor, our spiritual Physician, our constant Companion on the journey.
We certainly want Him to be all these things because each and every one of us needs His help. It is not easy to be good and do good. We can’t do it alone, but with Jesus’ help, we can.
RECTOR:
Jesus is your Lord and He rules through His Heart! He desires to be enthroned as King and Lord of your hearts and of this Seminary as your brother and friend. He longs to share your everyday life, your joys as well as your sorrows.
Scripture says, “My people, whom I love so dearly, behold I stand at the door and knock: if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come into him and eat with him and he with Me.” (Rv 3:20)
Jesus is your Savior and your Liberator. He wants to save you from the evil forces working to destroy you, to liberate you from the slavery of sin and the shackles of fear, depression and worry.
Jesus is ready to release in this Seminary the power of His Spirit. He is the Healer, the Consoler, the Sanctifier, and the Teacher. But He will not force His way into your heart or this place. He wants to be invited. He is waiting to hear you say to Him:
ALL: Come, Lord Jesus! Stay with us; we need you! Be the Lord, the Brother, our friend. Send us
your Holy Spirit and give us new hearts, a new spirit! Say to us as you did to John: “Surely I am coming soon.” (Rev. 22:20)
RECTOR: Yes the Father loves you, Jesus loves you, the Holy Spirit loves you. What have you to
fear? His Wounded Heart is the sign and pledge of His merciful love. His Heart is open to receive you.
♥BLESSING OF IMAGE
♥PROCESSION AND ENTHRONEMENT
Selected members process in song (to be determined) with the image of the Sacred Heart and the Bible (Knowing the Heart of God in the Word of God… “Your word, Lord, is a lamp unto our feet.”)
Votive lights are carried by all as a sign/pledge of our covenant with the Sacred Heart of Jesus and a representation of our hearts and our intentions.
Arriving at the “throne,” all gather in a semi-circle. Before enthroning the Sacred Heart the RECTOR proclaims:
WE NOW ENTHRONE JESUS AS KING, LORD, AND FRIEND OF ________________ (name of seminary).
The RECTOR then places the image of the Sacred Heart in the selected place of honor.
Other participants then place the Bible near the Sacred Heart image and say,
WE ARE NOURISHED BY THE BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST AND THE WORD OF GOD.
ALL: Jesus, recognizing Your primacy over us, we welcome You into our midst and accept Your
loving rule. We ask You to stay with us always. We need You.
RECTOR: As an act of faith in the teachings of Christ, the King of Truth, and as an act of reparation
for all society which ignores them, let us say the Apostles’ Creed.
ALL: 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 arose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from there He shall come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy CatholicChurch, the communion of Saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.
♥ACT OF CONSECRATION TO THE SACRED HEART
Facing the image, the members of the Seminary now make their covenant with the Heart of Jesus, our Lord and Friend:
ALL MEMBERS OF THE SEMINARY:
Lord Jesus, Creator of heaven and earth, God of Love, Source of all good, without whose help we can do nothing, look favorably upon us and our Seminary. As a carpenter at Nazareth, You taught us the dignity of work and the necessity of prayerful obedience to the will of the Father in order to give Him the glory and advance the Kingdom.
Today, we the faculty and students of (Name) Seminary, publicly acknowledge Your Kingship over our Seminary. We dedicate to You our prayers, our studies, our undertakings and all that we are. This is the covenant we make with You, Lord:
We pledge ourselves to be faithful to our prayer life, to frequent the pertinent life giving Sacraments of the Church, to follow Your command to love You and our neighbors as ourselves and to be faithful to the teachings of our Church. We further pledge to You to do all we can to promote the sanctity of all human life – the unborn and the elderly. Henceforward, Your interests will be our interests. Indeed, “All that You said, WE WILL OBEYANDDO.”
Therefore Lord we entrust ourselves to You and to Your Most Sacred Heart, drawing from Your Heart the holiness we need to be the priests that You have called us to be.
We welcome Your promise to be fulfilled in us to be able, through Your grace, to “touch the most hardened of hearts,” and hence bring many souls to You. May our hearts mirror Your Heart in love and compassion and desire to always do the will of the Father.
Queen of the most Holy Rosary and tender Mother of the Church, we consecrate ourselves to you and to your Immaculate Heart, and recommend to your loving care our seminary family, our personal families, and families throughout the world. Please make our hearts and gatherings your shrine, and through us, make the Heart of Jesus rule and triumph in every place in the world. Amen.
St. Joseph, head of the Holy Family and protector of the Church, pray for us!
RECTOR: Let us pray the following prayers for the intentions of the Holy Father, Pope Benedict
XVI, for all families and for absent members of this Seminary:
Our Father….; Hail Mary….; Glory Be….
RECTOR: In the Holy Spirit, let us thank the Father and His Son, Jesus, for accepting
our invitation to preside over our faculty and seminarians, and for the many blessings we will receive.
ALL: We thank You Lord.
RECTOR: For creating us, and for the gift of Your life through our Baptism.
ALL: We thank You Lord.
RECTOR: For Holy Mother Church, for our Holy Father the Pope, Vicar of Christ on earth and the
bishops in union with him, and for our priests through whom You fulfill your promise: “I am with You always.”
ALL: We thank You Lord.
RECTOR: For the gift of being able to serve You Lord, and all humankind, through our vocations
and assignments.
ALL: We thank You Lord.
♥CONSECRATION TO THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY
RECTOR: Our Holy Father has urged all to consecrate themselves to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, therefore let this Seminary honor her with this prayer:
ALL MEMBERS OF THE SEMINARY:
Queen of the most Holy Rosary, and tender Mother of the Church, we consecrate ourselves to you and to your Immaculate Heart and recommend ourselves to your loving care. We recommend our country and Seminary to your Immaculate Heart.
Please accept our consecration, dearest Mother, and use us and this Seminary to accomplish your designs upon the world.
O Spouse of the Holy Spirit, kindle in our hearts the same love that burns within your heart for Jesus, your Son. Give us the courage to witness our faith even at the cost of ridicule and suffering.
Mary, our Mother, stay with us, pray for us, that Jesus may be proclaimed as King and Lord and loved as Brother and Friend.
We entrust the fulfillment of our covenant to your Immaculate Heart and toSt. Joseph, Head of the Holy Family and patron of theUniversalChurch. We ask for their protection and intercession.
May we be empowered by the Holy Spirit to bring the fire of God’s love to all through this consecration. Amen.
RECTOR: Signs the certificate of Enthronement and then may make some appropriate remarks regarding the enthronement. The Rector, Seminarians, and Lay Promoter also sign the certificate, as well as others participating in the ceremony. Songs may be sung while the certificate is being signed.
♥CELEBRATION
To celebrate this important event, refreshments may be served.
