Newark, N.J. – The Archdiocese of Newark will celebrate the consecration of the United States to the Sacred Heart of Jesus with a bilingual Mass of Thanksgiving on Friday, June 12, at 7:30 p.m. at the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark.

Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, C.Ss.R., Archbishop of Newark, will preside over the Mass, which will be concelebrated by the archdiocese’s four auxiliary bishops and many clergy members. The liturgy will take place one day after the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops consecrates the nation to the Sacred Heart in commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

The celebration also coincides with the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, the feast day of the Cathedral Basilica’s patron, observed annually on the third Friday after Pentecost.

All are invited to attend or watch the livestream on the Cathedral Basilica’s YouTube channel.

“This is a wonderful opportunity not only to commemorate a great milestone in our country’s history, but also to come together as an archdiocesan family and celebrate the patronal feast of our mother church,” said Father Matthew Gonzalez, rector of the Cathedral Basilica. “The archdiocese is made up of different parishes, but we are one body and one heart. It will be beautiful to gather in solidarity at the Cathedral Basilica and pray for the future of our nation.”

The Mass of Thanksgiving will follow the usual liturgical format and begin with a special procession featuring representatives from all 211 archdiocesan parishes carrying their parish’s American flag and a banner bearing the parish name. The procession is intended to symbolize the unity of the archdiocesan community and its shared love of Christ and country.

Another notable moment will be the Universal Prayer, which will be proclaimed in nine languages: English, Spanish, Portuguese, Tagalog, Creole, Italian, Korean, Igbo and Polish. This multilingual prayer will reflect the cultural diversity of the Archdiocese of Newark and the broader American community.

“The archdiocese is very diverse, so this is a meaningful way to honor that diversity while uniting everyone,” Father Gonzalez said. “I hope people leave enlivened by the knowledge that, despite our differences, we are all called to labor together in the vineyard. Christ gives us the grace to use our gifts in harmony and reflect the Sacred Heart by serving those who are hurting or forgotten in our communities and nation.”

The Sacred Heart of Jesus

The Sacred Heart of Jesus is one of the Catholic Church’s best-known devotions, symbolizing Christ’s love for humanity through the image of his wounded and flaming heart. The devotion gained prominence after St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, a French nun, reported a series of apparitions of Jesus between 1673 to 1675 in which he encouraged devotion to the Sacred Heart.

The devotion spread further after Blessed Mary of the Divine Heart, who reported receiving messages from Christ, urged Pope Leo XIII to consecrate the world to the Sacred Heart in 1899.

Today, Catholics observe the devotion through practices including First Fridays, Holy Hour and prayers such as the Litany of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The month of June is traditionally dedicated to the Sacred Heart and is marked by Masses, novenas and other devotional observances.

Consecration of the United States

By consecrating the United States to the Sacred Heart, the USCCB is formally entrusting the nation to Christ’s love, mercy and protection. The Act of Consecration will be prayed during a Votive Mass at the USCCB’s Plenary Conference in Orlando, Fla., on June 11 at noon EDT.

Parishes across the country are encouraged to participate through liturgies, prayer cards and other resources available on the USCCB’s webpage. Catholics may also watch the consecration livestream.

In the Archdiocese of Newark, the Cathedral Basilica will host a Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus from June 3-11 in addition to the Mass of Thanksgiving. All are invited to join.

To learn more about the consecration of the United States to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, visit www.usccb.org/consecration-united-states-sacred-heart-jesus.

About the Archdiocese of Newark
The Archdiocese of Newark serves 1.3 million Catholics across northern New Jersey’s Bergen, Essex, Hudson and Union counties. Led by Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, C.Ss.R., the sixth archbishop of Newark, the Archdiocese includes 211 parishes, 64 Catholic schools and numerous missions and ministries committed to faith, education and social service. For more information, visit www.rcan.org.

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Media Contact: Sean Quinn | Archdiocese of Newark | Office of Communications | Sean.Quinn@rcan.org | 973-497-4248