“He loved us.”
(Rom 8:37)
With these words from St. Paul’s Letter to the Romans, the late Pope Francis opened his October 2024 encyclical letter, “Dilexit nos” (He Loved Us), which constitutes a profound reflection on the human and divine love of the heart of Jesus.
Since the 17th and 18th centuries, the church has recognized June as the month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Pope Pius XI, who established CNEWA in 1926, saw immense value in the consecration of nations to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
In “Dilexit nos,” Pope Francis teaches that “Christ showed the depth of his love for us not by lengthy explanations but by concrete actions.” Throughout his earthly life and ministry, Jesus sought to encounter people. When he was about to heal someone, Pope Francis writes, “he preferred to do it, not from a distance but in close proximity … by his closeness, he shows us the depth of his tender love.”
“Jesus’ words show that his holiness did not exclude deep emotions,” the pontiff points out. “On various occasions, he demonstrates a love that was both passionate and compassionate. He could be deeply moved and grieved, even to the point of shedding tears.”
True devotion to the heart of Christ follows the prompting of the grace of the Holy Spirit. When we are attentive to the prompting of the Holy Spirit, we become sensitized to the ways in which our hearts have been pierced by the heart of Christ. We seek the Spirit’s guidance in drawing close to the One for whom we will be instruments of the passion of Christ’s heart.
The saints and the popes have seen in the devotion to the heart of Christ both a source of intimate spiritual union with him and the cultivation of an authentic missionary zeal — a zeal that seeks to promote a more just society and an openness to engage in a culture of dialogue in the search for unity and true peace.
Pope Leo XIV identifies the need for us to pray together to the Sacred Heart, so that “each one of us might find consolation in a personal relationship with Jesus, and from his heart, learn to have compassion on the world.”
On 11 June, as part of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Catholic bishops will consecrate the United States of America to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Archbishop Alexander Sample of Portland, Oregon, a member of CNEWA’s International Board of Trustees, wrote a reflection available on the website of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, in which he links the importance of this consecration to a greater emphasis on God’s activity on behalf of the poor, as articulated in Leo XIV’s apostolic exhortation, “Dilexi te” (I Have Loved You).
“Wanting to inaugurate a kingdom of justice, fraternity and solidarity, God has a special place in his heart for those who are discriminated against and oppressed,” Pope Leo wrote, “and he asks us, his church, to make a decisive and radical choice in favor of the weakest.”
A reminder to us all: Consecration and authentic devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus must be oriented to action!
This issue of ONE is filled with stories of the action-oriented direction of CNEWA’s mission over our first one hundred years.
As you read Part II of the history of CNEWA by Executive Editor Michael J. La Civita, you will appreciate with greater depth the active missionary orientation of CNEWA in the regions we have served and continue to serve.
The articles on Ethiopia, Lebanon, India and the West Bank present the challenges put to the people in the regions where we work currently, challenges which have only expanded since the Israeli-U.S. war with Iran and the invasion of Israel into southern Lebanon.
It is CNEWA’s dedicated active missionary orientation in these troubled regions that we seek to underline during this anniversary year. Please note the following special dates for CNEWA’s centennial:
- 21 September: Centennial Golf Tournament, Sebonack Golf Club,Southampton, New York
- 13 December: Centennial Mass, 10:15 a.m., St. Patrick’s Cathedral, New York City
- 15 December: Centennial Gala Dinner, The Plaza Hotel, New York City; Guest of Honor: Frà John Dunlap, 81st Grand Master of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta; CNEWA’s Faith & Culture Award Recipient: Her Excellency, Sister Raffaella Petrini, F.S.E., President of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State and President of the Governorate of Vatican City State.
With my gratitude and prayers,
Msgr. Peter I. Vaccari
President
Read this article in our digital print format here.