As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, the nation’s bishops have announced a historic act of faith — a consecration of the country to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, to take place in 2026.
The decision came during the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Fall Plenary Assembly in Baltimore, where the bishops voted to “entrust our nation to the love and care of the Sacred Heart of Jesus,” according to Catholic News Agency. Bishop Kevin Rhoades of Fort Wayne–South Bend said the consecration offers a moment to recall that Catholics are called to “serve our nation by perfecting the temporal order with the spirit of the Gospel as taught by the Second Vatican Council.”
Rhoades noted that consecrating nations to the Sacred Heart has deep papal roots. Drawing from CNA’s report, he referenced Pope Pius XI’s 1925 encyclical establishing the Feast of Christ the King, which encouraged families and nations to dedicate themselves to Christ’s heart as “a way to recognize the kinship of Christ.”
The bishops are also developing resources to prepare the faithful spiritually. Rhoades said plans are underway for a novena and other prayers that will help dioceses, parishes, and families take part in the consecration. “There is such an abundance of beautiful teaching,” he explained, confirming that catechetical materials will be made available to deepen understanding of the devotion.
At the assembly, Archbishop Paul Etienne of Seattle highlighted the pastoral importance of this effort, saying the devotion “is ultimately inviting people into a deeper relationship with the very person of Jesus himself.” Rhoades agreed, while Bishop Arturo Cepeda of San Antonio urged that resources be produced in multiple languages to involve Catholics across cultural communities.
According to CNA, Miami Archbishop Thomas Wenski also proposed marking the national consecration during the bishops’ June 2026 meeting in Orlando, on the solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus — and suggested that President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and other officials be invited to the event.
The devotion to the Sacred Heart, rooted in the 17th-century visions of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, has long symbolized Christ’s mercy and love for humanity. From those visions grew practices like the First Friday devotions and Holy Hours, eventually leading Pope Pius IX to extend the Feast of the Sacred Heart to the universal Church in 1856.
Now, as the bishops prepare for this act of consecration, the heart of Christ once again stands at the center, calling the nation to renewal, repentance, and unity in divine love.
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