Join us on July 3 for our First Friday Vigil, led by our new parish Administrator, Fr. Eurel Manzano. While Fr. Manzano will not officially begin his position at St. Theresa until August 1, he will be here to lead our July First Friday Vigil. Receive a plenary indulgence by joining our community for this devotion.
The First Friday Vigil will begin at 9pm and last until midnight. The vigil will consist of:
- Rosary
- Exposition of the Eucharist and Benediction
- Confession
- Consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart
- Solemn Mass at 11pm
What is the significance of First Friday and the Sacred Heart of Jesus for Catholics?
Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus is a longstanding tradition among Catholics:
The prayer of the Church venerates and honors the Heart of Jesus just as it invokes his most holy name. It adores the incarnate Word and his Heart which, out of love for men, he allowed to be pierced by our sins.
– Catechism of the Catholic Church, Article 2669
The First Friday devotion to the Sacred Heart grew from our Lord’s appearances to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque in 1675. St. Margaret Mary wrote that in one of His appearances to her, Jesus said “Look at this Heart which has loved men so much, and yet men do not want to love Me in return. Through you My divine Heart wishes to spread its love everywhere on earth.”
Learn more about St. Margaret Mary Alacoque and the First Friday Devotion.
How can devotion to the Sacred Heart bring us closer to Jesus?
Traditionally, there are twelve promises which Jesus made to St. Margaret Mary regarding those who devote themselves to His Sacred Heart:
- I will give them all the graces necessary for their state of life.
- I will establish peace in their families.
- I will console them in all their troubles.
- They shall find in My Heart an assured refuge during life and especially at the hour of their death.
- I will pour abundant blessings on all their undertakings.
- Sinners shall find in My Heart the source of an infinite ocean of mercy.
- Tepid souls shall become fervent.
- Fervent souls shall speedily rise to great perfection.
- I will bless the homes where an image of My Heart shall be exposed and honored.
- I will give to priests the power of touching the most hardened hearts.
- Those who propagate this devotion shall have their names written in My Heart, never to be effaced.
- The all-powerful love of My Heart will grant to all those who shall receive Communion on the First Friday of nine consecutive months the grace of final repentance; they shall not die under my displeasure, nor without receiving their Sacraments; My heart shall be their assured refuge at that last hour.
What is a plenary indulgence?
“An indulgence is a remission before God of the temporal punishment due to sins whose guilt has already been forgiven, which the faithful Christian who is duly disposed gains under certain prescribed conditions through the action of the Church which, as the minister of redemption, dispenses and applies with authority the treasury of the satisfactions of Christ and the saints”.
The faithful may receive a plenary indulgence once a day, providing that they are in a state of grace. The specific requirements for a plenary indulgence include:
- have an interior disposition of complete detachment from sin, even venial sin
- have sacramentally confessed their sins
- receive the Holy Eucharist
- pray for the intentions of the Pope
