Two years ago, the Diocese of Gary distributed Eucharistic Passports, encouraging the faithful to spend time in adoration at various parish locations. The initiative brought people together around a common goal of spending time with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. The diocese is hoping a new booklet will be met with similar enthusiasm.
The discipleship journal “Enflamed by the Sacred Heart of Jesus” will be made available on and after the Diocese of Gary’s “Dedication of the Diocese to the Sacred Heart” event on June 12 at Bulldog Park in Crown Point. Its purpose: to promote time in prayer while also inviting the faithful to live out their faith through the corporal works of mercy.
“There is a natural connection between the two,” said Father Declan McNicholas. “The more we encounter Jesus in prayer, the more we are moved to encounter Him in others.”
The director of missionary discipleship and evangelization hopes this journal helps people grow as missionary disciples and helps the diocese become more rooted in prayer, mercy and service. Ultimately, he said, it is about helping more people come to know Jesus Christ and experience His love.
Father McNicholas explained that the June 12 dedication of the diocese to the Sacred Heart of Jesus is not intended to be a finish line. It is really a starting point.
“Throughout Scripture, an encounter with the love of Christ always leads to mission,” he said. “When we experience the Heart of Jesus, we are moved to share that love with others.”
Father McNicholas noted that the dedication is paired with an invitation to prayer and works of mercy. While the diocese wants people to gather on June 12, he said, it also wants them to leave with a renewed commitment to live their faith in concrete ways.
“The Sacred Heart reminds us that Christ’s love is not something we simply receive,” Father McNicholas said. “It is something we are called to share with our families, neighbors, and communities.”
The corporal and spiritual works of mercy put the Gospel into action. Jesus tells us in Matthew 25 that whatever we do for the least of our brothers and sisters, we do for Him. Feeding the hungry, visiting the sick, welcoming the stranger, and caring for those in need are not optional parts of Christian life.
Father McNicholas added that they are essential expressions of discipleship, noting that as Catholics, we believe faith transforms the way we live.
“The works of mercy help us move beyond good intentions and give us practical ways to encounter Christ in others,” he said. “They remind us that love is not simply a feeling or an idea. Love takes action.”
“Enflamed by the Sacred Heart of Jesus” is 4 by 6 inches, making it easy to carry. Within its 40 pages is a letter from Bishop McClory, prayer resources, space to log holy hours and works of mercy and more.
Father McNicholas believes the most beneficial aspect of the journal is that it gives people practical information and ideas for both the corporal and spiritual works of mercy and prayer before the Blessed Sacrament. He said sometimes people know these actions are important, but they are not always sure how to begin or how to make them a regular part of their lives.
“For me personally, when I am given a goal or a challenge, I am much more likely to follow through,” Father McNicholas said. “The journal helps make these practices intentional rather than just another part of everyday life.”
As people pray and serve throughout the coming months, they can know they are part of something bigger. The faithful are encouraged to share their holy hours and works of mercy online at https://dcgary.org/sacred-heart to see the overall impact of the initiative.
“We are not doing this alone,” Father McNicholas said. “We are doing it together as a community rooted in the Sacred Heart of Jesus.”
Deacon Robert Gromola, who serves the St. John the Evangelist parish community, hopes the journal becomes more than just a keepsake from the June 12 event.
“The Sacred Heart invites us into a deeper relationship with Jesus,” he said. “As we publicly witness our faith and unite our hearts to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, I hope the journal helps individuals and families not only grow closer to Christ in prayer, but also become His hands and feet in service to others.
He added, “Ultimately, it is meant to be a companion that keeps the flame of faith burning throughout the year leading us from devotion to mission, from adoration to mercy, and from encountering Christ's love to sharing that love with the world.”
For more information and to register to attend the Dedication of the Diocese to the Sacred Heart of Jesus on June 12 in Crown Point, visit https://dcgary.org/dedication. For more details on Consecrating the United States to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, visit https://dcgary.org/sacred-heart.
