JUNE: Recite an Act of Reparation is for “the sins that continue to plague our world”.

The District Superior of the SSPX, Fr. John Fullerton, has asked in a newsletter that people pray an Act of Reparation to the Sacred Heart during the month of June.

The Act of Reparation is for “the sins that continue to plague our world”.

This is a good thing.  Will you join me?

(A partial indulgence is granted to those who recite this prayer. A plenary indulgence is granted if it is publicly recited on the feast of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. This prayer was prescribed to be recited on this feast by Pope Pius XI).

Download a printable card of this prayer

Most sweet Jesus, whose overflowing charity for men is requited by so much forgetfulness, negligence and contempt, behold us prostrate before Thee, eager to repair by a special act of homage the cruel indifference and injuries to which Thy loving Heart is everywhere subject.

Mindful, alas! that we ourselves have had a share in such great indignities, which we now deplore from the depths of our hearts, we humbly ask Thy pardon and declare our readiness to atone by voluntary expiation, not only for our own personal offenses, but also for the sins of those, who, straying far from the path of salvation, refuse in their obstinate infidelity to follow Thee, their Shepherd and Leader, or, renouncing the promises of their baptism, have cast off the sweet yoke of Thy law.

We are now resolved to expiate each and every deplorable outrage committed against Thee; we are now determined to make amends for the manifold offenses against Christian modesty in unbecoming dress and behavior, for all the foul seductions laid to ensnare the feet of the innocent, for the frequent violations of Sundays and holydays, and the shocking blasphemies uttered against Thee and Thy Saints.

We wish also to make amends for the insults to which Thy Vicar on earth and Thy priests are subjected, for the profanation, by conscious neglect or terrible acts of sacrilege, of very the Sacrament of Thy Divine love; and lastly for the public crimes of nations who resist the rights and teaching authority of the Church which Thou hast founded.

Would that we were able to wash away such abominations with our blood. We now offer, in reparation for these violations of Thy divine honor, the satisfaction Thou once made to Thy Eternal Father on the cross and which Thou continuest to renew daily on our altars; we offer it in union with the acts of atonement of Thy Virgin Mother and all the Saints and of the pious faithful on earth; and we sincerely promise to make recompense, as far as we can with the help of Thy grace, for all neglect of Thy great love and for the sins we and others have committed in the past.

Henceforth, we will live a life of unswerving faith, of purity of conduct, of perfect observance of the precepts of the Gospel and especially that of charity. We promise to the best of our power to prevent others from offending Thee and to bring as many as possible to follow Thee.

O loving Jesus, through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mother, our model in reparation, deign to receive the voluntary offering we make of this act of expiation; and by the crowning gift of perseverance keep us faithful unto death in our duty and the allegiance we owe to Thee, so that we may all one day come to that happy home, where with the Father and the Holy Spirit Thou livest and reignest, God, forever and ever. Amen.

Fr. Fullerton’s message with my emphases:

Dear friends,

2020 was a challenging year for the Catholic Church and society as a whole. Many found themselves deprived of the sacraments, including Holy Mass, due to restrictions brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. Many more have suffered practical difficulties, including social unrest, joblessness, and the stinging isolation of being away from friends and family. 2021 continues to be a difficult time with far too many perennial problems rearing their ugly head.

In the Church, for instance, those charged with leading Christ’s flock continue to embrace ideas antithetical to the Faith. In Germany, the Catholic Church, infected by false teachings, is on the brink of schism, and there is a risk other local churches may head down the same path. Rumors continue to swirl about new restrictions being placed on the traditional Latin Mass. There are sincere worries that many Catholics may never return to church even after local governments remove their restrictions on public gatherings.

American society remains deeply fractured along ideological lines. Moral positions that most of the country considered normative only a half-century ago involving marriage, abortion, and parenting are now considered “reactionary” or “extreme.” Millions of Americans suffered dire financial consequences in the past year.

Against this sorrowful backdrop, I invite all Catholics to use the month of June, the month the Church has dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, to make reparations for the sins that continue to plague our world. I encourage all of you to recite daily the Act of Reparation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, perhaps adding it to the end of your rosaries. (Please also remember that the Litany of the Sacred Heart is traditionally recited in our houses during the month of June, which I similarly encourage you to adopt.) Additionally, following your own conscience, I ask that you find a special penance you and your family can perform as part of this reparation. For some, it may be adding in additional days of fasting and abstinence throughout the month. For others, it could be spending an extra 15 minutes in prayer or meditation. As always, I encourage you to speak to your priest for specific guidance.

During the next month, please keep the Society of Saint Pius X in your prayers. Pray that the Sacred Heart of Our Lord continues to pour graces on our apostolate. Rest assured, our priests and religious, I included, will continue to pray for you.

In the Sacred Heart of Jesus,

Fr. John Fullerton
U.S. District Superior of the Society of Saint Pius X