knights of Saint Columbanus Kerry Ck127

12/06/2026

Today, the Church celebrates one of the most profound mysteries of our faith: the boundless, unconditional love of Christ for humanity.

The Sacred Heart is not just a symbol of affection. It is a heart on fire with love, wreathed in thorns, and pierced by a lance—reminding us of the ultimate sacrifice Jesus made on the Cross. From His pierced side, blood and water flowed, giving life to the Church and the Sacraments.

In a world that can often feel cold or indifferent, Christ offers us a refuge of infinite mercy, healing, and peace. He invites us today to rest our weary hearts in His.

How to celebrate today:

Attend Mass: Offer up your prayers in thanksgiving for His mercy.

Make an Act of Reparation: Pray to console the Heart of Jesus for the times He is forgotten or rejected.

Pray for Priests: Today is also the World Day of Prayer for the Sanctification of Priests. Lift up your pastors in prayer.

“O Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in You.”

The Order of the Knights of Saint Columbanus Diocese of Kerry Holy Cross Dominicans Tralee Irish Dominicans Ordo Praedicatorum Killarney Parish St Brendan's Parish, Tralee St John's Parish, Tralee Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference St. Joseph’s Catholic Men’s Society Baritus Catholic Illustration

12/06/2026

Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus

This is a movable feast that honors the Sacred Heart. In 1675, Jesus told St. Margaret Mary that He wanted the Feast of the Sacred Heart to be celebrated on the Friday after the Corpus Christi octave. In 1856, the Feast of the Sacred Heart became a universal feast.

St. John Paul II, a great devotee of the Sacred Heart, said, “This feast reminds us of the mystery of the love of God for the people of all times.”

The Heart is the symbol of human love. This Catholic devotion honors the Sacred Heart of Our Lord, through which was manifested to us God’s eternal love for everyone. “God is Love” (1 John 4:8), and so in honoring the human expression of that Love, especially on the Cross, we honor Its Divine Source.

Source:
1. What is the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus? — EWTN

12/06/2026

The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus

The heart is an apt symbol, but there is something more than a symbol at work here. There is the very real love of Jesus for the world, a love that wells up from both the divine and the human natures of Jesus. Devotion to the Sacred Heart in grounded not just in symbol, but in real love.

Here is a look at the explanation behind some of the features of the Sacred Heart:

The Cross - It symbolizes the ultimate sacrifice of love for men.
The Crown of Thorns - The suffering and agony of the Lord in His Passion and Death.
The Flames - The heart that burns with love for all of humanity.
The Wound and the Blood - His side pierced on the Cross and His blood shed for us.

Sources:
1. The Anatomy of Sacred Heart of Jesus - Catholic Link
2. Sacred Heart: A Symbol of Love and Mercy - Franciscan Media

12/06/2026

Friday, June 12

Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus
Gospel Reading

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Saint Matthew
(Matthew 11:25–30)

Jesus exclaimed:

“I bless you, Father, Lord of heaven and of earth, for hiding these things from the learned and the clever and revealing them to mere children.

Yes, Father, for that is what it pleased you to do.

Everything has been entrusted to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, just as no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

Come to me, all you who labour and are overburdened, and I will give you rest.

Shoulder my yoke and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

Yes, my yoke is easy and my burden light.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

12/06/2026

12th June - O Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you.

12/06/2026

Trying to respond generously and honestly to the situations we face is never easy. It requires discernment and openness. The scribes and Pharisees, just like ourselves, sought directions for how they should proceed in life, but they tended to be over-reliant on rules and legality, which they stuck to rigidly. By trying to love God and our fellow human beings, we ask that some light on how best to proceed may be given to us.

12/06/2026

12/06/2026

✈️ Kerry Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes departs from Kerry Airport

The 2026 Kerry Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes departed today from Kerry Airport, travelling direct to Lourdes for this special annual journey of faith, care, and community.

The pilgrimage will take place from June 10th to June 15th, with pilgrims returning to Kerry Airport next Monday.

Wishing all pilgrims, assisted pilgrims, helpers, medical volunteers, and pilgrimage leaders a safe and meaningful trip.