Diocese of Alexandria

06/14/2026

This morning I was pleased to celebrate Mass at St. Margaret (of Cotona) Church in Boyce. The celebration included the congregations of their mission churches - St. Margaret Mary in Gorum and St. Cyril Church in Flatwoods - as the legacy of all three churches was honored. St. Margaret in Boyce will soon be served by the pastor of St. Rita Church in Alexandria. A lunch followed the Mass. As a welcome to their new partnership, the Bishop Greco Council of the Knights of Columbus who meet at St. Rita, cooked the main course (barbecued chicken) for the event in Boyce. Thank you to Father Peter Faulk and the parishioners of the three churches for their welcome.

06/11/2026

Inside the Basilica of the National Shrine of Mary, Queen of the Universe, anticipating Exhibition and Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament prior to the Mass of Consecration of the United States of America to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.

06/11/2026

Today, Melania and I join in prayer with Catholic Bishops gathered in Orlando, Florida, as they consecrate the United States of America to the Sacred

06/11/2026

Today, the Bishops of the United States will consecrate the United States of America to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Parishes and individuals around the country are encouraged to join the U.S. Catholic bishops in this historic occasion, beginning with this Prayer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus written for the consecration.

06/10/2026

On June 11, 2026, as part of the celebration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. bishops will consecrate the United States of America to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

If you would like to watch the live stream of the Mass of Consecration, tune into the USCCB's Youtube channel at 3:00 p.m. Central time on Thursday, June 11.

The U.S. bishops consecrate the United States to the Sacred Heart o...

06/10/2026

Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, “the Little Flower,” profoundly understood the gentle and humble heart of Jesus. In contemplating how to be transformed by Christ's love, she reflected that “What pleases [Jesus] is that he sees me loving my littleness and my poverty, the blind hope that I have in his mercy… the weaker one is, without desires or virtues, the more suited one is for the workings of this consuming and transforming Love” (Letter 197 to Sister Marie of the Sacred Heart, September 17, 1896). Let us join with Saint Thérèse in praying for our hearts to be humble like Jesus.

06/09/2026

In Dilexit Nos, Pope Francis describes the consoling nature of devotion to the Sacred Heart as “flesh and blood in the Church’s pilgrimage through history;” a mutual sharing of suffering between Christ and us (no. 157). Because Christ bore our sin in the wounds of his passion and death on the cross, we console him for our affronts. Because we also raise up our suffering to Christ, we ask him to console us.

Let us ask the Sacred Heart of Jesus for strength and increased faith with this prayer by Blessed Miguel Pro, S.J.

06/08/2026

As we consider the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Christ’s great love for humanity, we reflect on how we have fallen short of his love and the need to atone for our sins. We also take this moment to repent as a nation for the sins of our country’s past. Let us pray for forgiveness and healing from the harms caused by our nation’s original sins of slavery and racism. A central element of devotion to the Sacred Heart is reparation – the practice of making amends for the wrongs we have done, asking Christ to forgive our sins and convert our hearts to love as he loves. Let us pray with St. Alphonsus Liguori, founder of the Redemptorists, as we atone for our sins and consecrate ourselves to the heart of Jesus:

My Jesus, I love You with my whole heart. I am sorry for having so many times offended Your infinite goodness. With the help of Your grace, I purpose never to offend You again. And now, unworthy though I am, I consecrate myself to You without reserve. I renounce and give entirely to You my will, my affection, my desires, and all that I possess.

06/07/2026

Thank you to all who participated in our Corpus Christi procession in downtown Alexandria. Speaking to the people of Madrid, Pope Leo XIV said this morning: "Just as Christ gives himself as food in the Eucharistic celebration, the procession shows that he is not confined to the church, but comes out to meet us. Jesus travels the streets, crosses the squares and visits our neighborhoods, dwelling in the settings of our daily lives. He is a God who is close to us, who walks with his people, the Lord of history. He is comfort to the weak, light for families, hope for the sick and peace for those who suffer. The Christ who processes through the streets in the monstrance is the same one who identifies with the poor, the downtrodden, those who are alone and forsaken." May all of us identify with them as well.

06/07/2026