06/08/2026
You are invited to join the local community of IHM Sisters as we hold a brief prayer service in anticipation of the Consecration of the United States of America to the Sacred Heart of Jesus on Thursday, June 11 at 1:00 p.m. in front of the Sacred Heart of Jesus statue located in the center of the outdoor Stations of the Cross. The prayer service will be less than 10 minutes, but it will be very, very hot! Make sure you are properly hydrated and wear sunscreen and/or a hat if necessary. Kindly comment if you plan to join us so that we have enough copies of the prayer service. Thanks and we look forward to pray with you!
By the way . . .
Have you heard about the mysterious Sacred Heart of Jesus statue located on the grounds of Villa Maria by the Sea Retreat Center? As you may know, there are Stations of the Cross on the outside grounds, which many neighbors and vacationers visit to pray. You may have also noticed the Sacred Heart of Jesus statue, which is now at the center of these stations. While the new building was still in progress in October 2022, and the grounds were being excavated, one of the workers heard and felt his machine hit something. The workers carefully dug to explore what this might be and discovered the beautiful statue, buried seven feet underground in almost perfect condition! No one, not even Sister James Dolores, had ever seen or heard of this particular statue. At the bottom of the statue, the name of the sculptor Robert Ra******rg is inscribed along with the year 1909. This predates the construction of the original Villa Maria by the Sea by 28 years—and even the establishment of Stone Harbor by 5 years! We do not know from where the statue originated or how it came to these sacred grounds, but we DO believe that it is a sign that God is with us and wants us here!
