Seasons & Celebrations
FOR MORE ON THE CONSECRATION OF THE U.S., CHECK OUT THESE STORIES: ‘Catholic Saints of America’ event celebrates America’s 250th birthday Voting rights: A people of hope in the long journey toward justice National Eucharistic Pilgrimage’s Florida kickoff roots US history in the Mass To view these stories and more, scan the QR code
or visit: trentonmonitor.com/category/usa-250/
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ow might you help a nation in political turmoil celebrate its 250th anniversary and the unlikely creation of the first large-scale, self-governing republic in the modern world? Dedicate it to the Sacred Heart of Jesus – as the U.S. bishops will do for the United States of America on June 11, marking the first such formal consecration of the country to Christ’s heart. The prelates made the decision to do this during a Nov. 11, 2025, session of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ fall plenary assembly in Baltimore – and while they were singularly focused on an exceptional gesture to mark our country’s semiquincentennial, the consecration still probably can’t come at a better time. According to a CNN/SSRS poll released April 3, Americans are divided by intense levels of cynicism, viewing both
the Democratic and Republican parties in deeply negative terms. A full 77% of Americans, the Pew Research Center reported April 15, think the nation’s political system needs major changes or complete reform. Archbishop Alexander K. Sample of Portland, Oregon, who chairs the USCCB Committee for Religious Liberty, told OSV News there are three essential reasons the bishops voted for the consecration. First “would be to place our nation under the kingship of Christ,” he said. “Yes, we are a democratic republic; we are a civil society – but no civil society can long endure without being under the kingship of Christ himself; to place ourselves under God’s providence and care.” And while our young nation fought a revolution to throw off a monarchy, Archbishop Sample emphasized the continuity between Jesus’ kingship and America’s founding ideals. “In the history of our nation, it’s undoubtable and it’s irrefutable that the faith – and our reliance on God – really was the foundation that our Founding Fathers placed this nation on,” he said. “So at this time, as we celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the
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BY KIMBERLEY HEATHERINGTON OSV News
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U.S. bishops’ consecration of nation to Sacred Heart of Jesus affirms ‘our reliance on God’
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“We are all under, ultimately, the kingship of Christ.” Archbishop Alexander K. Sample
Declaration of Independence, it’s to remind all of us that – whatever civil government we might have – we are all under, ultimately, the kingship of Christ.” Second, Archbishop Sample noted “there’s a certain reparation aspect to the Sacred Heart. I think we can’t forget that part of the consecration is to make reparation for offenses against God; against the heart of Christ.” Some of those offenses, he remarked, are part of American history. “We are a great and blessed nation – but there are mistakes that we have made as a people over these 250 years. And so this is a good time,” the archbishop added, “to also make reparation to the heart of Christ for those offenses against his love, and his mercy, and his justice – for all peoples.” Finally, Archbishop Sample said, “there’s this desire, through this consecration, to also call us to have a greater heart for the poor and the suffering … as we honor the Sacred Heart of Jesus, we can’t just honor it as a private devotion. It has to move us, and move our hearts.” Continued on 20
June 2026
THE MONITOR MAGAZINE 17