The Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus is a special day for Catholics who honor the love and mercy of Christ for all mankind. It is also a day to pray for the holiness of priests, who are called to be the ministers of this love and mercy. The feast is celebrated on the Friday after the second Sunday after Pentecost and after the Feast of Corpus Christi.

This year, the Feast of the Sacred Heart falls on June 16, 2023. It is the patronal feast of the SCJ Congregation. SCJ stands for Sacerdotes Cordis Jesu, which means Priests of the Heart of Jesus. The SCJ Congregation was founded by Venerable Fr. Leo Dehon in France in 1878, inspired by his devotion to the Sacred Heart and his desire to repair the sins of humanity by living a life of oblation and reparation.

One of the highlights of this year’s celebration was the Holy Mass presided by Fr. Rechie Gier, SCJ, the parish vicar of the Immaculate Concepcion Parish in Aluba, Cagayan de Oro City. He was joined by other SCJs from the Cagayan de Oro Area and Lay Dehonians , Dehonian Youth, staff and friends who attended the celebration. The Mass was held at the Sacred Heart Formation House in Aluba, Cagayan de Oro City.

In his homily, Fr. Rechie Gier emphasized the importance of being faithful to our vocation as SCJs and as Christians. He said that we are called to be witnesses of God’s love in a world that is often indifferent and hostile to it. He also reminded us that we are not alone in this mission, but we have each other as brothers and sisters in one family, united by the same charism and spirituality. He encouraged us to renew our consecration to the Sacred Heart and to entrust our lives and apostolates to him.

The homily was followed by the renewal of vows by the SCJ religious. They expressed their desire to follow the example of Fr. Dehon and to share in his charism and mission.

The Feast of the Sacred Heart was a reminder of the gift and call that God has given to the SCJs and their lay associates. It was also an occasion to renew their devotion and dedication to the Heart of Jesus, who invites them to “remain in his love” (John 15:9).