The Sacred Heart Formation House joyfully welcomed its benefactors, friends, and members of the local community for the First Friday Mass on July 3, 2026. This month’s celebration was especially meaningful as it coincided with the Feast of St. Thomas the Apostle.

The Holy Mass was celebrated by Fr. Francis Pupkowski, SCJ, who reflected on the close connection between St. Thomas and the Sacred Heart of Jesus. In his homily, he explained that when the Risen Lord invited Thomas to touch His wounded side, He was revealing more than the marks of His Passion—He was opening His Heart, a Heart that continues to welcome, forgive, and heal everyone who comes to Him.

Fr. Francis encouraged the faithful not to remember Thomas simply as “the doubting apostle,” but as a disciple whose sincere search for the truth led him to a profound encounter with Christ. Standing before the Risen Lord, Thomas made one of the greatest professions of faith in the Gospel: “My Lord and my God!” The congregation was invited to let the love of the Sacred Heart transform their own lives and to make Christ the foundation of everything they do.

A special word of gratitude was addressed to the benefactors, thanking them not only for their generous support of the Formation House but also for joining the community in prayer. They were warmly encouraged to make the First Friday devotion a regular part of their spiritual lives by participating in the Eucharist, receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation, spending time before the Blessed Sacrament, and entrusting their families and intentions to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Following Holy Communion, the Blessed Sacrament was exposed for a short time of Eucharistic adoration. Together, the faithful prayed the Litany to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and made a communal Act of Consecration to the Sacred Heart, placing themselves, their families, the seminarians, and all benefactors under Christ’s loving protection. The devotion concluded with Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament and the recitation of the Divine Praises.

The celebration continued with a simple supper shared by everyone present. It was a wonderful opportunity to meet, talk, and strengthen the bonds between the priests, seminarians, benefactors, and friends of the Formation House. The evening reflected the spirit of Christian fellowship and gratitude that lies at the heart of every First Friday gathering.

May the Sacred Heart of Jesus continue to bless all our benefactors and all who take part in these monthly celebrations, drawing us ever closer to His Heart and to one another.