Sacred Heart, along with Bishop Pates and the entire Diocese, will be dedicating the month of September to prayer and fasting in reparation for the sexual abuse of children.  Sacred Heart will offer Adoration each Friday from 12-3pm.  The priests will be leading a Holy Hour of prayer each Friday from noon – 1pm in the sanctuary before the Blessed Sacrament. Following the Holy Hour, Fr. Chris and/or Fr. Luis will be available in the library to listen and discuss any concerns you may have at this time.  We encourage you to dedicate all the Fridays of September to prayer and fasting in your homes and in your personal life.

September 7
September 14
September 21
September 28

Additional ideas for reparation:

• Pray the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary each Friday: for healing for the wounded victims of those who perpetuated the crime of sexual abuse. 
• Make a “quiet hour” each Friday, turning off all electronic devices and retreating to a quiet room in your home. Spend the time in prayer or prayerful reading.
• Pray an Our Father prayer, three Hail Mary prayers, and a Glory be to the Father prayer for all who have been have been affected by the scourge of sexual abuse.
• Make an Act of Faith, Hope or Love as a family each Friday before dinner. (Find the prayer HERE)
• Pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet each Friday: for healing for the wounded victims of those who perpetuated the crime of sexual abuse.

Letter From Bishop Pates, Prayer Suggestions, Suggested Penitential Service

Victim Assistance
 

Bishop invites parishes, schools to participate in reparation for sexual abuse

Bishop Richard Pates is inviting all 80 parishes and 17 schools in the Diocese of Des Moines to set aside the four Fridays of September - the 7th, 14th, 21st and 28th - as special days for the faithful to enter into prayer and fasting in reparation for the sexual abuse of children.  
         
The bishop suggests parishes may bolster their prayer and fasting with Eucharistic adoration through a holy hour and penitential prayer service. He will lead a holy hour and penitential prayer service on Sept. 7 and Sept. 14 at 5 p.m. at St. Ambrose Cathedral.
         
The call for these special days comes in response to Pope Francis's Aug. 20 letter addressing the atrocities of abuse detailed in a Pennsylvania Grand Jury report. "The extent and the gravity of all that has happened requires coming to grips with this reality in a comprehensive and communal way," wrote Pope Francis. "Today, we are challenged as the People of God to take on the pain of our brothers and sisters wounded in their flesh and in their spirit."
          
The pope asked the entire Church to take a "position of penance and prayer that will help us to open our eyes and hearts to other people's suffering...open our ears to the hushed pain felt by children, young people and the disabled...and a fasting that shakes us up and leads us to be committed in truth and charity with all men and women of good will."
           
Bishop Pates made several prayer suggestions to parishes including praying the Sorrowful Mysteries of the rosary each Friday, having a quiet hour each Friday in homes, and more. 
           
The Diocese of Des Moines includes 80 parishes in 23 counties in central and southwest Iowa.

Adoration is a sign of devotion to and worship of Jesus Christ, who we believe to be present Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity, under the appearance of the consecrated host, in the form of bread or hosts. As a devotion, Eucharistic adoration and meditation are more than simply looking at the the Eucharistic Host, but rather, an intimate interaction between the adorer and Christ.

Dates for 2018: January 2, February 6, February 20 (Lent), February 27 (Lent), March 6 (Lent), March 13 (Lent), March 20 (Lent), March 27 (Holy Week), April 3, May 1, June 5, July 10 (Second Tuesday because of the 4th of July), August 7, September 4, October 2, November 6, December 4 (Advent), December 11 (Advent), December 18 (Advent).

Printable Dates
Adoration Schedule of Volunteers

Please use the north doors when you come to Adoration. In the event of a funeral, Adoration will be suspended for the duration of the funeral but will resume after for the remainder of the time. Adoration will follow 8 am Mass until 6:45 pm.

"Adoration is essentially an embrace with Jesus in which I say to him: I am yours, and I ask you, please stay with me always."
Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI

Please consider joining our list of those committed to Adoring our Lord.  We need to have 3 parishioners per hour on the calendar to ensure our Lord is never left alone.

Contact Peggy Munro at 515-360-0800 or amsetome@msn.com to get on the schedule.   

"For I long to see you, that I may share with you some spiritual gift so that you may be strengthened, that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by one another's faith, yours and mine." 
Romans 1:11-12

You can spend some quiet time with our Lord at Adoration.