Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus Celebration in Portland

All local women are welcome to gather for a special Mass and dinner in Portland commemorating the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus on Friday, June 24.

The Mass will be celebrated at 5 p.m. in the Monsignor DiMingo Hall of St. Peter Church, located on 72 Federal Street in Portland. The church itself is temporarily closed due to an ongoing painting project. Following the Mass, a dinner will be held at Bruno's Restaurant & Tavern on 33 Allen Street in Portland. If you wish to attend the dinner, call Nancy at (207) 773-8852 or Antoinette at (207) 775-0357.

The event is being hosted by the St. Peter's Sacred Heart Sodality, which is celebrating 97 years of service and spirituality this year. The sodality promises devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and, united in faith, it strives to provide support to those most in need. Over the decades, the group has helped countless organizations through monetary donations and volunteer hours, including Good Shepherd Food Bank, St. Vincent de Paul Soup Kitchen, Preble Street Resource Center, Ronald McDonald House, Catholic schools, Catholic Charities Maine, and many others. The sodality is able to support these causes through funds raised at events like its popular Christmas fair. The sodality has also played a vital role in parish life, providing financial assistance and support to the St. Peter's faith formation program, parish oil fund, and beatification projects. In addition, members visit the sick and shut-ins of the parish, sharing the gifts of love received from the heart of Jesus.

The Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus takes place 19 days after Pentecost Sunday and on the Friday after the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi Sunday). St. John Paul II, a great devotee of the Sacred Heart, said, "This feast reminds us of the mystery of the love of God for the people of all times." The beginnings of a devotion of the love of God symbolized by the heart of Jesus are found in the fathers of the Church, including Origen, Saint Ambrose, Saint Jerome, Saint Augustine of Hippo, Saint Hippolytus of Rome, Saint Irenaeus, Saint Justin Martyr, and Saint Cyprian. From the heart of Jesus originates the true knowledge of Jesus Christ and a deeper experience of His love.