The object of this Confraternity is to honour the Divine Heart of Jesus; to render Him love for love; to thank Him for all His mercies and favours, especially for the institution of the Blessed Eucharist; and to make Him reparation for the coldness and ingratitude with which His infinite charitv is repaid by the generality of Christians. In the Church at large the Confraternity as we have it today began through the series of apparitions experienced by Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque. The devotion is not limited to the members of the confraternity alone. It is actually the duty and obligation of all Christians to practise the devotion.

” It is this I feel more than all I suffered in my Passion”, our Lord said to the Blessed Margaret Mary Alacoque. ” If men would only return my love, I would count all I have done for them as nothing; but, instead of that, I receive from them, for the most part, only coldness and ingratitude. Do thou, at least, atone for their ungratefulness as far as thou art able”. The spirit of devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus may be gathered from these words of our Lord. It is two-fold: First, to make the love of that Sacred Heart for us the subject of frequent and affectionate meditation, and to aim at making a return of love for such infinite love. Secondly, to mourn over and to endeavour to make atonement for the many insults and outrages to which He was subjected during his mortal life, and which, unhappily, He still so frequently meets with, especially in the Most Holy Sacrament of the altar.

A special devotion to the Blessed Sacrament is intimately connected with that to the Sacred Heart:

  1. Because such is the evident intention of our Blessed Lord as evidenced in the circumstances under which He instituted the devotion of the Sacred Heart.
  2. Because the Sacred Heart of Jesus is really present, along with His Soul and Divinity, in the Most Holy Sacrament.
  3. Because His Sacramental Presence on our altars is most evident proof of that intense love for us with which His Most Sacred Heart is filled.
  4. Because, as our Blessed Lord nowhere meets with more neglect and insult than in this very sacrament of His love, so, therefore, should the Blessed Eucharist be the special object towards which the members of the Confraternity of the Sacred Heart should direct their acts of reparation and atonement.

To practice this devotion, one needs: A true love of Jesus Christ and His Sacred Heart, the source of His excessive mercy, help, graces, and blessings. Special respect for, and veneration of, the Blessed Sacrament. A desire to make Reparation for the neglect, indifference and ingratitude of the majority that results in Jesus Christ being left alone, abandoned, and forgotten on our altars, never visited to offer consolation for such neglect, though He has given us the miracle of His Divine Presence in the Blessed Sacrament as a supreme gift to us in His desire to be always with us. The devotions of the confraternity are: A Holy hour every first Friday of the month, devotion to Our Blessed Mother’s Immaculate Heart on every first Saturday; Divine Mercy devotion and the Family Enthronement of the Sacred Heart.

In the parish of Katukurunda, Moratuwa the Sacred Heart Confraternity was started on the 12th February 1931 under the guidance of Rev. Fr. Boniface Peiris. This fraternity completed its 75th Jubilee year in the year in the year 2006, when the parish celebrated its 125th jubilee year. In the parish at present this confraternity lacks new members who are young adults. Almost all the members are limited to the elderly ladies, and it is in need of young men and women with a special love for the devotion. Among the apostolic services carried out by the members are the following:

  1. Conducting a Holy hour before the Blessed Sacrament on every first Friday
  2. Organizing and Participating at the First Friday Mass
  3. Visiting the sick in their homes and preparing them to receive Holy Communion
  4. Praying for those who are sick by visiting them at their homes or hospitals
  5. Informing the Priest about those sick and infirm in need of Holy Communion
  6. Accompanying the priest and giving prayerful assistance at distribution of Holy Communion
  7. Motivating households to consecrate their homes to the Sacred Heart of Jesus
  8. Renewing the enthronement of the Sacred Heart of Jesus annually by vising such houses
  9. Conducting Holy Hours and Prayer meetings at homes in need of spiritual assistance
  10. Organizing altar decorations for Sunday/festive Masses and at Weddings

We invite young mothers and fathers to take membership in the parish Sacred Heart confraternity and consecrate their homes and families to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary by expanding the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist out into every household within the parish limits.

Coordinators:

St. Mary’s Church: Calista Fernando (0781232560), Milina Fernando (0714752739)

St. Juseph Vaz’s Church: Nimalani (0112659449), Janet (0756857827), Dalsi (0775849504)