Bishop graces Sacred Heart novena

By Tanya Connor | The Catholic Free Press

WORCESTER – The renewal of a parish tradition – and the bishop’s visit for the occasion – brought joy to people at Sacred Heart-St. Catherine of Sweden Parish last week.
“It was a wonderful time,” parishioner Mary Ellen Papagni said Friday, just after the nine-night Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus ended. “It’s a blessing to our Church … parishioners … Father Asante. And to have the bishop here – that was the cherry on the top! … To hear he’s coming back next year …”
At the closing Mass celebrated by Bishop McManus, Father Eric K. Asante, administrator, said that the bishop promised to return every year. The congregation applauded.
Elizabeth Mensah said she’s looking forward to next year.
“It was very uplifting spiritually and emotionally for me,” she said, and she knows that, by God’s grace, things are going to work out in the situations she was praying about. She said this was the first time she remembered having this novena in the parish she’s belonged to for years.
Patricia Reardon, a longtime member who keeps track of parish events, said the novena started there in 1993, expanded to include specific themes in 1996 and continued through 2001.
Father Asante said he chose to hold a Sacred Heart novena because of the parish’s name. It was a way to help parishioners in their desire to further build up an already active parish and to offer this devotion to the diocese as a whole, and it drew non-parishioners too.
“The participation was wonderful,” he said. “The number of people. The speakers were good. … People were responding to the prayers. You could feel the energy. It exceeded my expectation.” He said they had 70 or more people each night – even when it rained.
“Some people were telling me they are very sad the novena is ending,” he said.
“I have a personal bond with the Eucharist,” Father Asante said. “You cannot separate the Eucharist and the Sacred Heart.”
He said the Blessed Sacrament was exposed during the whole novena each night, except the last night, when Bishop McManus celebrated Mass for the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.
“You’re gazing in the eyes of Jesus, the Sacred Heart of Jesus, because the heart of Jesus is right there in the Blessed Sacrament,” Father Asante said.
“I learned a lot,” Robert Boucher said after the novena ended, adding that he loved the booklet Father Asante made, with prayers, hymns and meditations about the themes of heart and love.
Devotion to the Sacred Heart is a public manifestation and recognition of the depth and intensity of the love of God, who so loved the world that he sent his Son, Bishop McManus said in his homily. The Son loved human beings so much he went to the cross for their salvation.
The theological basis for the devotion comes from John 19:32-35, which tells about blood and water flowing from the pierced side of the crucified Christ, the bishop said. The blood and water symbolize the Eucharist people receive, which gives them power to bring Christ’s love to others as missionary disciples, beginning here on Cambridge Street, he said.
An important moment in the novena is when participants pray for their intentions, Bishop McManus said. He said his intention was what they were praying for, especially their loved ones who’ve drifted away from the faith. He also said his prayer is for a flood of divine mercy and a new outpouring of power on the diocese and parish.
The bishop told of Jesus appearing to a religious sister, St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, in the 1600s, telling her to spread devotion to his Sacred Heart, which would be celebrated on nine first Fridays. Jesus promised help at the time of death for those who practice this devotion, going to Mass and receiving Communion, the bishop said. He recalled reciting in school the promises Jesus made to St. Margaret Mary.
“What brought us to restart this wonderful novena?” the bishop asked, and answered that it was the faith of one young nun.