ACT OF REPARATION TO THE MOST SACRED HEART OF JESUS
composed by Pope Pius XI
From the Encyclical “Miserentissimus Redemptor” by Pope Pius XI – – On Reparation to The Sacred Heart ( May 8, 1928 )
O sweetest Jesus,
whose overflowing charity towards men
is most ungratefully repaid
by such great forgetfulness, neglect and contempt,
see, prostrate before Thy altars,
we strive by special honor to make amends
for the wicked coldness of men
and the contumely with which
Thy most loving Heart is everywhere treated.
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At the same time,
mindful of the fact that we too have sometimes
not been free from unworthiness,
and moved therefore with most vehement sorrow,
in the first place we implore Thy mercy on us,
being prepared by voluntary expiation to make amends
for the sins we have ourselves committed,
and also for the sins of those
who wander far from the way of salvation,
whether because, being obstinate in their unbelief,
they refuse to follow Thee as their shepherd and leader,
or because, spurning the promises of their Baptism,
they have cast off the most sweet yoke of Thy law.
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We now endeavor to expiate
all these lamentable crimes together,
and it is also our purpose
to make amends for each one of them severally:
for the want of modesty in life and dress,
for impurities,
for so many snares set for the minds of the innocent,
for the violation of feast days,
for the horrid blasphemies against Thee and Thy saints,
for the insults offered to Thy Vicar and to the priestly order,
for the neglect of the Sacrament of Divine love
or its profanation by horrible sacrileges,
and lastly for the public sins of nations
which resist the rights and the teaching authority
of the Church which Thou hast instituted.
Would that we could wash away these crimes with our own blood!
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And now, to make amends
for the outrage offered to the Divine honor,
we offer to Thee the same satisfaction
which Thou didst once offer to Thy Father on the Cross
and which Thou dost continually renew on our altars,
we offer this conjoined
with the expiations of the Virgin Mother
and of all the Saints, and of all pious Christians,
promising from our heart
that so far as in us lies,
with the help of Thy grace,
we will make amends for our own past sins,
and for the sins of others,
and for the neglect of Thy boundless love,
by firm faith,
by a pure way of life,
and by a perfect observance of the Gospel law,
especially that of charity;
we will also strive with all our strength
to prevent injuries being offered to Thee,
and gather as many as we can
to become Thy followers.
Receive, we beseech Thee,
O most benign Jesus,
by the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Reparatress,
the voluntary homage of this expiation,
and vouchsafe, by that great gift of final perseverance,
to keep us most faithful until death
in our duty and in Thy service,
so that at length we may all come to that fatherland,
where Thou with the Father
and the Holy Spirit
livest and reignest God
for ever and ever.
Amen.
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