ORLANDO | Despite the rain and hunt for parking, parishioners of the Diocese of Orlando showed up to surrender their lives to Jesus’s Sacred Heart, June 12, 2026. The fiat of those in the packed St. James Cathedral joined the voices of those watching via livestream, as the words of consecration were proclaimed.

“O Most Sacred Heart of Jesus: You know the longing of our hearts, and you desire that we enjoy friendship with you. From your pierced side, you have poured out a wellspring of life, for which we thirst. Your heart burns for all people to return to a right relationship with you…”

Among the more than 1,000 people gathered in the cathedral were Pedro and Yoangela Santana. They traveled with another 20 parishioners from St. Ann Parish in Haines City and St. Faustina Parish in Clermont. Wearing Sacred Heart T-shirts, Pedro said he and his wife, “have always been devoted to the Sacred Heart of Jesus… All love is enclosed within the heart.
We feel we are covered in the blood of Christ, in His heart.”

Rosana Trinidad drove from Brevard County. She came for the consecration and to venerate the relics of St. Margaret Mary of Alacoque, the visionary who received the message of the devotion to the Sacred Heart from Jesus.

“It’s just a once in a lifetime opportunity and I couldn’t miss it. I couldn’t miss it. I felt a call,” said the member of the Legion of Mary. Her devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus began as a child. “My mom told me whenever you’re in trouble, always say, ‘Sacred Heart of Jesus, I trust in you.’ And I learned to love Him because He always came through for me,” she said with tears streaming down her cheeks.

Rejimol Joseph is from St. Mary’s Syro-Malabar Catholic Church in Sanford. “The Sacred Heart of Jesus is so close to my heart,” she said. “From childhood onwards, I had a special devotion.” She recalled seeing the image of the Sacred Heart in the sky when she was very young. Also, her daughter’s name is Margaret, after the saint. “Because St. Margaret Mary Alacoque really is here, my heart was so excited to come and be here.” Impressed by the number of people who came, she was pleased to see everyone “surrendering (their heart) to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.”

And it is of that surrender to which Father Miguel González, cathedral rector, spoke. “We come because we heard the voice of the shepherd who has called us here tonight. Revealing His beautiful Sacred Heart, He’s telling us, ‘Come to me, all who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.’ That’s why we’re here. Because He knows that we’re weary. He knows that we are burdened with so many challenges and difficulties, that the world out there continues to challenge us. What we need to know is that the Lord will provide rest for us, that He will enhance our lives with His love and mercy.”

One of many representing Nativity Parish in Longwood, Cynthia Fuoco understood the call of consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus as renewal as well, one that goes from her heart and home out into the world. That evening she reaffirmed her commitment to spread the love of the parish to everybody. She said, “That’s why we joined the Welcome Team (at Nativity) —to spread that Good News, and hopefully people will get it, and we can change the diocese one step at a time. Change your parish, change the diocese, change the world.” Her words echo those of the consecration prayer, “May our local Church serve as a sign pointing all people to your infinite love.” After the celebration of Mass and the consecration, Jesus was exposed in the Blessed Sacrament, held in a beautiful monstrance depicting Mary as a silver figure, with the Eucharist at the center. Accompanied by the worship music of the Servants of the Pierced Hearts of Jesus and Mary and interludes where priests shared Scripture and the story of Jesus’s revelation to St. Margaret Mary, adorers knelt on the marble floor in prayer and thanksgiving. Servant of the Pierced Hearts of Jesus and Mary, Sister Gianna Grace Perino, who is also the associate vocations director for the diocese, led the music and noted the consecration was a blessing. Sister Perino explained, “(The consecration) is a way to bring all of our hearts together inside the Sacred Heart. Jesus’s heart was pierced open by a lance so that His blood could flow out and so that we could enter in. His wounded heart, His pierced heart is a doorway for us to enter the depth of His love… Jesus said, ‘I am meek and humble of heart.’ He said, ‘Come. Come to me, all who are weary.’ The invitation is to make our hearts like His, meek and humble.”

By Glenda Meekins of the Florida Catholic staff, June 18, 2026