About

The Beginnings of the Sacred Heart Sodality

Each spiritual family in the Church, while rooted in the authentic teaching and unity of the Church, has its own particular gift and contribution to make. The gift of the Sacred Heart Sodality is to unite Catholic men and women, 18 years and older, who wish to honour the love and compassion of the Heart of Christ in a special way through a life of worship and service.

During the seventeenth century in France, St. Margaret Mary (right) was instrumental in the gradual movement towards having the devotion to the Sacred Heart publically approved by the church.

The beginnings of the Sacred Heart Sodality in Southern Africa date back to 1895 in Centocow Mission in the Marianhill Diocese where it was founded by missionary, Fr. Gerard Walpert.

Today the Sacred Heart Sodality in South Africa exists in 29 Dioceses countrywide.

In the Johannesburg Archdiocese the Sodality has grown in leaps and bounds since its inception 51 years ago. The pioneers and stalwarts who laid the foundation of this Sodality in Johannesburg include former Presidents Mrs Constance Nkuna, Mrs Michaeline Morare and Mrs Busisiwe Futha. It is the largest sodality in the archdiocese with a membership of about 5000 members and it continues to attract members from all walks of life. Johannesburg, Klerksdorp, Witbank and Swaziland form the Johannesburg Metro.

diocesancommittee2016 In recent years we have seen a large number of youth joining the Sodality, and they have proudly nicknamed themselves “SHY” (Sacred Heart Youth). Though members of this vast army of believers who subscribe to a very solid constitution, this group enjoys some degree of autonomy with regard to their activities, to ensure that the organization remains relevant to them as young people.

The Sodality’s success lies in the wisdom of the elderly, the vibrancy of the youth and diligence of its leadership.

The picture at left shows:

The Diocesan Committee: 2014-2016

Back row: From Left to Right: Thulani Sibeko (Secretary), Fr. Mbulelo Sikotoyi, OFM (Spiritual Advisor), Radikeledi Moforutsi, Front row: Lilian Mathe (Treasurer), Bridgette Goeieman (President), Phindile Hlalele, Kethamatse Sihlali, Paulina Molepo.

News from the Sodality

Annual Pilgrimage to Ngome of the Sacred Heart Sodality

Just in case you have not heard, our glorious annual pilgrimage to Ngome is all set for 11- 12 March at R450 per person. All are welcome!!!

Please book directly with your Sacred Heart sodality representative in your parish.

To prepare our spirits for this blessed trip, we will be praying a Novena and we encourage you to join us ... even if you are not travelling with us.

Novena Prayer to the five Holy Wounds of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Day 1 - 03 March 2017

Prayer - Lord Jesus, I am so happy to be here with you today, I adore you, my Lord and my God, and give you thanks. This time of prayer is your special gift to me and I am greatful for the great love you have showered on me. As I remember what you have done for me during my life I can only fall on my knees and cry louder and louder with a heart full of Thanksgiving. I place myself before you in an attitude of openness to your love, as I enter into prayer I humbly ask you to fill me with your spirit, that I may welcome your message and live my life in complete surrender to the will of the Father. As I kneel before You on the Cross, most loving Savior of my soul, my conscience reproaches me with having nailed You to that cross with these hands of mine, as often as I have fallen into mortal sin, wearying You with my base ingratitude. My God, perfect and worthy of all my love, because You have graced me with blessings; I cannot now undo my misdeeds, but I loathe them, grieving sincerely for having offended You, who is infinite goodness. And now, kneeling at your feet, I give You thanks, and ask for your pardon and with my heart and lips, I say: To The Holy Wound of the left foot of my Jesus, I adore you; O Jesus, for the most bitter pain which you suffered and still do to this day. I thank you for the love when you suffered to redeem me from sin, the pain and suffering you endured. I offer to the Eternal Father the pain and love of your most holy humanity, in atonement for my sins, all of which I detest with sincere and bitter contrition. O God, Who by the Passion of your only begotten Son, and by the shedding of His Precious Blood through His five wounds, did restore human nature when it was lost by sin; grant to us, we beseech You, (Mention Your Intentions)

And that we who venerate on earth the Wounds suffered by Him, may be found worthy to obtain in heaven the fruits of that same Most Precious Blood. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

And now we turn to the Father, using the prayer that the Lord Jesus himself taught us:

Our Father........ Glory Be to the Father infinite Mercy, and to the Son infinite Mercy, and to the Holy Spirit infinite Mercy through the most Merciful Hearts of Jesus and Mary. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end Amen. In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.