Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
June 24, 2026 Column Father De Celles
MONTH OF THE SACRED HEART. Although some sectors of our society dedicate June to celebrating the evil of “gay pride,” for almost 200 years Catholics have celebrated June as the Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. This last Friday, June 12, was the Feast of the Sacred Heart. This feast was established by Pope Pius IX in 1856, reflecting the request Our Lord made in an apparition to Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque, when showed her His heart and told her,
“Behold the Heart which has so loved men that it has spared nothing, even to exhausting and consuming Itself, in order to testify Its love; and in return, I receive from the greater part only ingratitude, by their irreverence and sacrilege, and by the coldness and contempt they have for Me in this Sacrament of Love. …Therefore, I ask of you that the Friday after the Octave of Corpus Christi be set apart for a special Feast to honor My Heart…”
Consecration to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. In preparation for the celebration of the 250th anniversary of our nation’s founding on July 4, the U.S. Bishops solemnly consecrated America to the Sacred Heart last Thursday, June 11. Our diocese and parish joined in this consecration, and I invite your families to do the same at home by praying together this Prayer of Consecration:
“O Most Sacred Heart of Jesus: You know the longings of our hearts, and you desire that we enjoy friendship with you. From your pierced side, you have poured out the wellspring of life, for which we thirst. Your heart burns with a love for all people to return to a right relationship with you. We celebrate the abundant gifts you have given this nation, founded on the self-evident truths that our Creator has endowed all people with the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. We make reparation for the offenses against you and against human dignity that have taken place in this nation. May our hearts be united to yours, so that our families and communities enjoy peace and happiness; may broken relationships be reconciled, injustices repaired, and the wounds of our land be healed. May your holy Catholic Church serve as a sign, pointing all people to your infinite love. O Desire of Nations and Center of History, we ask you to bless these United States of America. Who live and reign with God the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.”
PATRIOTISM. Jesus commands us “to love your neighbor as yourself,” and St. Thomas Aquinas explains that our first neighbor is our parents (family), but after that our second neighbor, is our country, or our “patria” in Latin, and our fellow countrymen. We see this specified, if you will, in the 4th commandment: “Honor your father and mother.” In the same way that God gives you parents and family to love and care for you, and in return calls you to love and care for them—to “honor” them—He also gives us our country and fellow countrymen to love and care for us, and for us to love and care for them. This is the Catholic virtue of Patriotism.
Patriotism involves participation in the life of our nation, by, for example, working diligently in school or at a job, raising a good and healthy family, paying taxes, participating in the public square and voting. It also means defending our country, not only in the military but also simply speaking out publicly to promote what you believe is genuinely good for our country. It also means striving for the good of each other through just laws and a sound economic system that allow each of us to provide for our own needs, and to provide a safety net for those who truly cannot provide for themselves.
Flag Day. Patriotism also includes honoring the symbols of our country. As we prepare to celebrate our nation’s 250th birthday we remember today is “flag day,” commemorating the249th anniversary of the flag of the United States on June 14, 1777, by resolution of the Second Continental Congress: “the flag of the thirteen United States be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new constellation.” So today, let’s fly the flag with legitimate pride in our great nation. To this end, a parishioner donated 900 small USA flags for us to distribute at Mass. Please take one as you leave the church today.
TRADITIONS: CHAPEL VEILS/MANTILLAS. You may have noticed, or been part of, the growing trend of women wearing veils (“chapel veil” or “mantilla”) on their heads at Mass. Where does this come from, what does it mean, and is it appropriate?
The origins of the veil go back to the modesty standards of the time of Christ, both for the Jews and pagans. St. Paul reflects this when he writes: “a woman brings shame upon her head if she uncovers it to pray or prophesy …” (1 Corinthians 11). While this passage has been interpreted in different ways since it was written, it does remind us of the importance of modesty and humility in dress at Mass, especially for women (men are weak in this regard, and are more distracted by a woman’s beauty than vice versa).
Veiling is also a reminder of the spousal relationship between Christ and the Church, like a bridal veil. In this context it also reflects the Catholic custom of covering things we consider sacred: a wife/bride is to be protected, cherished, respected, and adored. For example, we veil the altar, the chalice and also sometimes tabernacle. And, of course, consecrated nuns wear the veil.
Today it is no longer the ordinary custom for the modest woman to wear in society. Even so, the Mass is a different “animal”: it is filled with all sorts of “uncommon” but traditionally meaningful signs and symbols that express interior attitudes and virtues. So, for a woman to wear a veil at Mass to express humility, modesty and the bridal sacredness of the Church is very fitting.
After the changes in the Mass in the 1960s and 1970s the requirement for women to veil was dropped, and they largely disappeared from Mass. But now they are returning, among the young and old alike. Some wear it as a sign of their desire for modesty and bridal openness and service. Others see it as a way of emulating the Virgin Mary, who most certainly wore a veil most of the time in public. And some say that it shows their desire to express their Catholic identity and/or love for the traditions of the Church.
I find all these reasons very edifying and admirable. So, ladies, wear them if you like or don’t. And remember we never judge each other for exercising legitimate individual choices.
Oremus pro invicem. Fr. De Celles