The Catholic Church dedicates the month of August to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The Immaculate Heart is often venerated together with the Sacred Heart of Jesus (the devotion we celebrate in June), and with good reason. Just as the Sacred Heart represents Christ's love for mankind, the Immaculate Heart represents the desire of the Blessed Virgin to bring all people to her Son.

There is no better example of the Christian life than that offered by Mary. Through the following prayer, which help to deepen our devotion to her Immaculate Heart, we can join the Mother of God in drawing closer to Christ.

Act of Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary
This Act of Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary illustrates perfectly the Marian doctrine of the Catholic Church: We do not worship Mary or place her above Christ, but we come to Christ through Mary, as Christ came to us through her.

O heart of Mary, mother of God, and our mother; heart most worthy of love, in which the adorable Trinity is ever well-pleased, worthy of the veneration and love of all the angels and of all men; heart most like to the Heart of Jesus, of which thou art the perfect image; heart, full of goodness, ever compassionate toward our miseries; deign to melt our icy hearts and grant that they may be wholly changed into the likeness of the Heart of Jesus, our divine Savior. Pour into them the love of thy virtues, enkindle in them that divine fire with which thou thyself dost ever burn. In thee let Holy Church find a safe shelter; protect her and be her dearest refuge, her tower of strength, impregnable against every assault of her enemies. Be thou the way which leads to Jesus, and the channel, through which we receive all the graces needful for our salvation. Be our refuge in time of trouble, our solace in the midst of trial, our strength against temptation, our haven in persecution, our present help in every danger and especially at the hour of death, when all hell shall let loose against us its legions to snatch away our souls, at that dread moment, that hour so full of fear, whereon our eternity depends. Ah, then most tender virgin, make us to feel the sweetness of thy motherly heart, and the might of thine intercession with Jesus, and open to us a safe refuge in that very fountain of mercy, whence we may come to praise Him with thee in paradise, world without end. Amen.

Requirements quoted below in the Archdiocese of Santa Fe Chapter 11 settlement document (the non-monetary covenants)

Abuse Reporting Information

Independent Compliance Audit

Non-Monetary Covenants (full text)

Compliance Audit. ASF has engaged a law firm to serve as a consultant to conduct an independent audit of compliance with the Archdiocese’s reporting policies and procedures and to provide recommendations on child protection policies and procedures. … ASF Parties shall post such findings on their websites with one-click access from the website home pages.

Improved Reporting Mechanism. ASF Parties shall, through a prominent (“one click”) link on their websites, provide a phone number and email to which anonymous abuse complaints can be made.

As Catholics, we enjoy our own special calendar – the Catholic Liturgical Calendar – celebrating the seasons of Advent, Christmas, Lent and Easter as well as 33 to 34 weeks of Ordinary Time.

It’s a shame really, that it’s called ordinary, because it’s still filled with plenty of Feast Days and celebrations that are quite extraordinary! It’s also a great opportunity to establish Catholic family culture with fun crafts and activities that strengthen our love and knowledge of our Faith.

Ordinary Time need not be ordinary!

Throughout the year, the Mystery of Christ is revealed.  Beginning after the Feast of Our Lord’s Baptism, Ordinary Time focuses on Christ’s Baptism and then delves into His Preaching Ministry.  The Scriptural readings at Mass focus on Jesus’ Teaching through parables and His Miracles. Ordinary Time is intended to remind us that Jesus is with us throughout all of our daily trials and triumphs.  We should be striving to reflect Jesus’ Teaching with our actions every day. I like to think of Ordinary Time as a time to focus on Faith and family…brushing up on Catechism, building our repertoire of prayers, delving into Scripture and forming habits that can carry us through all the Seasons!

1. Bringing the Catechism to Life

There has been an explosion of Catholic companies and materials dedicated to teach Catechism in fun and inspiring new ways. Our Tradition and Faith are so rich! The Pope and various theologians and Doctors of the Church have, with the help of the Holy Spirit addressed every question we may have and the more we delve into Church Teaching, the more we learn… and seek to know more.

2. Inspiring Prayer in Kids

Within our Catholic Tradition and Faith, we have so many beautiful prayers and devotions! At each Mass, we restate the facts of our Faith, relive the Eucharist and strengthen our relationship with Jesus. We are called to be a people of prayer, studying the beautiful words in Scripture, meditating on the Mysteries of the Rosary and renewing the heartfelt prayers of the Saints. We are also invited to personal prayer. Jesus wants us to come to Him with our prayers from the heart, asking Him to walk with us and guide our steps. We need to nurture this prayer life at home, praying with our kids, letting them see us devote time to our spiritual life and encouraging them to turn to prayer on their own.

3. Get Enthused by the  Saints!

In addition to regular routines and the ordinary flow of family life, each day of the year presents another Saint; a hero in our Catholic Faith to learn from and yet another excuse to celebrate! These mentors, already having lived their lives and enjoying the Beatific Vision are still available to intercede on our behalf. We can ask them to pray for us…just as we ask a friend, a family member or a priest. The lives of the Saints are inspiring!

With so many distractions and less-than-exemplar influences in our society today, how awesome can it be for our kids to be awed and inspired by the Saints?! The Saints are portrayed in so many kid-friendly ways through dolls and movies and crafts: why not introduce them to your kids? Delve into the lives of the Saints, the challenges they faced and the virtues that made them wonderful witnesses to Christ. Let the Saints be holy heroes; compelling role models to guide our kids on their journey of Faith.

We don’t need to rely on memorization tests or fill-in-the-blank worksheets to teach Catechism and prayer or to explore the lives of the Saints. We can pass on our enthusiasm by sneaking Catholic teaching and culture into fun activities that kids already enjoy doing: crafts, artwork, altered classic board games, scrapbooking, journaling and even computer games and movies.

We can add special recipes, celebration activities and family traditions in honor of Feast Days and Seasons…the Catholic Liturgical Calendar certainly gives us many opportunities! Keep an eye out for upcoming articles as we showcase crafts, activities and traditions to teach the Catholic Faith throughout the Liturgical Calendar!

Check out Equipping Catholic Families ,paper craft printables, prayer crafts, classic games turned Catholic and Saint focused crafts.

Let’s make Ordinary Time an extraordinary opportunity to celebrate our Catholic Faith!

Every employee & volunteer in the Archdiocese of Santa Fe must:

• Complete Adult Safe Environment Training every 5 years
• Have a criminal background check
• Complete a Volunteer Ministry Application
• Click here to read more

Complete the training at a location below or on line at https://www.virtusonline.org/virtus

 Donate and Pledge here:  https://archdiocesesantafegiving.org/annual-catholic-appeal-foundation

San Clemente Parish in Los Lunas, NM is requesting bids from qualified contractors for the construction of a new Adoration Chapel located in what is now the parking lot of the San Clemente Parish. Bids are due on May 29, 2026 at 1:00 pm at the Parish Office located at 244 Luna Avenue NE, Los Lunas, NM 87031. Phone Number; (505) 865-7385 Questions related to the information and/or requirements in the posting can be emailed to Project Manager Eric Zamora, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Questions shall be submitted no later than 72 hours before the close date of this posting. Questions submitted after the deadline may not be answered.

For this posting, “Offeror” refers to a company interested in proposing the opportunity to become a contractor. “contractor” refers to a company with a direct contracted relationship with San Clemente Parish and “ subcontractors” refers to companies that the contractor may contract with to perform various scopes of work under the opportunity.

Click to Learn More

The Population Research Institute (pop.org) is a non-profit research group whose goals are to…

• expose the myth of overpopulation
• expose human rights abuses committed in population control programs
• make the case that people are the world’s greatest resource

Our growing global network of pro-life groups spans over 80 countries.

We are especially proud of the projects you've helped us complete this year—initiatives that have brought vital information to people like you who care deeply about these issues.

Among these are two new educational efforts to shed light on the overlooked (or purposefully hidden…) consequences of in vitro fertilization (IVF) and birth control. 

In Vitro Fertilization (IVF):

There are ways to increase the birth rate–as the incoming Trump administration correctly wants to do–but IVF is not the way to do it.

In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) was a hot topic in 2024, but most people don’t understand how it works. They are unaware of the dozens of embryos that are routinely destroyed in the IVF procedure and the damaging physical and mental effects that IVF can have on couples. As insurance companies push for broader IVF coverage, more couples will be tempted to resort to it—without a clear understanding of its risks and consequences.

Anyone who may be tempted to go down the IVF road needs to read our report, “In Vitro Fertilization: The Process, Risks, and Consequences Explained.”

The Dark Side of Birth Control:

Powerful drugs should not be administered without informed consent, but millions of women and girls have been left in the dark when it comes to the serious side effects of oral hormonal birth control (“the Pill”). Years of taking the Pill can damage a woman’s physical and mental health, and even leave them infertile.  But few connect the problems affecting their bodies, their brains, and their overall sense of well-being with the steroid-based hormones they have been swallowing daily.

We will break down the widespread, often hidden, effects of birth control, in a three-part report and video series. The first, addressing the physical side effects, is called, “Breaking the Silence: The Dark Side of Birth Control’s Physical Impact.”

The pro-contraception and pro-abortion movement targets women, and their unborn babies, in many different ways, as you know, and an important part of our mission is to EXPOSE them by creating resources for you and for the general public.   

To get the facts about IVF: 

https://www.pop.org/in-vitro-fertilization-the-process-risks-consequences-explained/ 

To learn more about the dark side of birth control: 

https://www.pop.org/birth-control-pill-fact-sheet/ 

Take advantage of these links anytime! Share them with your family members or friends who want to educate themselves on the evil that the abortion lobby wants to push on our nation and the world at large. 

The fight for Life begins with education.

With your continued support, we will keep researching critical pro-life issues and sharing the truth with as many people as possible. 

https://www.pop.org/donate/eoy/

Thank you for your support of our efforts to stop the spread of abortion and defund population control programs. We have been “Putting People First” for more than thirty years now.  Our goal is to create a thriving Culture of Life at home and abroad.  

But if we save even one unborn life, it will have been well worth it.  

Read more here:  https://www.pop.org/weekly-briefing/

See video below or click on the Archdiocese of Santa  Fe Annual-Catholic Appeal-Foundation

Make your pledge here: https://secure.acceptiva.com/?cst=sXceey