Fr. Shane Gallagher has been entrusted with a significant role in promoting devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus within the ecclesiastical province of Armagh, which covers much of the north of the country. A key part of this mission is the pilgrimage of a special Sacred Heart statue, blessed by Pope Francis, which is being brought around to churches that wish to receive it. This statue serves as a powerful symbol of Christ’s love and a call for renewal in faith.
Fr. Shane expressed his hope that this image of the Sacred Heart would inspire many to return to prayer and devotion, drawing those with lukewarm or distant hearts back to Jesus. He believes that seeing this statue in chapels and churches will remind people of Christ’s love and mercy, just as He spoke in Ezekiel 34:16:
“It is the Lord who speaks: I shall look for the lost one, bring back the stray, bandage the wounded, and make the weak strong.”