In late August, members of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest entered the five day, annual Chapter by adoring the Blessed Sacrament, and emerged from it spiritually strengthened by the renewal of their consecration to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and the offering of the votive Mass in His honor on the first Friday of September. Supernaturally, the Holy Eucharist and the Sacred Heart are the foundation, the core, the essence, the life, the joy, the driving force, and the summation of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest in the past two decades.
In the natural beauty of Tuscany, where Divine Providence has given the Institute a location for its Motherhouse in Gricigliano, the superiors and members of the Institute gather from across the world once a year for five days of meetings and spiritual conferences. Fostering a strong unity of mind and purpose, this annual Chapter emphasizes for the members of the Institute the fundamental importance of the unity of grace and nature inherent in the Divine Liturgy and in the Holy Priesthood by centering the priestly interior life on the Holy Eucharist and the Sacred Heart.
On Wednesday, September 1, the Institute acknowledged with profound gratitude and joy the special blessing of the 20th Anniversary of its Canonical Erection on September 1, 1990. Each priestly member of the Institute reaffirmed his commitment to live the Constitutions of the Institute, which define the spiritual identity which is proper to it as a community whose members pray the canonical Hours together as often as circumstances of their apostolate permit and conform to the spirit and teaching of their holy patrons, St. Francis de Sales, St. Thomas Aquinas, and St. Benedict.
The Chapter meeting this year was graced with the presence of the Very Reverend Dom Antoine Forgeot, Abbot of the Benedictine monastery of Fontgombault, who celebrated a Pontifical votive Mass of Our Lord Jesus Christ Supreme and Eternal Priest on Thursday, September 2. The Very Reverend Abbot emphasized from the Collect that, as the "dispensatores Mysteriorum Dei" priests are called to follow Christ "in everything and everywhere, in the unreserved gift of themselves in the imitation of the One who said He is 'meek and humble of heart.'"
Led by the Prior General of the Institute, Monsignor Gilles Wach, the procession which included the Co-Founder Canon Mora, and Vicar General Monsignor Schmitz, and the canons of the Institute chanting hymns in honor of the Sacred Heart walked the two miles to the convent of the Sisters Adorers of the Royal Heart of Jesus. There Monsignor Wach solemnly renewed the consecration of all the Institute—priests, sisters, oblates, and lay members—to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.
His Grace, Archbishop Raymond L. Burke, Prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura, was the special guest of honor who offered the Pontifical votive Mass of the Most Sacred Heart on Friday, September 3. Focusing on the pierced Sacred Heart, the theme of the Archbishop's sermon was on unity: to be "one heart" with Jesus.
Through the many photographs of this year's Chapter one catches a glimpse of the family spirit of the Institute, which unites canons, seminarians, oblates and sisters with the superiors and Prior General. Under the guidance of the Immaculate Conception and the other patron saints, the Institute's members rely upon the prayers of those souls to whom they minister in order that they may be ever more closely united to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, pierced for our sake on the Cross. A special thank you to all friends and faithful of the Institute for their prayerful support during these twenty years at the service of the Church!