“Faith and reason are like two wings on which the human spirit rises to the contemplation of truth; and God has placed in the human heart a desire to know the truth—in a word, to know Himself— so that, by knowing and loving God, men and women may also come to the fullness of truth and themselves.”
-St. John Paul II Preface to Fides et Ratio
Fides et Ratio Reflections
Sacred Heart Statue at Shanley-Sacred Heart’s Chapel
Today is the annual Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, whose heart is love itself.
St. John Paul II characterized devotion to Jesus’ Heart this way: “In that Divine Heart beats God’s infinite love for everyone, for each one of us individually.”
Individually and personally, we are loved. I am loved. You are loved. Infinitely.
May devotion to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus increase and abound in love.
It's About Time
Consecration of Our Nation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus
Archbishop William Lori Gives the Homily at the Consecration Mass
Yesterday in Orlando at their annual June meeting, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops consecrated our nation to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus as part of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Consecration of the United States to the Sacred Heart of Jesus | USCCB
In his homily at yesterday’s Consecration Mass, Baltimore Archbishop William Lori outlined the motivations for the Act of Consecration:
“Why do we do this? Because consecration is an act of faith. It is an acknowledgment that history is not simply the story of what human beings accomplish; it is the story of God’s faithful love at work in the world. We give thanks for the blessings of these past 250 years, but we do so with humility, recognizing in faith that every nation stands in need of God’s mercy, wisdom, and guidance. We consecrate our nation, not because it is perfect, but because it is beloved by God. We entrust to the Heart of Christ our achievements and failures, our hopes and anxiety, our present challenges and our future aspirations. We ask Him to heal what is wounded, strengthen what is good, and guide us towards a future marked by justice, peace, freedom, and respect for the dignity of every human person.
“Consecration is also an act of hope. It is a declaration that the future does not belong merely to political movements, economic forces, or human plans. The future belongs to God. And so we place into His Heart, not only ourselves but generations yet unborn, and all those who will inherit the Church and the nation we leave behind.”
The Bishops also provided this prayer for the occasion and on today’s Solemnity:
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.
The Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary
It is back-to-back “holy days” with today’s Sacred Heart Solemnity and tomorrow’s Memorial of The Immaculate Heart of Mary, who “kept all these things, pondering them in her heart” (Luke 2:19).
Our school system has a long affiliation with devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, beginning with the foundation of “Sacred Heart Academy” in Fargo in September of 1897. The last class to graduate from SHA was the Class of 1950; the Class of 1951 was the first to graduate from “Shanley High School.”
The Sacred Heart statue pictured at the top of this post was dedicated in the fall of 1955 by then-Bishop Leo Dworschak and placed in the southeast stairwell of Shanley. It was moved to its present location just outside Presentation Chapel at the “new” Shanley High School and “Sullivan Middle School” in the summer of 2002.
Moreover, five years ago, in June 2021, our middle school was re-named “Sacred Heart Middle School,” and that designation was perfect, given our history and our identity as a Catholic school.
Sacred Heart of Jesus: “Save us.”
Immaculate Heart of Mary: “Pray for us.”
“The Deacon” Magazine
Our alumni magazine, The Deacon, was mailed last week to our stakeholders and has been arriving in mailboxes.
You can also see it online here: The Deacon: Spring 2026
I’m very grateful to our Marketing and Communications Specialist, Lacey Restad, now in her third year of exemplary service, for her great work on the magazine.
President’s Proverb
“Love for the Lord, then, is one with love for the poor.”
–Pope Leo XIV
Hagstrom’s Attempt at Humor (HAAH!)
Sunday Psalm Sampler
“Everything written about Me in the Law of Moses and in the Prophets and in the Psalms must be fulfilled.”
-Luke 24:22b
Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A)
- Lectionary Readings: Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time | USCCB
- Responsorial Psalm: “We are His people: the sheep of His flock.” (Ps 100:3c)
- Responsorial Refrain: “Responsorial Refrain Quote Example text.” (Ps _:_)
- Chris Brunelle’s YouTube Recording: R&A Psalm 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time 2026, Psalm 100
“Psalm 100” was the name given to one of Shanley’s vibrant choral ensembles established by the legendary Mrs. (now “Dr.”) Rebecca Raber, who taught here from 2002-2016. The first stanza of today’s Responsorial Psalm demonstrates the reason for that name: “Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands; serve the LORD with gladness; come before Him with joyful song” (Ps. 100:1). For years, those Shanley singers were beautiful witnesses of that joy.
“Joy,” writes St. Padre Pio, “comes from the enjoyment of possessing what we love.” He then asks, “Now isn’t God the highest good the soul loves, and in loving Him, doesn’t the soul possess Him?”
With pastoral imagery, the Psalmist celebrates the truth that we are God’s creation and possession, His flock. Joy accompanies that certitude and envelops our love of Him Who first loved us. With thanksgiving, then, let us sing this week, “We are His people: the sheep of His flock.”
Our President
Mike Hagstrom
Mike Hagstrom was named President of St. John Paul II Catholic Schools and Director of Catholic Schools for the Diocese of Fargo on March 15, 2016, and officially assumed the role on July 1, 2016. In his application for the position, he described his leadership philosophy as one of stewardship, writing:
“My approach would be that of stewardship of the great gift of Catholic Schools. With the help of God’s grace and all our stakeholders, we can be good stewards together, ensuring that our schools not only survive, but thrive. They are designed for human flourishing, forming the whole person, each and every student made in God’s image and likeness, endowed with a transcendent dignity and destiny.”
Before stepping into diocesan leadership, Mike dedicated 31 years to Shanley High School, where he taught Religion and served in a variety of leadership roles. During his time there, he embodied the spirit of St. Bede’s words: “I have always found delight in learning, teaching, and writing.”
Mike earned a Bachelor of Arts in English and a Master of Arts in Systematic Theology from Saint John’s University in Collegeville, Minnesota. He and his wife, Shawn, are the proud parents of two Shanley graduates, Therese (’08) and Joseph (’16), and grandparents to James and Oliver.
