Nat’l Shrine of the Sacred Heart Celebrates 50 Years with Jubilee Door

by Clyde Ericson Nolasco While others destress by strolling through the city’s open parks, running or walking during car-free Sundays, or visiting museums for cultural appreciation, I relax in Makati in a different way.

Amidst the bustling avenues and the central business district, I find solace in staring at the 10-foot-tall image of the “Smiling Sacred Heart” at the National Shrine. After a restless workweek, I find peace face-to-face with Jesus, whether inside the church building or while meditating in the adoration chapel.

I have prayed countless petitions in this very church, from asking for success in passing my board examination to simply seeking mental clarity. During the pandemic, after being locked down for many months, I was finally able to step outside. As I ventured into “the outside world,” I made it a point to pass by the church. It was lunchtime. There was no Mass. I was alone. Yet, I felt a sigh of relief. I am still alive. We are still alive. It was a sigh of hope coming from the Sacred Heart of Jesus, gazing upon His people.

The Golden Year – From a Humble Chapel to a National Shrine

This year marks the Shrine’s 50th anniversary.

The Shrine began in the mid-1950s with a small group of devotees in Barangay San Antonio, Makati. They built a chapel on Kamagong Street as a place to pray. Fr. Pedro Verceles, SJ, encouraged devotion to the Sacred Heart. Later, the community opened an Apostleship of Prayer center and moved to a larger chapel. In 1971, the Sacred Heart Chapel on Dao Street was completed and blessed by Bishop Amado P. Pauino. In 1972, it became a parish, with Fr. Nico P. Bautista as its first parish priest. Soon after, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, through Julio Cardinal Rosales, named it the National Shrine of the Sacred Heart. The parish and shrine opened on February 14, 1976. Dao Street, which I can still clearly remember, was later renamed Sacred Heart Street because of the Shrine.

The Holy Door and the Plenary Indulgence

As the Shrine celebrates its Golden Jubilee, a Jubilee Door, or Porta Sancta, was officially opened by Manila Archbishop Jose Cardinal Advincula last February 14. This Holy Door will remain open until the same date in 2027.

A Holy Door is a special door that marks a Jubilee Year. It symbolizes Jesus as the door to salvation. Usually, it is assigned to basilicas and cathedrals, but it may also be opened in a shrine through the blessing of the local bishop or the Pope. Pilgrims pass through it with faith to receive a plenary indulgence.

To receive a plenary indulgence through the Holy Door, the faithful must:

• Visit the Holy Door (Porta Sancta)

• Make a sacramental confession

• Participate in Mass and receive the Eucharist

• Pray for the intentions of the Pope

• Be detached from sin

A plenary indulgence is a Church teaching that removes the remaining consequences of sin, even after it has been forgiven in confession. You can receive it by passing through the Holy Door during a Jubilee Year with prayer and the right intention. 

Deepening Our Devotion to the Sacred Heart

Visiting the National Shrine, especially on First Fridays, is a way to deepen our devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, following the example of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque.

I know that I will continue seeking moments of quiet and hope at the Shrine, letting the mercy of the Sacred Heart guide me through life’s daily challenges. It will always be a safe place for a restless heart and wandering spirit.