A Cascade of Graces

Blessings flow from Sacred Heart of Jesus billboard campaign

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Thanks to the generosity of Souls and Liberty supporters, our Sacred Heart of Jesus billboard initiative was a gratifying success.

Proclaiming "June is devoted to the Sacred Heart of Jesus — Christ is King!" the displays were installed in prominent locations in multiple American cities, including Times Square in New York, Dodger Stadium and Hollywood in Los Angeles; as well as high-traffic areas in Chicago, Detroit, and Knoxville, Tennessee.

Altogether, the billboards were seen by hundreds of thousands of passersby throughout the month of June — by hundreds of thousands of souls who were reminded that the month is dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The displays reiterated the fact that June is meant to honor Christ's infinite love for mankind — not to celebrate fleshly indulgence, as LGBT activists do.

Ruby Galatolo, who helped inspire the campaign, reflected on the initiative as it got underway.

"I know I can speak for all who have contributed to the Sacred Heart of Jesus billboard campaign when I say it is an honor and a privilege to have the opportunity to be a part of something greater than ourselves," Galatolo said.

"We often wonder what purpose God has in store for our lives as He is the creator and designer of all of things," she observed. "We can list some of the most important roles in our life like motherhood, wife, daughter, teacher, etc. but what truly gives it purpose is if we fulfill our roles with the intention of giving Glory to God."

"Sometimes we forget that, but with this billboard campaign, it's a little easier to see," Galatolo noted. "We are reclaiming June for Christ's Kingship."

Debra Tvrdik, coordinator of the Souls and Liberty-sponsored initiative, was on the ground at the May 24 unveiling in Times Square, and recorded the reactions of various onlookers as they passed by:

"Wow! What better place to have Him than on the busiest street in New York — 8th Avenue. All can get a glimpse of the Sacred Heart of Jesus."  

"If you get a bad response, they don't know Him yet."

"Very glad to have Him in New York — people can look and pray a little. I took a picture on my phone to share with others! I love it!"

"Wow! I’m speechless, just speechless. I've never seen anything like it in the city! New York needs Jesus!"  

"Beautiful, just beautiful!"

Tvrdik summed up the responses, saying, "Jesus was met with open arms in New York. The Sacred Heart billboard certainly stands out among all the glitz and lights of Times Square."

Likewise, John Manczko, Souls and Liberty Action Network Captain for Tennessee, shared that Knoxville's Sacred Heart billboard caught the eye of a woman at just the right time: "She was having an issue with her young adult child while driving and was very upset," Manczko recalled, "and as she crested the hill and saw the Sacred Heart of Jesus billboard, she was filled with peace and hope."   

Because of the tremendous outpouring of support by Souls and Liberty backers, the initial campaign is having a knock-on effect, fueling an upcoming pro-life effort in Tennessee.

Manczko was able to funnel leftover funds from the Knoxville campaign toward purchasing two pro-life billboards for his city — keeping abortion in the public eye in Knoxville for several critical weeks in the lead-up to this fall's election. He announced the news to fellow Action Network members in a recent communiqué:

"Brothers and Sisters in the Most Precious Blood of Jesus,

The June Sacred Heart of Jesus billboard campaign ended June 30th. Again, thank you for showing your support.

As mentioned previously, any excess funds would be used to purchase Prolife billboards through the Tennessee Right to Life Knox Chapter.

Due to your generosity, we are able to support two billboards in the Knoxville area amassing over 250K impressions per week.

A contract for two billboards ... will be displayed on a static (full-time) basis facing both East and West on Kingston Pike just West of Lovell Road from Monday, August 12, 2024 through Sunday, September 08, 2024.

With the proposed absence of Prolife and Marriage in the latest version of the GOP’s 2024 Platform, we as Tennesseans must be resolute in defending our Catholic principles. 

Jesus protect and save the unborn."

Souls and Liberty and our partners are delighted to see this work continuing to bear fruit.

"As Catholics we may have been asleep," Galatolo noted, "but we are waking up with greater zeal and fervor — moving from a state of lukewarmness and indifference to a greater love for Him who has created us and given up His life for us so that we may be with Him in heaven for all eternity."

"It is time we put our love and gratitude in action for Him who gave us all," she added.

Indeed, now is the time for Catholics to stand tall in the public square and proclaim Christ to those around us — a society devoid of, and desperate for, the Truth.

Writer, editor and producer Stephen Wynne has spent the past seven years covering, from a Catholic perspective, the latest developments in the Church, the nation and the world. Prior to his work in journalism, he spent eight years co-authoring “Repairing the Breach,” a book examining the war of worldviews between Christianity and Darwinism. A Show-Me State native, he holds a BA in Creative Writing from Pepperdine University and an Executive MBA from the Bloch School of Business at the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

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