(LifeSiteNews) — The Cardinal Archbishop of Toronto is calling on Catholics to honor the Sacred Heart of Jesus instead of Pride Month this June.
In a statement issued Friday, Cardinal Frank Leo urged Catholics to look to the Sacred Heart instead of “ideological” symbols that distort the Church’s moral and doctrinal teachings.
The statement, posted on the Archdiocese’s website on Friday, May 29 but dated June 1, states, “we do good to use our own symbols to tell our own story without resorting to trendy, misguided and inadequate symbols that do not represent us as Catholics but rather contribute to confusion, distortions and ambiguities about what the Catholic faith truly teaches regarding the human person, human nature, and natural moral law.”
His Eminence further urged Catholics to “make sure that the symbols we use are consistent with our Catholic faith and not borrowed from ideological fora, promoted by lobby groups and endorsed by political movements. We ought to honor and respect our traditions and not compromise the integrity of the faith by using symbols that are contrary to God’s divine revelation.”
A number of Catholics, both in the United States and Canada, praised Leo’s remarks on social media. Canadian Pro-life group Campaign Life Coalition called them “fantastic.”
We thank His Eminence Frank Cardinal Leo of @archtoronto for putting out a FANTASTIC message on on the Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.❤️🔥
He calls it the “only symbol we really need which underscores our human dignity, our call to holiness of life, Jesus’ sacrificial love for… pic.twitter.com/r0DPtnnNoK
— Campaign Life Coalition (@CampaignLife) May 30, 2025
Pro-life Canadian activist Pete Baklinski likewise drew attention to the significance of Leo’s remarks. Eric Sammons, editor-in-chief of Crisis Magazine, shared Baklinski’s post while stating “Much more of this, please.”
Much more of this, please. https://t.co/KhE0zuXMJt
— Eric Sammons (@EricRSammons) May 30, 2025
In his statement, Leo also explained the true meaning of the Sacred Heart devotion.
“The Sacred Heart is one of the most profound and enduring symbols in Catholic devotional life as it encapsulates the depth of Christ’s love for humanity, his freely chosen passion, and his ongoing intercession for the world as our Mediator and Eternal High Priest,” he wrote.
“In this way the Sacred Heart becomes not just a symbol of the greatest love that ever existed, but also a wellspring of hope and endurance in the face of suffering, sin, and uncertainty for all those who approach the Sacred Heart with faith, humility and trust.”
Leo further called on Catholics to consecrate themselves, their families, and their households to the Sacred Heart and to honor it “in every home, parish, school, convent, hospital and Catholic institution.”
