The Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus has as its origin a vision made to Margaret Mary Alacoque six years after entering the Visitation Convent in 1671. She describes the vision as follows: “I could plainly see His heart, pierced and bleeding, yet there were flames, two coming from it and a crown of thorns around it. He told me to behold His heart which so loved humanity. Then He seemed to take my heart from me and place it there in His heart. In return He gave me back part of His flaming heart.”
In all, there were four revelations, during which the now-familiar Twelve Promises were made, the last of which is responsible for the nine First Fridays’ devotion. Also requested by the Sacred Heart was the establishment of a feast in His honor. We now celebrate this Feast of Sacred Heart on the first Friday after the octave of the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ, in addition to honoring the Sacred Heart every first Friday of the month.
Saint Margaret Mary was a member of the Visitation, the cloistered sisters founded by Saint Frances de Sales and Saint Jane de Chantal. Much of what Saint Margaret Mary experienced in her visions of Jesus was shared by her spiritual director, Claude de Columbiere, SJ, a Jesuit priest and through her journals.
Francesco, named in honor of St. Francis of Assisi, was born to Giuseppa and Grazio Forgione, peasant farmers, in the small Italian village of Pietrelcina on May 25, 1887. From his childhood, it was very evident that he was a special child of God. Francesco was very devout even as a child and at an early age felt drawn to the priesthood. He became a Capuchin novice at the age of sixteen and received the habit in 1902. Francesco was ordained to the priesthood in 1910 after seven years of study and became known as Padre Pio.
On September 20, 1918, Padre Pio was kneeling in front of a large crucifix when he received the visible marks of the crucifixion, making him the first stigmatized priest in the history of the Church. The doctor who examined Padre Pio could not find any natural cause for the wounds. Upon his death in 1968, the wounds were no longer visible. In fact, there was no scarring and the skin was completely renewed. He had predicted 50 years prior that upon his death the wounds would heal.
The wounds of the stigmata were not the only mystical phenomenon experienced by Padre Pio. The blood from the stigmata had an odor described by many as similar to that of perfume or flowers, and the gift of bilocation was attributed to him. Padre Pio had the ability to read the hearts of the penitents who flocked to him for confession, which he heard for ten or twelve hours per day. Padre Pio used the confessional to bring both sinners and devout souls closer to God; he would know just the right word of counsel or encouragement that was needed.
Even before his death, people spoke to Padre Pio about his possible canonization. He died on September 23, 1968 at the age of eighty-one. His funeral was attended by about 100,000 people. On June 16, 2002, over 500,000 Padre Pio devotees gathered in Rome to witness Pope John Paul II proclaim Padre Pio Saint Pio of Pietrelcina. The Padre Pio Foundation and many benefactors traveled to Rome, San Giovanni Rotondo, Pietrelcina, Piana Romana and many other holy places to celebrate Padre Pio’s canonization.
The Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, appeared 6 times to 3 shepherd children, Lucia, Jacinta, and Francisco, between May 13th and October 13, 1917. Our Lady came with a message from God to every man, woman and child of our century. Our Lady of Fatima promised that the whole world would be at peace, and that many souls would go to heaven if her requests were listened to and obeyed. She told us that war is a punishment for sins; that God would punish the world for its sins in our time by means of war, hunger, persecution of the Church and persecution of the Holy Father unless we listen to and obey the command of God.
As a great sign of the whole message truly coming from God, a marvelous miracle was worked in the sky above Fatima before 70,000 witnesses on October 13, 1917. The children were told by Our Lady that God would perform a miracle so that people would believe in the apparitions. On that day the miracle of the sun occurred. All could stare perfectly at the sun without blinking or hurting their eyes. While all were watching the sun, it rotated, became large and small, appeared close and then far away from the people. The sun “danced.” Every person who was there testified to seeing the sun dance, even non-believers.
Our Lady of Fatima continues to work miracles today through Fatima water which is sent from Fatima, Portugal around the world. The Fatima water sprang up in Fatima at the spot the Bishop told people to dig, very near where Our Lady appeared at the Cova de Iria (the cove of Peace) in Fatima. The water is known to cure people with sicknesses and poor health. Still, other people are cured when they go on pilgrimage to Fatima, which is about 90 miles north of Lisbon, Portugal.
St. Francis Bernadone was born in Assisi, Italy in 1181, the son of a wealthy merchant. It was during a prolonged severe illness that Francis became aware of his religious calling. At the age of 25, Francis became inspired by the Scripture passage of Matthew commanding the disciples to evangelize the world, without possessions. He abandoned his affluent way of life and embraced the life of radical poverty, or, in the words of Francis, “to wed Lady Poverty.”
Three years later in 1209, his companions numbered 12 and he received the approval of Pope Innocent III to lead a life according to the Rule of the Holy Gospel. They became a band of roving preachers of Christ, thus began the “Friars Minor,” or “Lesser Brothers.”
Rejecting all material goods, Francis and his brothers preached throughout Italy. They summoned people to faith and penitence, refused even corporate ownership and ecclesiastical preference. Saint Francis never became a priest out of humility.
Francis’ practice of poverty and devotion to the humanity and Passion of Christ resonated in the hearts of a world grown spiritually cold; soon a vast Franciscan movement swept through Europe. By 1219, over 5,000 Franciscans gathered at Assisi for the famed Chapter of Mats. Francis subsequently founded a Second Order through St. Clare of Assisi for cloistered nuns. A Third Order for religious and laity of both sexes was also formed.
St. Anthony, called “Saint Anthony of Padua” on account of his long residence in that city, was a native of Lisbon, Portugal where he was born on August 15th, 1195. When he was 15 years of age he joined the Canons Regular of St. Augustine. Soon after, seeking stricter observance of religious life, he transferred to the Holy Cross Monastery in Coimbra where he prepared for the priesthood. He lived in this house for 8 years, intent on his studies, when the relics of 5 Franciscan martyrs were brought from Morocco to Portugal. This event inspired him to follow in the footsteps of St. Francis. He obtained the consent of his prior and passed over to the Franciscan order at the age of 25 and took the name of Anthony. After some time, he obtained leave to go to Africa and preach to the Moors where he became severely ill and returned to Spain. At that time, St. Francis was holding a chapter in Assisi. Friar Anthony attended the gathering and from there was sent to a monastery in Forli and later to Rimini. His talents could not be kept hidden any longer. He was asked to teach theology in Bologna and later Toulouse, Montpellier and Padua.