The Sacred Heart of Jesus
June is dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus in the Catholic Church. The Solemnity of the
Sacred Heart of Jesus falls on the Friday after the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ
(Corpus Christi). In 2025, the Solemnity falls on Friday, June 27th. Devotion to the Sacred Heart
of Jesus became known from the conversations between Catholic Saint and mystic, Margaret
Mary Alacoque, a French Nun of the Order of the Visitation and Our Lord. Visions lasted for 18
months, starting on December 27, 1673.
The devotion started with the celebration of the Solemnity on the Friday after Corpus Christi as
a private devotion within Saint Margaret Mary’s monetary. The first celebration of the Holy Day
was held in 1686. Additionally, the devotion of the weekly Holy Hour on Thursdays and the first
Friday Eucharistic Devotion.
At first, celebration of the Solemnity was not really endorsed by the Holy See. The Order of the
Visitation was allowed to celebrate the feast, but there was no Official declaration of a Holy Day
in the Church. Eventually, the devotion spread, and France had the feast publicly made a Holy
Day in 1765.
Eventually, Pope Leo XIII consecrated the world to the Sacred Heart of Jesus in 1899 by way of
his encyclical Annum Sacrum. In his encyclical, Pope Leo XIII talked about how the Sacred
Heart of Jesus reminds us of His justice and mercy and reminds us of the love He has for all of
us.
Like many mystics, there was skepticism surrounding the visions of St. Margaret Mary. The
story goes that her confessor asked her to ask Jesus what the last mortal sin that he confessed
was. This was after Jesus had instructed St. Margaret Mary to find herself a spiritual director. At
the direction of her confessor, she asked Jesus what the last mortal sin her confessor had
brought up in confession. Jesus said, “I do not remember”. After sharing this with her confessor,
he became her spiritual director. This underscores the immense love and mercy Jesus has for
us that flows forth from his Sacred Heart. The Blood of Christ that flowed forth from His Sacred
Heart was out of love for us. We are redeemed by His Precious Blood, and that Precious Blood
flowed through His Sacred Heart, and came forth from His Sacred Heart during the crucifixion.
Let us worship the Sacred Heart of Jesus and recognize that His heart is the heart of God. Both
our Brother and our Redeemer. As we are made one with Christ through the Eucharist, we have
a sharing of His Sacred Heart.
*Most information is taken from Catholic News Agency and videos on the internet. No plagiarism is intended. Private revelation is
not required for belief of the faithful.