Alliance of the Hearts of Jesus and Mary
Encyclopedia
The Alliance of the Hearts of Jesus and Mary refers to the historical, theological and spiritual links in Catholic devotions
to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary
. Devotions to the two hearts are key elements of Catholic teachings, and terms such as Holy Heart, Agonizing Heart and Compassionate Heart have also been used in devotions.
The joint devotion to the hearts was first formalized in the 17th century by Saint Jean Eudes who organized the scriptural, theological and liturgical sources relating to the devotions and obtained the approbation of the Church, shortly before to the visions of Saint Marguerite Marie Alacoque
. He wrote the Mass and Office proper to the feasts, composed various prayers and rosaries and wrote the first book on the topic.
In the 18th and 19th centuries, northern and central France became fertile ground for the growth of devotions to the hearts of Jesus and Mary, both jointly and individually with figures such as Saint Louis de Montfort
promoting Mariology and Saint Catherine Labouré
's Miraculous Medal
depicting the Heart of Jesus thorn-crowned and the Heart of Mary pierced with a sword.
The devotions, and the associated prayers, continued into the 20th century, e.g. in prayers by Saint Maximillian Kolbe which built on the Montfortean
theme of "Jesus through Mary" and the reported messages of Our Lady of Fátima
which stated that the Heart of Jesus wishes to be honored together with the Heart of Mary.
Popes supported the individual and joint devotions to the hearts through the centuries. In the 1956 encyclical Haurietis Aquas
, Pope Pius XII encouraged the joint devotion to the hearts. In the 1979 encyclical Redemptor Hominis
Pope John Paul II explained the theme of unity of Mary's Immaculate Heart with the Sacred Heart. In his Angelus
address on September 15, 1985 Pope John Paul II coined the term The Alliance of the Hearts of Jesus and Mary, and in 1986 addressed the international conference on that topic held at Fátima, Portugal
.
. Luke 2:19 states: "Mary kept all these things pondering them in her heart", and Luke 2:51: "His Mother kept all these things carefully in Her Heart". John 7:38 refers to the heart of Jesus: "From His Heart will flow rivers of living water." Since the 2nd century saints and the Church Fathers
occasionally referred to the two Hearts.
Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus on its own dates back to the 11th century and was addressed by Saint Bernard of Clairvaux
and Saint Gertrude
in the 12th and 13th centuries. Saint Bonaventure referred to the Heart of Jesus and the Heart of Mary throughout his writings during the 13th century, but the most poignant passage is in the devotional work The Mystical Vine, a description of the Passion of Christ.
The joint devotion to the Hearts of Jesus and Mary formally started in the 17th century. Saint Jean Eudes (1601–1680) established the Society of the Heart of the Mother Most Admirable
, which resembled the Third Order of Saint Francis and dedicated the seminary chapels of Caen
and Coutances
to the Sacred Hearts. Although Jean Eudes always associated the two Sacred Hearts, he began his devotional teachings with the Heart of Mary, and then extended it to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Eudes was partly influenced by the writings of Saint Francis de Sales
on the perfections of the Heart of Mary as the model of love for God.
Jean Eudes organized the scriptural, theological and liturgical sources relating to the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary and promoted them with the approbation of the Church.
The feast of the Holy Heart of Mary
was celebrated for the first time in 1648, and that of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in 1670. The Mass and Office proper to these feasts were composed by Saint Jean Eudes in 1668, briefly preceding Saint Marguerite Marie Alacoque
in establishing the devotion to the Sacred Hearts. He composed various prayers and rosaries to the Sacred Hearts. His book "Le Cœur Admirable de la Très Sainte Mère de Dieu" is the first book ever written on the devotion to the Sacred Hearts.
In December 1673 Saint Marguerite Marie Alacoque
reported vision of Christ
in which Jesus showed her the Sacred Heart. After her death in 1690, the devotion was promoted by the Jesuits. Devotion to the two Hearts continued to spread in France. On Christmas Eve
in 1800, amid the French Revolution
, knowing they could face the guillotine
for their actions, Peter Coudrin
and Henriette Aymer de Chevalerie
established the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary
with a mission to spread the message of God's love manifested through the Hearts of Jesus and Mary and through the adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
. Future members of the congregation included Saint Damien de Veuster of Molokai. By the beginning of the 19th century the devotion to the Immaculate Heart was sufficiently widespread in Europe for Pope Pius VII
to allow a feast to honor it in 1805.
In November 1830 Saint Catherine Labouré
reported a vision
which resulted the introduction of the Miraculous Medal
, depicting the thorn-crowned Heart of Jesus and the pierced Heart of Mary. Since the 19th century, there has been a steady increase in the Catholic devotion to the Heart of Mary and devotional images of the Virgin Mary pointing to Her glowing Heart have become widespread. Many images of the Immaculate Heart of Mary still show it as pierced or wounded, and in some cases as bleeding. Other orders and devotions continued thereafter; for example, the Order of the Sisters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary
was founded in 1866 by Father Victor Braun.
Pope Pius XII consecrated the human race to the Immaculate Heart on December 8, 1942. In 1944 he extended the feast to the universal Church and set its date of celebration on August 22. Because August 22 is now the feast of Queenship of Mary, the feast of the Immaculate heart is celebrated the day after the Sacred Heart.
and to the Immaculate Heart of Mary
are linked in historical, theological and spiritual ways. Terms such as the Holy Heart, Agonizing Heart and Compassionate Heart have also been used in devotions.
In Catholic teachings, the object of the devotion to the Heart of Mary is Her physical Heart that burned so intensely with love for God. Because of the inherently close relationship of Mary and Jesus in the Catholic teachings on salvation, the Heart of Mary is associated with the Heart of Jesus. The Sacred Heart is viewed as the source of God's boundless love and charity, while the devotion to the Immaculate Heart stresses the nature of Mary's love and concern for all who call upon Her.
Theologian Mark Miravalle explains the link between the two Hearts as follows: "As Mary is always the pure channel of grace, which flows from Jesus and to Jesus, Her Immaculate Heart is the perfect channel to Christ's most Sacred Heart, source and symbol of the infinite love and charity of God." The two Hearts are linked by devotions, prayers and feasts. The Catholic Feast of the Immaculate Heart, which is on a Saturday, is celebrated the day after the Feast of the Sacred Heart
which always falls on a Friday, 19 days after Pentecost
. Catholic devotional guides encourage the faithful to honor them together in celebration of God's generous love.
The link and the relationship between the Hearts of Jesus and Mary is also manifested in various Catholic prayers. The conclusion to the Litany of the Sacred Heart of Mary is an example:
Prayers to the Agonizing Heart of Jesus also relate it to the Heart of Mary:
A third devotional element often associated with the Hearts of Jesus and Mary is the Body and Blood of Christ represented in the Eucharist
. In Catholic teachings, the Blood and Water flowing from the Heart of Jesus are signs of the seven sacraments
, in particular the sacraments of Baptism and Eucharist. The view of the sacraments as gifts to the Church positions the Hearts as the primary channel of Christ's boundless love and Mary's endless compassion. As an example, the morning offering prayer to the Immaculate Heart relates it to both the Blood of Christ and Sacred Heart:
Catholic devotional teachings encourage the faithful receiving the Eucharist to unite their own hearts to those of Jesus and Mary.
The Morning offering
to the Sacred Heart of Jesus specifically refers to the Immaculate Heart of Mary
as it seeks reparation for sins
:
was the main force in formalizing and promoting the joint devotion to the Hearts of Jesus and Mary, the efforts of other saints prepared the environment in which the devotion could flourish. Pope Leo XIII
gave Jean Eudes the title of "Author of the Liturgical Worship of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Holy Heart of Mary" and both popes Leo XIII and Pius X called Eudes the "father, teacher and first apostle" of devotions to the Hearts of Jesus and Mary.
In the 18th and 19th centuries, northern and central France became fertile ground for the growth of devotions to the Hearts of Jesus and Mary. In June 1700, a young Louis Grignion de Montfort
was ordained a priest and was assigned to Nantes
. He became a fervent preacher for devotion to the Sacred Heart of Mary. Although Montfort died in 1716, his teachings shaped Mariology and later influenced several popes. In 1830 in Paris
, Saint Catherine Labouré
reported a vision in which she saw the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary, the Heart of Jesus thorn-crowned and the Heart of Mary pierced with a sword.
The devotions, and the associated prayers, continued into the 20th century. The Immaculata prayer
by Saint Maximillian Kolbe builds on the Montfortean theme of "Jesus through Mary". It ends as follows:
The three children who reported the messages of Our Lady of Fátima
emphasized the links between the two Hearts and stated that the Heart of Jesus wishes to be honored together with the Heart of Mary. In 1920, shortly before her death at age 9, Blessed Jacinta Marto, one of the three children of the Our Lady of Fátima
apparitions reportedly discussed the Hearts of Jesus and Mary with a then 12 year old cousin Lúcia dos Santos, another one of the three children, and said:
Lúcia dos Santos later became a nun called Sister Lúcia of Jesus and of the Immaculate Heart.
In 1765, devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus was formally approved. In 1799 Pope Pius VI permitted a Feast of the Heart of Mary in Palermo, Sicily and in 1805 Pope Pius VII
extended it throughout the world. In 1855, an Office and Mass in honor of the Most Pure Heart of Mary was permitted for the universal Church. Pope Pius IX
extended the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus to the entire Catholic Church in 1858.
Pope Leo XIII
approved the litany to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. In the encyclical Annum Sacrum
(which entered new theological territory by consecrating non-Christians), he consecrated the entire world to the Sacred Heart.
The consecration was due to the messages from Jesus reported by a nun, Blessed Mary of the Divine Heart
. Pope Leo XIII performed the requested consecration a few days after the death of Sister Mary and called it "the greatest act of my pontificate".
Pope Pius XII
instituted the Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary for the universal Church in 1945. In the 1956 encyclical Haurietis Aquas
, he stated:
In the 1979 encyclical Redemptor Hominis
(item 22), Pope John Paul II explained the theme of unity of Mary's Immaculate Heart with the Sacred Heart.:
Pope John Paul II stated that: "devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and to the Immaculate Heart of Mary has been an important part of the sensus fidei of the People of God". In his Angelus
address on September 15, 1985, Pope John Paul II coined the term The Alliance of the Hearts of Jesus and Mary, and in 1986 addressed the international conference on that topic held at Fátima, Portugal
. He often invoked the Sacred and Immaculate Hearts together and at the beginning of the 21st century encouraged all nations to "consecrate themselves to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary".
Catholic devotions
A Roman Catholic devotion is a gift of oneself, or one's activities to God. It is a willingness and desire to dedicate oneself to serve God; either in terms of prayers or in terms of a set of pious acts such as the adoration of God or the veneration of the saints or the Virgin Mary.Roman Catholic...
to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary
Immaculate Heart of Mary
The Immaculate Heart of Mary originally The Sacred Heart of Mary is a devotional name used to refer to the interior life of Mary, her joys and sorrows, her virtues and hidden perfections, and, above all, her virginal love for God, her maternal love for her Son, Jesus, and her compassionate love for...
. Devotions to the two hearts are key elements of Catholic teachings, and terms such as Holy Heart, Agonizing Heart and Compassionate Heart have also been used in devotions.
The joint devotion to the hearts was first formalized in the 17th century by Saint Jean Eudes who organized the scriptural, theological and liturgical sources relating to the devotions and obtained the approbation of the Church, shortly before to the visions of Saint Marguerite Marie Alacoque
Marguerite Marie Alacoque
Marguerite Marie Alacoque or Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque was a French Roman Catholic nun and mystic, who promoted devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus in its modern form.-Early life:...
. He wrote the Mass and Office proper to the feasts, composed various prayers and rosaries and wrote the first book on the topic.
In the 18th and 19th centuries, northern and central France became fertile ground for the growth of devotions to the hearts of Jesus and Mary, both jointly and individually with figures such as Saint Louis de Montfort
Louis de Montfort
St. Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort was canonized in 1947. He was a French priest and known in his time as a preacher and author, whose books, still widely read, have influenced a number of popes....
promoting Mariology and Saint Catherine Labouré
Catherine Labouré
Saint Catherine Labouré was a sister of the Daughters of Charity and a Marian visionary who relayed the request from the Blessed Virgin Mary to create the Miraculous Medal worn by millions of Catholics and even non-Catholics today.- Early life :She was born in the Burgundy region of France to...
's Miraculous Medal
Miraculous Medal
The Miraculous Medal, also known as the Medal of the Immaculate Conception, is a medal created by Saint Catherine Labouré following a vision of the Blessed Virgin Mary...
depicting the Heart of Jesus thorn-crowned and the Heart of Mary pierced with a sword.
The devotions, and the associated prayers, continued into the 20th century, e.g. in prayers by Saint Maximillian Kolbe which built on the Montfortean
Louis de Montfort
St. Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort was canonized in 1947. He was a French priest and known in his time as a preacher and author, whose books, still widely read, have influenced a number of popes....
theme of "Jesus through Mary" and the reported messages of Our Lady of Fátima
Our Lady of Fatima
Our Lady of Fátima is a famous title given to the Blessed Virgin Mary as she appeared in apparitions reported by three shepherd children at Fátima in Portugal. These occurred on the 13th day of six consecutive months in 1917, starting on May 13...
which stated that the Heart of Jesus wishes to be honored together with the Heart of Mary.
Popes supported the individual and joint devotions to the hearts through the centuries. In the 1956 encyclical Haurietis Aquas
Haurietis Aquas
Haurietis aquas is a landmark encyclical of Pope Pius XII. Written on May 15, 1956, it was attached to the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus by Pope Pius IX. The title is derived from , a verse which alludes to the abundance of the supernatural graces...
, Pope Pius XII encouraged the joint devotion to the hearts. In the 1979 encyclical Redemptor Hominis
Redemptor Hominis
Redemptor Hominis is the name of the first encyclical written by Pope John Paul II. It lays a blueprint for his pontificate in its exploration of contemporary human problems and especially their proposed solutions found in a deeper understanding of the human person...
Pope John Paul II explained the theme of unity of Mary's Immaculate Heart with the Sacred Heart. In his Angelus
Angelus
The Angelus is a Christian devotion in memory of the Incarnation. The name Angelus is derived from the opening words: Angelus Domini nuntiavit Mariæ The Angelus (Latin for "angel") is a Christian devotion in memory of the Incarnation. The name Angelus is derived from the opening words: Angelus...
address on September 15, 1985 Pope John Paul II coined the term The Alliance of the Hearts of Jesus and Mary, and in 1986 addressed the international conference on that topic held at Fátima, Portugal
Fátima, Portugal
Fátima is a city in Portugal famous for the Marian apparitions, recognized by the Catholic Church, that took place there in 1917. The town itself has a population of 7,756 and is located in the municipality of Ourém, in the Centro Region and Médio Tejo Subregion...
.
History
The Hearts of Jesus and Mary are mentioned explicitly only briefly in the New TestamentNew Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
. Luke 2:19 states: "Mary kept all these things pondering them in her heart", and Luke 2:51: "His Mother kept all these things carefully in Her Heart". John 7:38 refers to the heart of Jesus: "From His Heart will flow rivers of living water." Since the 2nd century saints and the Church Fathers
Church Fathers
The Church Fathers, Early Church Fathers, Christian Fathers, or Fathers of the Church were early and influential theologians, eminent Christian teachers and great bishops. Their scholarly works were used as a precedent for centuries to come...
occasionally referred to the two Hearts.
Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus on its own dates back to the 11th century and was addressed by Saint Bernard of Clairvaux
Bernard of Clairvaux
Bernard of Clairvaux, O.Cist was a French abbot and the primary builder of the reforming Cistercian order.After the death of his mother, Bernard sought admission into the Cistercian order. Three years later, he was sent to found a new abbey at an isolated clearing in a glen known as the Val...
and Saint Gertrude
Saint Gertrude
Saint Gertrude may refer to:*Gertrude of Nivelles *Gertrude the Great...
in the 12th and 13th centuries. Saint Bonaventure referred to the Heart of Jesus and the Heart of Mary throughout his writings during the 13th century, but the most poignant passage is in the devotional work The Mystical Vine, a description of the Passion of Christ.
The joint devotion to the Hearts of Jesus and Mary formally started in the 17th century. Saint Jean Eudes (1601–1680) established the Society of the Heart of the Mother Most Admirable
Immaculate Heart of Mary
The Immaculate Heart of Mary originally The Sacred Heart of Mary is a devotional name used to refer to the interior life of Mary, her joys and sorrows, her virtues and hidden perfections, and, above all, her virginal love for God, her maternal love for her Son, Jesus, and her compassionate love for...
, which resembled the Third Order of Saint Francis and dedicated the seminary chapels of Caen
Caen
Caen is a commune in northwestern France. It is the prefecture of the Calvados department and the capital of the Basse-Normandie region. It is located inland from the English Channel....
and Coutances
Coutances
Coutances is a commune in the Manche department in Normandy in north-western France.-History:Capital of the Unelli, a Gaulish tribe, the town took the name of Constantia in 298 during the reign of Roman emperor Constantius Chlorus...
to the Sacred Hearts. Although Jean Eudes always associated the two Sacred Hearts, he began his devotional teachings with the Heart of Mary, and then extended it to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Eudes was partly influenced by the writings of Saint Francis de Sales
Francis de Sales
Francis de Sales was Bishop of Geneva and is a Roman Catholic saint. He worked to convert Protestants back to Catholicism, and was an accomplished preacher...
on the perfections of the Heart of Mary as the model of love for God.
Jean Eudes organized the scriptural, theological and liturgical sources relating to the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary and promoted them with the approbation of the Church.
The feast of the Holy Heart of Mary
Immaculate Heart of Mary
The Immaculate Heart of Mary originally The Sacred Heart of Mary is a devotional name used to refer to the interior life of Mary, her joys and sorrows, her virtues and hidden perfections, and, above all, her virginal love for God, her maternal love for her Son, Jesus, and her compassionate love for...
was celebrated for the first time in 1648, and that of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in 1670. The Mass and Office proper to these feasts were composed by Saint Jean Eudes in 1668, briefly preceding Saint Marguerite Marie Alacoque
Marguerite Marie Alacoque
Marguerite Marie Alacoque or Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque was a French Roman Catholic nun and mystic, who promoted devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus in its modern form.-Early life:...
in establishing the devotion to the Sacred Hearts. He composed various prayers and rosaries to the Sacred Hearts. His book "Le Cœur Admirable de la Très Sainte Mère de Dieu" is the first book ever written on the devotion to the Sacred Hearts.
Marguerite Marie Alacoque
Marguerite Marie Alacoque or Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque was a French Roman Catholic nun and mystic, who promoted devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus in its modern form.-Early life:...
reported vision of Christ
Visions of Jesus and Mary
Since the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ on Calvary until today, a number of people have claimed to have had visions of Christ and personal conversations with him. Some people make similar claims regarding the Blessed Virgin Mary. Discussions about the authenticity of these visions have often invited...
in which Jesus showed her the Sacred Heart. After her death in 1690, the devotion was promoted by the Jesuits. Devotion to the two Hearts continued to spread in France. On Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve refers to the evening or entire day preceding Christmas Day, a widely celebrated festival commemorating the birth of Jesus of Nazareth that takes place on December 25...
in 1800, amid the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
, knowing they could face the guillotine
Guillotine
The guillotine is a device used for carrying out :executions by decapitation. It consists of a tall upright frame from which an angled blade is suspended. This blade is raised with a rope and then allowed to drop, severing the head from the body...
for their actions, Peter Coudrin
Peter Coudrin
Peter Coudrin or Pierre Coudrin of France was the founder of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, a religious order of the Roman Catholic Church famous for its missionary work in Hawaii...
and Henriette Aymer de Chevalerie
Henriette Aymer de Chevalerie
Henriette Aymer de Chevalerie was a Roman Catholic nun, who along with Peter Coudrin founded the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary....
established the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary
Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary
The Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary and of the Perpetual Adoration of the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar is a Roman Catholic religious order of brothers, priests, and nuns...
with a mission to spread the message of God's love manifested through the Hearts of Jesus and Mary and through the adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
Blessed Sacrament
The Blessed Sacrament, or the Body and Blood of Christ, is a devotional name used in the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Catholic Churches, Old Catholic, Anglican, and Lutheran churches, to refer to the Host after it has been consecrated in the sacrament of the Eucharist...
. Future members of the congregation included Saint Damien de Veuster of Molokai. By the beginning of the 19th century the devotion to the Immaculate Heart was sufficiently widespread in Europe for Pope Pius VII
Pope Pius VII
Pope Pius VII , born Barnaba Niccolò Maria Luigi Chiaramonti, was a monk, theologian and bishop, who reigned as Pope from 14 March 1800 to 20 August 1823.-Early life:...
to allow a feast to honor it in 1805.
In November 1830 Saint Catherine Labouré
Catherine Labouré
Saint Catherine Labouré was a sister of the Daughters of Charity and a Marian visionary who relayed the request from the Blessed Virgin Mary to create the Miraculous Medal worn by millions of Catholics and even non-Catholics today.- Early life :She was born in the Burgundy region of France to...
reported a vision
Visions of Jesus and Mary
Since the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ on Calvary until today, a number of people have claimed to have had visions of Christ and personal conversations with him. Some people make similar claims regarding the Blessed Virgin Mary. Discussions about the authenticity of these visions have often invited...
which resulted the introduction of the Miraculous Medal
Miraculous Medal
The Miraculous Medal, also known as the Medal of the Immaculate Conception, is a medal created by Saint Catherine Labouré following a vision of the Blessed Virgin Mary...
, depicting the thorn-crowned Heart of Jesus and the pierced Heart of Mary. Since the 19th century, there has been a steady increase in the Catholic devotion to the Heart of Mary and devotional images of the Virgin Mary pointing to Her glowing Heart have become widespread. Many images of the Immaculate Heart of Mary still show it as pierced or wounded, and in some cases as bleeding. Other orders and devotions continued thereafter; for example, the Order of the Sisters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary
Sisters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary
The Sisters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary is a group of vowed women who, in collaboration with their associates, auxiliaries, co-workers and volunteers work with the poor to identify and transform underlying causes of suffering and seek to meet practical needs.- Origin :The congregation of...
was founded in 1866 by Father Victor Braun.
Pope Pius XII consecrated the human race to the Immaculate Heart on December 8, 1942. In 1944 he extended the feast to the universal Church and set its date of celebration on August 22. Because August 22 is now the feast of Queenship of Mary, the feast of the Immaculate heart is celebrated the day after the Sacred Heart.
Joint devotions and prayers
Devotions to the Sacred Heart of JesusSacred Heart
The Sacred Heart is one of the most famous religious devotions to Jesus' physical heart as the representation of His divine love for Humanity....
and to the Immaculate Heart of Mary
Immaculate Heart of Mary
The Immaculate Heart of Mary originally The Sacred Heart of Mary is a devotional name used to refer to the interior life of Mary, her joys and sorrows, her virtues and hidden perfections, and, above all, her virginal love for God, her maternal love for her Son, Jesus, and her compassionate love for...
are linked in historical, theological and spiritual ways. Terms such as the Holy Heart, Agonizing Heart and Compassionate Heart have also been used in devotions.
In Catholic teachings, the object of the devotion to the Heart of Mary is Her physical Heart that burned so intensely with love for God. Because of the inherently close relationship of Mary and Jesus in the Catholic teachings on salvation, the Heart of Mary is associated with the Heart of Jesus. The Sacred Heart is viewed as the source of God's boundless love and charity, while the devotion to the Immaculate Heart stresses the nature of Mary's love and concern for all who call upon Her.
Theologian Mark Miravalle explains the link between the two Hearts as follows: "As Mary is always the pure channel of grace, which flows from Jesus and to Jesus, Her Immaculate Heart is the perfect channel to Christ's most Sacred Heart, source and symbol of the infinite love and charity of God." The two Hearts are linked by devotions, prayers and feasts. The Catholic Feast of the Immaculate Heart, which is on a Saturday, is celebrated the day after the Feast of the Sacred Heart
Feast of the Sacred Heart
The Feast of the Sacred Heart is a feast in the liturgical calendar of the Roman Catholic Church. It falls 19 days after Pentecost, on a Friday. The earliest possible date is 29 May, as in 1818 and 2285...
which always falls on a Friday, 19 days after Pentecost
Pentecost
Pentecost is a prominent feast in the calendar of Ancient Israel celebrating the giving of the Law on Sinai, and also later in the Christian liturgical year commemorating the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples of Christ after the Resurrection of Jesus...
. Catholic devotional guides encourage the faithful to honor them together in celebration of God's generous love.
The link and the relationship between the Hearts of Jesus and Mary is also manifested in various Catholic prayers. The conclusion to the Litany of the Sacred Heart of Mary is an example:
O most merciful God, Who, for the salvation of sinners and the refuge of the miserable, wast pleased that the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary should be most like in charity and pity to the Divine Heart of Thy Son Jesus Christ; grant that we, who commemorate this most sweet and loving Heart, may by the merits and intercession of the same Blessed Virgin merit to be found according to the Heart of Jesus. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
Prayers to the Agonizing Heart of Jesus also relate it to the Heart of Mary:
Agonizing Heart of Jesus, Beloved of the Father, Living Temple of the Holy Spirit,
delight of the Immaculate Heart of Mary - I adore Thee and I love Thee, have
pity on the dying.
Mary conceived without sin, pray for us, who trust in Thee. Praised be the Agonizing Heart of Jesus! Praised be the Compassionate Heart of Mary!
A third devotional element often associated with the Hearts of Jesus and Mary is the Body and Blood of Christ represented in the Eucharist
Eucharist
The Eucharist , also called Holy Communion, the Sacrament of the Altar, the Blessed Sacrament, the Lord's Supper, and other names, is a Christian sacrament or ordinance...
. In Catholic teachings, the Blood and Water flowing from the Heart of Jesus are signs of the seven sacraments
Sacraments of the Catholic Church
The Sacraments of the Catholic Church are, the Roman Catholic Church teaches, "efficacious signs of grace, instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church, by which divine life is dispensed to us. The visible rites by which the sacraments are celebrated signify and make present the graces proper...
, in particular the sacraments of Baptism and Eucharist. The view of the sacraments as gifts to the Church positions the Hearts as the primary channel of Christ's boundless love and Mary's endless compassion. As an example, the morning offering prayer to the Immaculate Heart relates it to both the Blood of Christ and Sacred Heart:
My God, in union with the Immaculate Heart of Mary I offer Thee the Precious Blood of Jesus from all the altars throughout the world, joining with it the offering of my every thought, action and suffering of this day. O my Jesus, I desire today and every day of my life to gain every indulgence and merit I can, and offer them together with myself, to Mary Immaculate, that She may best apply them to the interests of Thy most Sacred Heart.
Catholic devotional teachings encourage the faithful receiving the Eucharist to unite their own hearts to those of Jesus and Mary.
The Morning offering
Morning offering
In Roman Catholicism, the Morning Offering is a prayer said by an individual at the start of the day in order to consecrate the day to Jesus Christ. It serves the purpose of preparing the Catholic to focus completely on Christ and give to him all that he or she does during the day...
to the Sacred Heart of Jesus specifically refers to the Immaculate Heart of Mary
Immaculate Heart of Mary
The Immaculate Heart of Mary originally The Sacred Heart of Mary is a devotional name used to refer to the interior life of Mary, her joys and sorrows, her virtues and hidden perfections, and, above all, her virginal love for God, her maternal love for her Son, Jesus, and her compassionate love for...
as it seeks reparation for sins
Acts of reparation
In the Roman Catholic tradition, an Act of Reparation is a prayer or devotion with the intent to repair the "sins of others", e.g. for the repair of the sin of blasphemy, the sufferings of Jesus Christ or as Acts of Reparation to the Virgin Mary...
:
- O Jesus through the Immaculate Heart of Mary,
- I offer You my prayers, works, joys, sufferings of this day,
- in union with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world.
- I offer them for all the intentions of Your Sacred Heart:
- the salvation of souls, the reparation for sin, the reunion of Christians;
- and in particular for the intentions of the Holy Father this month.
- Amen.
Saints and the Blessed
Since the 17th century, the devotions to the Hearts of Jesus and Mary, individually and jointly, have been promoted and encouraged by a number of saints and the blessed. While Saint Jean EudesJean Eudes
Jean Eudes was a French missionary, founder of the Congregation of Jesus and Mary and of the Sisters of Our Lady of Charity of the Refuge, and author of the Propers for Mass and Divine Office of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary.-Biography:John Eudes, born at Ri, Orne, was a brother of the...
was the main force in formalizing and promoting the joint devotion to the Hearts of Jesus and Mary, the efforts of other saints prepared the environment in which the devotion could flourish. Pope Leo XIII
Pope Leo XIII
Pope Leo XIII , born Vincenzo Gioacchino Raffaele Luigi Pecci to an Italian comital family, was the 256th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, reigning from 1878 to 1903...
gave Jean Eudes the title of "Author of the Liturgical Worship of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Holy Heart of Mary" and both popes Leo XIII and Pius X called Eudes the "father, teacher and first apostle" of devotions to the Hearts of Jesus and Mary.
Louis de Montfort
St. Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort was canonized in 1947. He was a French priest and known in his time as a preacher and author, whose books, still widely read, have influenced a number of popes....
was ordained a priest and was assigned to Nantes
Nantes
Nantes is a city in western France, located on the Loire River, from the Atlantic coast. The city is the 6th largest in France, while its metropolitan area ranks 8th with over 800,000 inhabitants....
. He became a fervent preacher for devotion to the Sacred Heart of Mary. Although Montfort died in 1716, his teachings shaped Mariology and later influenced several popes. In 1830 in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, Saint Catherine Labouré
Catherine Labouré
Saint Catherine Labouré was a sister of the Daughters of Charity and a Marian visionary who relayed the request from the Blessed Virgin Mary to create the Miraculous Medal worn by millions of Catholics and even non-Catholics today.- Early life :She was born in the Burgundy region of France to...
reported a vision in which she saw the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary, the Heart of Jesus thorn-crowned and the Heart of Mary pierced with a sword.
The devotions, and the associated prayers, continued into the 20th century. The Immaculata prayer
Immaculata prayer
The Immaculata prayer is a Roman Catholic Marian prayer composed by Saint Maximillian Kolbe.It is a prayer of consecration to the Immaculata, i.e...
by Saint Maximillian Kolbe builds on the Montfortean theme of "Jesus through Mary". It ends as follows:
For wherever You enter You obtain the grace of conversion and growth in holiness, since it is through Your hands that all graces come to us from the most Sacred Heart of Jesus. Allow me to praise You, O Sacred Virgin, Give me strength against Your enemies. Amen.
The three children who reported the messages of Our Lady of Fátima
Our Lady of Fatima
Our Lady of Fátima is a famous title given to the Blessed Virgin Mary as she appeared in apparitions reported by three shepherd children at Fátima in Portugal. These occurred on the 13th day of six consecutive months in 1917, starting on May 13...
emphasized the links between the two Hearts and stated that the Heart of Jesus wishes to be honored together with the Heart of Mary. In 1920, shortly before her death at age 9, Blessed Jacinta Marto, one of the three children of the Our Lady of Fátima
Our Lady of Fatima
Our Lady of Fátima is a famous title given to the Blessed Virgin Mary as she appeared in apparitions reported by three shepherd children at Fátima in Portugal. These occurred on the 13th day of six consecutive months in 1917, starting on May 13...
apparitions reportedly discussed the Hearts of Jesus and Mary with a then 12 year old cousin Lúcia dos Santos, another one of the three children, and said:
When you are to say this, don't go and hide. Tell everybody that God grants us graces through the Immaculate Heart of Mary; that people are to ask Her for them; and that the Heart of Jesus wants the Immaculate Heart of Mary to be venerated at His side. Tell them also to pray to the Immaculate Heart of Mary for peace, since God entrusted it to Her.
Lúcia dos Santos later became a nun called Sister Lúcia of Jesus and of the Immaculate Heart.
Popes
Throughout the centuries, the Catholic Church and several popes have supported the individual devotions to the Hearts of Jesus and Mary, as well as the joint devotion. Even before the beginning of private revelations of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, St. John Eudes had obtained from the ecclesiastical permission to celebrate the Feast of the Heart of Mary in 1648.In 1765, devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus was formally approved. In 1799 Pope Pius VI permitted a Feast of the Heart of Mary in Palermo, Sicily and in 1805 Pope Pius VII
Pope Pius VII
Pope Pius VII , born Barnaba Niccolò Maria Luigi Chiaramonti, was a monk, theologian and bishop, who reigned as Pope from 14 March 1800 to 20 August 1823.-Early life:...
extended it throughout the world. In 1855, an Office and Mass in honor of the Most Pure Heart of Mary was permitted for the universal Church. Pope Pius IX
Pope Pius IX
Blessed Pope Pius IX , born Giovanni Maria Mastai-Ferretti, was the longest-reigning elected Pope in the history of the Catholic Church, serving from 16 June 1846 until his death, a period of nearly 32 years. During his pontificate, he convened the First Vatican Council in 1869, which decreed papal...
extended the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus to the entire Catholic Church in 1858.
Pope Leo XIII
Pope Leo XIII
Pope Leo XIII , born Vincenzo Gioacchino Raffaele Luigi Pecci to an Italian comital family, was the 256th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, reigning from 1878 to 1903...
approved the litany to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. In the encyclical Annum Sacrum
Annum Sacrum
Annum Sacrum is an encyclical by Pope Leo XIII on the consecration of the entire world to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. It was delivered in Saint Peter's Basilica in Rome on the 25th day of May, 1899, the twenty-second year of his pontificate....
(which entered new theological territory by consecrating non-Christians), he consecrated the entire world to the Sacred Heart.
The consecration was due to the messages from Jesus reported by a nun, Blessed Mary of the Divine Heart
Mary of the Divine Heart
Blessed Mary of the Divine Heart , born Maria Droste zu Vischering, was a German Roman Catholic nun best known for influencing Pope Leo XIII's consecration of the world to the Sacred Heart of Jesus...
. Pope Leo XIII performed the requested consecration a few days after the death of Sister Mary and called it "the greatest act of my pontificate".
Pope Pius XII
Pope Pius XII
The Venerable Pope Pius XII , born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli , reigned as Pope, head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City State, from 2 March 1939 until his death in 1958....
instituted the Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary for the universal Church in 1945. In the 1956 encyclical Haurietis Aquas
Haurietis Aquas
Haurietis aquas is a landmark encyclical of Pope Pius XII. Written on May 15, 1956, it was attached to the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus by Pope Pius IX. The title is derived from , a verse which alludes to the abundance of the supernatural graces...
, he stated:
In order that favors in great abundance may flow on all Christians, nay, on the whole human race, from the devotion to the most Sacred Heart of Jesus, let the faithful see to it that to this devotion the Immaculate Heart of the Mother of God is closely joined.
In the 1979 encyclical Redemptor Hominis
Redemptor Hominis
Redemptor Hominis is the name of the first encyclical written by Pope John Paul II. It lays a blueprint for his pontificate in its exploration of contemporary human problems and especially their proposed solutions found in a deeper understanding of the human person...
(item 22), Pope John Paul II explained the theme of unity of Mary's Immaculate Heart with the Sacred Heart.:
We can say that the mystery of the Redemption took shape beneath the heart of the Virgin of Nazareth when she pronounced her "fiat". From then on, under the special influence of the Holy Spirit, this heart, the heart of both a virgin and a mother, has always followed the work of her Son and has gone out to all those whom Christ has embraced and continues to embrace with inexhaustible love.
Pope John Paul II stated that: "devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and to the Immaculate Heart of Mary has been an important part of the sensus fidei of the People of God". In his Angelus
Angelus
The Angelus is a Christian devotion in memory of the Incarnation. The name Angelus is derived from the opening words: Angelus Domini nuntiavit Mariæ The Angelus (Latin for "angel") is a Christian devotion in memory of the Incarnation. The name Angelus is derived from the opening words: Angelus...
address on September 15, 1985, Pope John Paul II coined the term The Alliance of the Hearts of Jesus and Mary, and in 1986 addressed the international conference on that topic held at Fátima, Portugal
Fátima, Portugal
Fátima is a city in Portugal famous for the Marian apparitions, recognized by the Catholic Church, that took place there in 1917. The town itself has a population of 7,756 and is located in the municipality of Ourém, in the Centro Region and Médio Tejo Subregion...
. He often invoked the Sacred and Immaculate Hearts together and at the beginning of the 21st century encouraged all nations to "consecrate themselves to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary".
See also
- Consecration and entrustment to MaryConsecration and entrustment to MaryFor centuries, Marian devotions among Roman Catholics have included many examples of personal or collective acts of consecration and entrustment to the Virgin Mary, with the Latin terms oblatio, servitus, commendatio and dedicatio having been used in this context.Consecration is an act by which a...
- Sacred Heart of Jesus
- Immaculate Heart of MaryImmaculate Heart of MaryThe Immaculate Heart of Mary originally The Sacred Heart of Mary is a devotional name used to refer to the interior life of Mary, her joys and sorrows, her virtues and hidden perfections, and, above all, her virginal love for God, her maternal love for her Son, Jesus, and her compassionate love for...
- Religious Statuary
Further reading
- The Theology of the Alliance of the Two Hearts: Documents of the 1997 International Theological Pastoral Symposium on the Alliance of the Hearts of Jesus and Mary, edited by Édouard Gagnon, René Laurentin Published by Two Hearts Media Org., 1997 ISBN 971-602-047-3