On the Feast of the Sacred Heart

+AMDG+

The Jesuits and devotion to the Sacred Heart have a long history together.  Ever since Christ appeared to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque (1647-1690) at Paray-le-Monial under the aspect of the Sacred Heart and directed her to consult His “perfect friend” (St. Claude la Colombière, SJ) regarding her visions, the Society of Jesus has been directly involved in promoting devotion to the heart of Christ.  The Society continues to spread the devotion today, both by supporting works dedicated chiefly to this end, such as the Apostleship of Prayer,  and by making devotion to the heart of Christ a “depth dimension” of its various ministries.

Jesuit devotion to the Sacred Heart, however, did not actually begin with St. Margaret Mary.