Before concluding his weekly general audience on June 5, Pope Francis announced that a new papal document dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus is in preparation and is expected to be released in September.
“Today I am preparing a document in which I reintroduce this worship, rich in spiritual beauty,” the pope told thousands of faithful in St. Peter’s Square after unveiling the document at a meeting with Spanish bishops at the end of May.
The Pope issued the document on the occasion of the Church’s commemoration of the 350th anniversary of the birth of this spirituality, which was born in France and fell out of fashion in the 1950s. Its origins lie in the mystical experience of Saint Marguerite Maria Alacoque on December 27, 1673, in Paray-le-Monial, Saône-et-Loire. The French nun received a vision of the heart of Jesus, bearing a cross on a throne of fire and wearing a crown of thorns. The nun recalled how Jesus took her heart and returned it to her “burning.”
Papal Prayer Network
This spirituality was prominently developed through the Society of Jesus, especially through St. Claude La Colombière, a Jesuit priest who accompanied St. Margaret. Today, the same is true of the Jesuit-led Pontifical World Prayer Network, whose mission is “to pray and work for the challenges facing humanity and to support the mission of the Church.” This pontifical organization is responsible for publishing the Pope’s monthly “prayer intentions” and distributing them throughout the world.
Margaret Maria Alacoque was canonized on May 13, 1920, by Pope Benedict XV. Pope Francis’ announcement came as the Basilica of Paray-le-Monial organized a three-day celebration from June 6 to 9 to mark the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus on June 7.
