THE DEVOTION TO THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY:
WHAT IS IT?
EXCERPTS FROM THE MEMOIRS OF SOR LUCÍA.
Dear Catholic brethren: here are some excerpts taken from Sor Lucia’s book, “Fatima in Lucia’s own words”, one of the 3 witnesses of the various apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima (Portugal) in 1913 together with Blessed Jacinta and Blessed Francisco.
Sor Lucia was entasked by Our Lord and Our Lady to spread the devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary to which she dedicated herself till her holy death.
The reason behind the Marian apparitions can be summed up with the following idea: God, out of His Love and Divine Providence, wanting His children to return to the paths towards holiness, sent us Our Lady to bring us back to His fold. In particular the Message of Our Lady of Fatima consists in:
1. Permanent CONVERSION of all of us and prayers offered for the conversion of sinners;
2. REPARATION and sacrifices for our sins and that of others;
3. life of PRAYER, including the HOLY ROSARY;
4. and the devotion to THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY.
What is the Devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary?
Our Lady Herself told Sor Lucia when She appeared to her on Dec. 10, 1925:
“Look, my daughter, at my heart, surrounded with thorns with which ungrateful men pierce me every moment by their blasphemies and ingratitude. You at least try to console me and say that I promise to assist at the hour of death, with the graces necessary for salvation, all those who, on the FIRST SATURDAY OF FIVE CONSECUTIVE MONTHS, SHALL CONFESS, RECEIVE HOLY COMMUNION, RECITE FIVE DECADES OF THE ROSARY, AND KEEP ME COMPANY FOR FIFTEEN MINUTES WHILE MEDITATING ON THE FIFTEEN MYSTERIES OF THE ROSARY, WITH THE INTENTION OF MAKING REPARATION TO ME.” (Sor Lucia, “Fatima in Sor Lucia’s Own Words”, pp. 194-195)
Let us then heed Our Lady’s call to pray for the conversion of sinners and repair for our sins and those of others. “Cor Mariae perdolentis, miserere nobis! — Invoke the Heart of Holy Mary, with the purpose and determination of uniting yourself to her sorrow, in reparation for your sins and the sins of men of all times. And pray to her — for every soul — that her sorrow may increase in us our aversion from sin, and that we may be able to love the physical or moral contradictions of each day as a means of expiation (St. Josemaria, Furrow, n. 258).”
Fr. Rolly Arjonillo, priest of Opus Dei. Catholics striving for Holiness FB page. Help your Catholic friends in their Christian life by inviting them to our page and sharing our posts. Thanks.
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Below are the excerpts I chose, with their corresponding page numbers; titles are mine to facilitate reading.
1. GOD WISHES TO ESTABLISH IN THE WORLD DEVOTION TO THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY (p. 133).
A little while before going to hospital, Jacinta said to me:
“lt will not be long now before I go to Heaven. YOU WILL REMAIN HERE TO MAKE KNOWN THAT GOD WISHES TO ESTABLISH IN THE WORLD DEVOTION TO THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY. 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 HAS ENTRUSTED IT TO HER. If I could only put into the hearts of all, the fire that is burning within my own heart, and that makes me love the Hearts of Jesus and Mary so very much!”
2. THE THREE INTENTIONS TO PRAY FOR: CONVERSION OF SINNERS, THE POPE, AND THE REPARATION FOR THE SINS COMMITTED AGAINST THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY (pp. 54; p. 80)
As the Blessed Virgin had told us to offer our prayers and sacrifices also in reparation for the sins committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary, we agreed that each of us would choose one of these intentions. One would offer for sinners, another for the Holy Father and yet another in reparation for the sins against the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Having decided on this, I told Jacinta to choose whichever intention she preferred. “I’m making the offering for all the intentions, because I love them all.” p.54
Leaving the chalice suspended in the air, the Angel knelt down beside us and made us repeat three times:
• “MOST HOLY TRINITY, FATHER, SON AND HOLY SPIRIT, I ADORE YOU PROFOUNDLY, AND I OFFER YOU THE MOST PRECIOUS BODY, BLOOD, SOUL AND DIVINITY OF JESUS CHRIST, PRESENT IN ALL THE TABERNACLES OF THE WORLD, IN REPARATION FOR THE OUTRAGES, SACRILEGES AND INDIFFERENCE WITH WHICH HE HIMSELF IS OFFENDED. AND, THROUGH THE INFINITE MERITS OF HIS MOST SACRED HEART, AND THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY, I BEG OF YOU THE CONVERSION OF POOR SINNERS.”
3. THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY IS OUR REFUGE AND THE WAY WHICH WILL LEAD US TO GOD. TO PREVENT A FUTURE WAR, OUR LADY ASKED THE CONSECRATION OF RUSSIA TO HER IMMACULATE HEART AND FOR THE COMMUNION OF REPARATION ON THE FIRST SATURDAYS (p. 128)
As I have already written in the second account, Our Lady told me on June 13th, 1917, that she would never forsake me, and that her Immaculate Heart would be my refuge and the way that would lead me to God. As she spoke these words, she opened her hands, and from them streamed a light that penetrated to our inmost hearts. I think that, on that day, the main purpose of this light was to infuse within us a special knowledge and love for the Immaculate Heart of Mary, just as on the other two occasions it was intended to do, as it seems to me, with regard to God and the mystery of the most Holy Trinity.
From that day onwards, our hearts were filled with a more ardent love for the Immaculate Heart of Mary. From time to time, Jacinta said to me: “THE LADY SAID THAT HER IMMACULATE HEART WILL BE YOUR REFUGE AND THE WAY THAT WILL LEAD YOU TO GOD. DON’T YOU LOVE THAT? HER HEART IS SO GOOD! HOW I LOVE IT!”
As I explained earlier, Our Lady told us, in the July secret, that GOD WISHED TO ESTABLISH IN THE WORLD DEVOTION TO HER IMMACULATE HEART; AND THAT TO PREVENT A FUTURE WAR, SHE WOULD COME TO ASK FOR THE CONSECRATION OF RUSSIA TO HER IMMACULATE HEART, AND FOR THE COMMUNION OF REPARATION ON THE FIRST SATURDAYS.
4. THE NECESSITY OF OFFERING SACRIFICES FOR THE CONVERSION OF SINNERS AND AS REPARATION FOR THE SINS (p. 179.)
“I would like to ask you to tell us who you are, and to work a miracle so that everybody will believe that you are appearing to us.”
• “CONTINUE TO COME HERE EVERY MONTH. IN OCTOBER, I WILL TELL YOU WHO I AM AND WHAT I WANT, AND I WILL PERFORM A MIRACLE FOR ALL TO SEE AND BELIEVE.”
I then made some requests, but I cannot recall now just what they were. What I do remember is that Our Lady said it was necessary for such people to pray the Rosary in order to obtain these graces during the year. And she continued:
• “SACRIFICE YOURSELVES FOR SINNERS, AND SAY MANY TIMES, ESPECIALLY WHENEVER YOU MAKE SOME SACRIFICE: O JESUS, IT IS FOR LOVE OF YOU, FOR THE CONVERSION OF SINNERS, AND IN REPARATION FOR THE SINS COMMITTED AGAINST THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY.”
5. APPARITION OF OUR LADY AND THE HOLY CHILD JESUS TO SOR LUCIA EXPLAINING THE DEVOTION TO THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY (pp. 194-195)
On December 10th, 1925, the most holy Virgin appeared to her, and by her side, elevated on a luminous cloud, was a child. The most holy Virgin rested her hand on her shoulder, and as she did so, she showed her a heart encircled by thorns, which she was holding in her other hand. At the same time, the Child said:
• “HAVE COMPASSION ON THE HEART OF YOUR MOST HOLY MOTHER, COVERED WITH THORNS, WITH WHICH UNGRATEFUL MEN PIERCE IT AT EVERY MOMENT, AND THERE IS NO ONE TO MAKE AN ACT OF REPARATION TO REMOVE THEM.”
Then the most holy Virgin said:
• “LOOK, MY DAUGHTER, AT MY HEART, SURROUNDED WITH THORNS WITH WHICH UNGRATEFUL MEN PIERCE ME EVERY MOMENT BY THEIR BLASPHEMIES AND INGRATITUDE. YOU AT LEAST TRY TO CONSOLE ME AND SAY THAT I PROMISE TO ASSIST AT THE HOUR OF DEATH, WITH THE GRACES NECESSARY FOR SALVATION, ALL THOSE WHO, ON THE FIRST SATURDAY OF FIVE CONSECUTIVE MONTHS, SHALL CONFESS, RECEIVE HOLY COMMUNION, RECITE FIVE DECADES OF THE ROSARY, AND KEEP ME COMPANY FOR FIFTEEN MINUTES WHILE MEDITATING ON THE FIFTEEN MYSTERIES OF THE ROSARY, WITH THE INTENTION OF MAKING REPARATION TO ME.”
On February 15th, 1926, the Infant Jesus appeared to her again. He asked her if she had already spread the devotion to His most holy Mother. She told Him of the confessor’s difficulties, and said that Mother Superior was prepared to propagate it, but that the confessor had said that she, alone, could do nothing. Jesus replied:
• “ IT IS TRUE THAT YOUR SUPERIOR ALONE CAN DO NOTHING, BUT WITH MY GRACE, SHE CAN DO ALL.”
She placed before Jesus the difficulty that some people had about confessing on Saturday, and asked that it might be valid to go to confession within eight days.
• Jesus answered: “YES, AND IT COULD BE LONGER STILL, PROVIDED THAT, WHEN THEY RECEIVE ME, THEY ARE IN THE STATE OF GRACE AND HAVE THE INTENTION OF MAKING REPARATION TO THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY.”
She then asked: “My Jesus, what about those who forget to make this intention?” Jesus replied:
• “THEY CAN DO SO AT THEIR NEXT CONFESSION, TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE FIRST OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO CONFESSION.”