Go to Friends of Our Lady Apostolate - Home
Page
A Matter of The
Heart!
By the late Father Kilian
McGowan, C.P. Used with permission, from the Passionist Priests, to help
spiritually guide the layman.
On the occasion of the Lourdes Centennial
in 1958, the saintly Pius XII said: “The world will soon see-and sooner than it
may expect-the reign of Jesus through Mary.” A month before his death he
expressed his pleasure over the work of Father Raschi, the famous apostle of the
Immaculate Heart, “because the world will be saved by means of the Immaculate
Heart.”
Divine Providence gave great attention to the Immaculate Heart of
Mary at Fatima in 1917. The Fatima Story might well be called the Matter
of the Heart. It was there that Heaven requested a conversion of our
hearts and a consecration of them to the Immaculate Heart. Here the Heart
of the Mother of God was offered to us as our refuge our way to God.
In
the second appearance of our Lady of Fatima in June of 1917, Lucy had asked the
radiant Lady if the children would soon join her in heaven. “You must
remain longer on earth, “ the Vision answered; “Jesus wishes to use you to
spread devotion to my Immaculate Heart in the world. I promise salvation
to those who embrace this devotion. They will be loved by God with a
special love. My Immaculate Heart will be your refuge and your way to
God.” On July 13th she promised that this devotion would save many
souls from hell.
The story did not end there, for it was reported that
Our Lady visited Lucy many times after she entered the convent. In December
of 1925 she showed Lucy a vision of her bleeding Heart pierced with thorns, and
caused by the ingratitude and blasphemies of mankind. The Infant Savior
asked Lucy to console His Mother in every possible way. He returned a year
later to ask her what she had done to spread this devotion. When she
explained the many difficulties, He promised that His grace would bring eventual
success.
In 1929 our Lady again sought out Lucy, this time requesting the
consecration of Russia to the Immaculate Heart. This was brought to the
attention of the Holy Father. On the silver anniversary of Fatima, Pius
XII solemnly consecrated the world to the Immaculate Heart making special
mention of Russia.
The following spring our Blessed Lord appeared to
Sister Lucy and expressed His satisfaction with this consecration.
However, He reminded her that it was incomplete-it was His will that every
person and every home, every parish and every nation be consecrated to the
Immaculate Heart of His Mother.
Finally, in his 1957 letter on the
Queenship of Mary, Pope Pius XII ordered an annual consecration of every parish
to the Immaculate Heart. This was to be renewed each year on May 31st.,
the Feast of Mary, Queen of the World.
All this seems to bear out the
words of the saintly Pius XII - “God has entrusted the world’s salvation to the
Immaculate Heart of Mary.” How have we responded to this divine
mandate?
Do we fly to this Refuge in all our
difficulties? It is a unique one because it is merciful and understanding,
compassionate and protective. It is a heart of an all-loving Mother.
It is an easier way to God, because it is the heart of a Mother whose sole labor
is to form Christ in us. But first, we must place ourselves in her hands
and in her heart. That’s what consecration really
means!
Click to read - John Paul II Fondly Recalls St. Louis
de Montfort's Marian Doctrine
Go to Friends of Our Lady Apostolate - Home
Page