Return to The Reign of Mary No. 155
The Reign of Mary
Vol. XLV, No. 155: Letter from the Editor
August 22, 2014
Immaculate Heart of Mary
Dear friends in Our Lady,
Praised be Jesus and Mary. Seventy years ago Pope Pius XII instituted the feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, to be celebrated every year throughout the whole Church on August 22nd. Doubtless, he was moved to do so by the words of Our Lady at Fatima: “My Son wishes to establish in the world devotion to my Immaculate Heart.”
Even before Our Lady’s apparitions, however, the Angel of Portugal in 1916 had referred to the Immaculate Heart of Mary: “Pray thus. The Hearts of Jesus and Mary are attentive to your supplications.” Again, in his second apparition the angel referred to the Immaculate Heart: “The Hearts of Jesus and Mary have merciful designs for you.” In his final apparition the angel taught the children another prayer, which included the words: “Through the infinite merits of His most Sacred Heart and of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I beg the conversion of poor sinners.”
The following year Our Blessed Mother appeared to Lucia, Francisco and Jacinta six times, making frequent references to the devotion to her Immaculate Heart. Finally, on December 10, 1925, Our Blessed Mother appeared to Sister Lucia in the Dorothean Convent in Pontevedra, Spain. The Child Jesus was at Mary’s side, elevated on a cloud of light. Our Lady held a heart encircled with thorns in her right hand, while her left hand rested on Lucia’s shoulder. Jesus pointed to the Heart of Our Lady and exclaimed: “Have pity on the Heart of your Most Holy Mother. It is covered with the thorns with which ungrateful men pierce it at every moment, and there is no one to remove them with an act of reparation.” Our Blessed Mother then spoke and requested the practice known as the Five First Saturdays.
Later, Our Lord again appeared to Sister Lucia to urge her to promote the devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Let us ask ourselves if we take seriously these repeated requests of Jesus and Mary of making reparation? Our Lady’s Immaculate Heart is pierced with the thorns of so many sins. Let us, at least, console the Heart of our loving Mother by the way that we live, by the prayers that we say, and by our sacrifices. Thereby we can remove the thorns which so wound the heart of our loving Mother.
We hope to see many of you at the upcoming Fatima Conference, which always provides a spiritual boost to the attendees — and God knows how we all need encouragement in these dark days. But when we feel discouraged, let us not forget the words of Our Blessed Mother to Lucia during her second apparition: “My Immaculate Heart will be your refuge, and the way that will conduct you to God.”
May God bless you all.
In the service of Jesus and Mary
Fr. Benedict Hughes, CMRI
(Email Father)