June 13, 2018

“Besides, I prayed to the Sacred Heart that it won’t go through if it’s a bad business venture for the people who want to buy it.” Saint Zelie to her daughter Pauline (CF 183)

Dear Friends of the “Family of Louis and Zelie,”

We are always more and more numerous in our family of Louis and Zélie and we are happy to welcome those who join us. The holy Martin Spouses gather us every day in communion of prayer with each other.

We are approaching the opening of the Jubilee of the 160^th marriage anniversary of Saints Louis and Zelie: July 7-8 of next year. We will have a great celebration in the Shrine of Alençon for this occasion presided by Cardinal Mauro Piacenza. Among other things, we are suggesting to the pilgrims to come to Alençon to celebrate one’s wedding anniversary and to entrust the couples and their families to the intercession of Saints Louis and Zelie. We entrust to your prayers this great event so that all the people present may receive many graces. Do not hesitate, if you can, to join us.

With this month of June, we enter the month dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Saints Louis and Zelie had a great devotion to the Sacred Heart. They would practice the first Friday monthly devotion dedicated to the Sacred Heart as Jesus Himself asked of it to Saint Margaret Mary of Alacoque. Before dying Saint Zelie would make great efforts for weeks to go to the church to participate in the Mass of the first Friday of the month and to pray so as to console Jesus for all the sufferings He has received.

It is at Paray le Monial in France when a little over 300 years ago that Jesus asked for the devotion to His Sacred Heart, especially on the first Fridays of the month:

Jesus showed His Heart in flames to Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque (1647-1690) in an image by which He wants to be honored. The Lord desired that she make expiation for all the ingratitude of which He is the object. In the last vision, which is the most important, He expressed His will to institute the feast of the Sacred Heart. “This Divine Heart was presented to me in a throne of fire and flames more bright and radiant than a sun, transparent as crystal. The wound He received on the Cross was also clearly visible. His Heart was surrounded with a crown of thorns, signifying the punctures made in it by our sins, and a cross above signifying that, from the first instant of His Incarnation, that is, as soon as the Sacred Heart was formed, the cross was implanted into His Heart…. This image was to be exhibited in homes or worn on the breast, so that the human heart would become imprinted with His divine love and overflow with all graces, and so as to destroy all unruly inclinations. Everywhere this holy image was exposed to be honored, He would pour fourth His graces and blessings.

Devotion to the Sacred Heart is not simply a religious act, but a whole program of life, a way of life. We must imitate spiritually the Sacred Heart of Jesus, His humility, His goodness, His mercy, His kindness and tenderness, His delicacy and above all His forgiveness.

“The Sacred Heart of Our Lord Jesus Christ grants me continual favors. (…) He confirmed to me that He is so greatly pleased about being loved, known and honored by creatures that He has promised me:

• All those who are devoted and consecrated to Him will never perish.
• And that, since He is the source of all blessings, He will lavishly spread them in all of the places where the image of His divine Heart is placed and honored.
• He will reunite divided families and will protect and assist those which are in some need and which turn to Him with trust.”

Finally, the Lord revealed to her the “great promise”:

“In the excess of the mercy of my Heart, I promise you that my all powerful love will grant to all those who will receive Communion on the First Fridays, for nine consecutive months, the grace of final repentance: they will not die in my displeasure, nor without receiving the sacraments; and my Heart will be their secure refuge in that last hour.”

Let us take advantage, then, of this month to honor and console the Sacred Heart of Jesus. To do this, you will find some little things to offer Him out of love (prayers or small sacrifices, alone or as a family).

We assure you of our prayers for your intentions. May the Lord bless you through the intercession of Saints Louis and Zelie!

Very cordially,
On behalf of the Shrine,

Father Jean-Marie Simar,
Rector of the Shrine of Alençon