The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1920-05-15

On Thursday, May 10, all Rome was
in festal attire. Two Blessed servants of
God were raised to the honors of
SainthoOd in st. Peters by the reign
ing Pontiff, Pope Benedict XIV. All
the Splendor of the Roman ritual was
displayed on this occasion, and pill
grims and visitors from all parts of
the world were present in the Eternal
City to attest their devotion to the
new champions Of the Church in the
persons Of st. Margaret Mary Ala
CoQue and Saint Gabriel DELI Addolo-
rata
Following is brief sketch of the
life OF each of these new Saints:
ST. Margaret Mary.
Margaret Mary Alacoque, a religi-
Gus of the Visitation Order, and Apos
tie Of the devotion to the Sacred Heart
of Jesus. was born at Lhautecour
France, July %, 1647. Her parents en-
joyed an honorable position by reason
of their distinguished virtue. From
early childhood Margaret developed
intense love for the Blessed Sacra-
ment, preferring prayer to childish
amusements. After her First Com
munion at the age of nine, she prac-
ticed in secret and suffered bodily
notifications until paralysis confined
her to bed for four years. At the end
Of this period she made d VOW to the
Blessed Virgin to COnSecrate herself
to the religious life, and she was in
stantly restored to perfect health.
After going through many family
trials, she became more devoted than
ever to the Blessed Sacrament.
When Margaret was seventeen she
decided, on the advice of her mother,
that the VOW of childhood was not
binding and that she could serve God
at home by penance and charity to
the poor. One night upon her return
from ball she had a vision of Christ
as He was during the scourging, re-
preaching her for her infidelity.
On May 25, 1871, she entered the
Visitation Convent at Paray-le-Monial,
where she was subjected to many
trials to prove her vocation. She pro
nounced her final vows in November
of the following year. Although pos
sessed of a delicate constitution, she
chose for herself whatever was most
Tepugnant to her nature, thus making
her life one Of inconceivable suffer
ings. Our Lord frequently appeared
to her and often instantly cured her
:, Jn cny n6 n
the mission to establish the devotion
to His Sacred Heart. At first she was
treated as a visionary, but her Obedl
ence, humility and unfailing charity
caused her mission finally to be recog
niZed.
Margaret Mary was inspired by
Christ to establish the Holy Hour anC
to pray lying PROSTATE with her face
to the ground from eleven until mid
night on the eve of the First Friday
of each month, and to receive Hol!
Communion on each First Friday.
In the first great revelation our Lore
made known to her His ardent desire
to be loved by men and His design o
manifesting His Sacred Heart with al
It's treasures of love and mercy. HI
appointed the Friday after the octav
of the Feast of Corpus Christi as tn
Feast of the Sacred Heart; He calle
her "the Beloved Disciple of the Sa
cred Heart The love of the Sacre
Heart was a fire which continual
consumed her, and devotion to tn
Sacred Heart is constantly mentione
in all her writings.
Margaret Mary died at Paray-le
Monial, October II, 1890, her last Wor
being the holy name OF Jesus. Tn
discussion of her mission and Vlrtu
continued for many years. Her teact
ings, especially regarding the deVt
ton to the Sacred Heart, were sui
jected to the most minute examin;
ton Finally the Sacred Congregi
ton of Rites declared favorably 0
the heroic virtues of this servant
God. In March, 1924, Pope Leo Al