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‘Receive what the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ sends you, so that it may unite you to Himself.’ — St Margaret Mary Alacoque
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St Margaret Mary Alacoque (French: Marguerite-Marie Alacoque) is known throughout the world as the Apostle of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. She is one of the most significant mystics of the Catholic Church, through whom modern devotion to the Sacred Heart spread.

1. A childhood and youth full of suffering
● Birth: She was born on 22 July 1647 in the village of L’Hautecour (near the town of Verosvres in Burgundy, France) as the fifth of seven children in the family of the royal notary Claude Alacoque and his wife Philiberty.
● Early loss of her father: When she was just eight years old, her father died unexpectedly. This meant hard times for the family, and Marguerite was sent to be educated at a boarding school run by the Poor Clares in Charolles.
● Serious illness: Whilst staying with the Poor Clares, she fell seriously ill (she suffered from a condition similar to polio, which left her almost unable to walk). The illness lasted for several years. As the doctors were unable to help her, she made a vow to the Virgin Mary that if she were to recover, she would become a nun. Her health was suddenly restored.
● Family trials: At home, however, a difficult period awaited her. Without a father, she faced a lack of understanding and harsh treatment from relatives, who pressured her to marry. Margita, however, harboured in her heart a desire to consecrate herself to God and overcame these internal and external hardships with great patience.

2. Entry into the convent
● Religious vocation: Despite the obstacles, at the age of 24 she entered the convent of the Salesian Sisters (Sisters of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary) in the town of Paray-le-Monial on 25 August 1671.
● Religious life: A year later (on 6 November 1672), she took her perpetual vows. In the convent, she stood out for her humility, simplicity, quietness and great love for the sick, although some of her fellow sisters did not initially understand her due to her mystical experiences and unusual behaviour.
 

3. The Great Apparitions and the Message of the Sacred Heart
During her religious life in Paray-le-Monial, Marguerite Marie experienced a number of extraordinary mystical graces. Among the most significant were the four great apparitions of Jesus Christ between 1673 and 1675:
1. The first apparition (27 December 1673): Jesus allowed her to rest upon His Divine Heart and revealed to her His boundless love for humanity, a love which people often repay only with ingratitude and indifference.
2. The apparition calling for reparation: The Lord showed her His Heart surrounded by thorns and asked her to make reparation for the sins of the world, to establish a special devotion, and to receive Holy Communion on the first Friday of each month.
3. The great apparition (around June 1675): Jesus showed her His Heart, shining like the sun, and said: ‘Behold, this Heart which has loved mankind so much…’ At the same time, He asked that a special feast in honour of His Divine Heart be celebrated on the Friday following the Octave of Corpus Christi.
● Support from the Jesuits: In the most difficult moments of misunderstanding, when she was even suspected of mental illness or possession, her great support came from the holy Jesuit priest Claude de la Colombière, who believed in her and helped her to spread this message.
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4. Her final years and passing into eternity
● In her later years, she served in the convent as assistant to the Mother Superior and later as mistress of novices, where she lovingly guided the young nuns and introduced a shared devotion to the Sacred Heart.
● She died on 17 October 1690 at the age of 43, uttering words of trust in God’s mercy.
● The body of Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque is laid to rest in the Chapel of the Apparitions (Chapelle des Apparitions) at the Convent of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the town of Paray-le-Monial in the Burgundy region of France. In this sanctuary, where the saint received the famous mystical revelations of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in the 17th century, her body is laid to rest beneath the altar – depicted in wax form.
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5. Veneration, beatification and canonisation
● Memorial (feast day): Her liturgical memorial in the Catholic Church falls on 16 October.
● Beatification and canonisation: Pope Pius IX declared her Blessed on 18 September 1864, and Pope Benedict XV solemnly proclaimed her a saint on 13 May 1920.
● Patronage: She is the patron saint of devoted worshippers of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, nuns, and those suffering from ridicule or foot ailments (paralysis).
‘Receive what the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ sends you, so that it may unite you to Himself.’ — St Margaret Mary Alacoque
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6. The 12 Promises of the Lord Jesus
The promises of the Lord Jesus, given to St Margaret Mary Alacoque for those who sincerely honor His Divine Heart and practice the devotion of the First Friday of the month:
1. I shall grant them all the graces necessary for their state of life.
2. I shall bring peace to their families.
3. I shall console them in all their afflictions.
4. I shall be their safe refuge throughout their lives, especially at the hour of death.
5. I shall pour out abundant blessings upon all their undertakings and labours.
6. Sinners shall find in my Heart a fountain and an infinite mercy.
7. Lukewarm souls shall become zealous.
8. Zealous souls shall swiftly advance towards great perfection.
9. I shall bless the homes in which the image of my Divine Heart is displayed and venerated.
10. I shall grant priests the gift of softening even the most hardened of hearts.
11. The names of those who spread this devotion will be engraved in my Heart and will never be erased.
12. In the abundance of my Heart’s love, I promise you that my almighty grace will grant the grace of repentance to all who receive Holy Communion on the first Friday of the month for nine consecutive months; they shall not die in my disfavour nor without the Sacraments, for my Heart shall be a safe refuge for them in their final hour.
7. Quotes and Thoughts
A selection of profound quotes and thoughts by Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque, reflecting her deep mystical relationship with the Divine Heart of Jesus, her love for suffering, and her trust in God’s mercy:
On Love and the Divine Heart
● “Jesus Christ made me realise that it was precisely His immense desire to be loved by people and to lead them away from the path of damnation that led Him to reveal His Heart.”
● “This Heart is an inexhaustible spring from which three streams flow ceaselessly: a stream of mercy for sinners, a stream of love for all who seek help, and a stream of light to enlighten souls.”
● “Love is not loved! If only you knew how much Jesus loves you, you would burn with the desire to return His love.”
On suffering and the Cross
● “The Cross is the surest sign of love. Whoever loves wishes to suffer with the beloved and for the beloved.”
● “We detest suffering simply because we do not recognise the value of the pain through which our Divine Saviour makes us like Himself.”
● “The more a person experiences abandonment and adversity, the more they feel the closeness of the Heart of God, which is the sole refuge of faithful souls.”
On Trust and Prayer
● “Place your trust entirely in the Heart of God and you will see that it will never let you down. It is our strength in weakness and our peace in the midst of storms.”
● “Let us speak to the Lord less with words and more by resting quietly on His breast, just as Saint John did at the Last Supper.”
● “The most perfect prayer is to surrender oneself to God’s will without reservation, with the complete trust of a child in a loving Father.”
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