OUR LADY OF THE SACRED HEART
Because Mary is intimately united to the mystery of her Son’s Heart,
we pray to her, as our Founder did, using the title
Our Lady of the Sacred Heart. (MSC Constitutions, 18)
Who Is Jules Chevalier? Part 4
In Issoudun, France, on December 8, 1854, the last day of a novena was prayed to Mary, Mother of Jesus, by Fr. Jules Chevalier and his companion, Fr. Emile Maugenest. They promised that if Mary answered their prayers, they would make Devotion to the Sacred Heart known and loved everywhere and promised to make “Mary loved and known especially, by all possible means.” They hoped that Mary would give them a sign to begin a Religious Community, the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart (MSC). Indeed, she answered in favor through her powerful intercession. On this day, December 8, 1854, the Society of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart was born. It was a joyous occasion for the two priests because the dream of Fr. Chevalier came to fruition.
Fr. Chevalier always had a devotion to Mary because of her intimate relationship with her Son, Jesus. In a prayer for the beatification of Servant of God, Jules Chevalier, the MSC in the United States, we pray daily, “Standing at the foot of the cross with Mary, he [Fr. Chevalier] wished to make known and loved everywhere the Sacred Heart of Jesus.” Indeed, Fr. Chevalier saw in Mary’s relationship with Jesus the “ineffable love between her and the Sacred Heart of Jesus.” He believed that Mary gave the Sacred Heart to God and to the world. This spirituality was to be shared with all the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, and in turn, the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart were to share it with the world.
In 1856 or 1857, a few Missionaries of the Sacred Heart would gather for their recreation period in the cloistered garden, under “lime trees” in front of the statue of Mary Immaculate. The discussion centered on the construction of the new Church, with the understanding that a special place would be chosen for the Mother of Jesus.
Fr. Chevalier might have already had the unique title of honoring Mary as Our Lady of the Sacred Heart. The title and devotion are not from any extraordinary apparition or pious cult. Neither was it a new doctrine. The Founder asked his confreres what title they should give to Mary for the chapel. Various answers surfaced. Fr. Chevalier stated his intention: “We will have Our Lady of the Sacred Heart.” Our Lady of the Sacred Heart was a new title first heard by his confreres.
The title, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, comes from the Founder’s life of prayer, meditation, and reflection on her unique, profound communion and commitment to do the will of the Father. He stated that Our Lady of the Sacred Heart will be invoked in the Church. The Founder clarified that Mary’s new title aligns with Catholic theology. From the beginning, devotion to Our Lady of the Sacred Heart has consolidated the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
The Devotion to Our Lady of the Sacred Heart immediately took favor among religious and laypersons—and is prayed worldwide today. Its popularity spread quickly. Fr. Chevalier saw Our Lady of the Sacred Heart as the first Missionary of the Sacred Heart. Her mission was to spread the love of the Sacred Heart through her maternal care and prayers, with her statue often arriving before the MSC expansion into other countries. Pamphlets were made and distributed. Donations were used to help pay for the new church’s construction.
The first stained-glass window of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart was placed in her chapel, in the Church of the Sacred Heart, which was still under construction. The image of Mary (similar to the image of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception) included her crushing the head of a serpent with her foot, and her arms reaching out to the people, inviting them to come to her as she lovingly gazes down on her Son. In front of Mary is the 12-year-old child, Jesus. Jesus’ left hand is touching his heart, and his right hand is pointing to his mother. The image’s message is: “to the Sacred Heart of Jesus through Our Lady of the Sacred Heart.” Today, one can see this stained glass image as a person enters Mary’s Chapel in the Sacred Heart Church. A person must turn around, and he or she will see her in her original image above the entranceway. Reproductions of this image circulated with the prayer, “Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, pray for us.” Fr. Piperone and another MSC confrere helped distribute them with images of the Sacred Heart for distribution throughout France. Fr. Piperone once stated that Our Lady of the Sacred Heart was becoming more widely known and extended throughout France and beyond. Pilgrims were coming to the Church. (The new Church was completed and consecrated on July 2, 1864.)
Fr. Chevalier received a donation of precious jewels. He created two crowns from these jewels for the statue of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart. He brought them to Rome in 1869 and voluntarily asked Pope Pius IX to bless them. Fr. Chevalier also brought the updated Missionaries of the Sacred Heart Constitutions for approval by the Congregation of Bishops and Regulars and letters from Bishops complimenting the Congregation on its achievements. Pius IX granted permission to have the coronation of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart with his approval in his name. His name was included in the Association of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart. The Pope also informed Fr. Chevalier that he hoped the final recognition of the MSC Congregation would come during his Pontificate. The Pope also imparted the words to Fr. Chevalier, “Increase and Multiply.” The Church and society have no hope except in the Heart of Jesus. He alone can cure all the ills. Go, therefore, and preach this Divine Heart everywhere, which must be the salvation of the world. Make haste to prepare a legal constitution. We ourselves will give it canonical approbation. Fr. Chevalier also shared with the Pope the motto of the MSC Society: May the Sacred Heart of Jesus be Everywhere Loved.
Upon his return to Issoudun, Fr. Chevalier happily shared the good news about his meeting with the Pope. A date was set for the coronation: September 8, 1869. A grand celebration was planned. Bishops and many pilgrims were present for the occasion. However, the Devil snuck in to upset the happy moments. On the very day of the coronation, Fr. Chevalier received a telegram from the Holy See stating that he was to come to Rome with all that had been written and published about Our Lady of the Sacred Heart. This distressed the good Father deeply. On the advice of his good friend, Archbishop de La Tour d’ Averegne, the ceremony was to continue—which it did successfully.
This was the first of four interventions. The Archbishop of Marseilles, Msgr. Charles-Phillippe Place made the first significant criticism in 1868. Unbeknownst to Fr. Chevalier, the Archbishop sent a letter to Rome criticizing, according to the Annals, the devotion to Our Lady of the Sacred Heart because it had “novelties that should not be there.” However, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart was right to keep her family safe. First, her title, prestige, and doctrine aligned with the teachings of the Catholic Faith. Second, the Holy See had approved everything up to this point. There was no denying its dedication.
Third, there was no condemnation of any of the four interventions. There was no need for doctrinal adjustments. According to the image’s challenges, the fact that the contested picture centered on Mary’s position may suggest that she is stronger than her Son, as does the use of terms like “sovereign, queen, ineffable power, etc.” Priests from Poland were among the critics. In this instance, there is a noted misunderstanding of vocabulary between French and Polish. The correct meaning of these words needed explaining. Ironically, the traditional image in the Polish church where the complaints were made is still there despite the statue being attacked. By refusing to back down, Our Lady gave her new MSC family triumph. These interventions were forewarnings of obstacles to come of a different nature. Dark shadows of persecution were lurking over the horizon.
May the Sacred Heart of Jesus be Loved Everywhere!
Br. Warren Perrotto, MSC
Read more about Jules Chevalier and the history of the founding of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart
The 170 Anniversary of the MSC: The Celebration Continues – Part 2
Trusting that Heaven Will Bless the Work: The Earliest Years of the MSC Community – Part 3