By Charles Igwe
Pope Francis has announced plans to write a document dedicated to the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. He aims for this document to “illuminate the path of ecclesial renewal” and offer a meaningful message to a world that “seems to have lost its heart.”
During his weekly General Audience, marking the start of June, the month dedicated to the Sacred Heart, the Pope highlighted that 27 December marked the 350th anniversary of Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque’s first vision of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Celebrations for this devotion began globally on that date and will conclude on 27 June next year.
The Pope explained that his upcoming document would compile reflections from previous magisterial texts and a long history rooted in the Holy Scriptures. The aim is to reintroduce the devotion to the entire Church, showcasing its spiritual beauty.
“I believe it will be very beneficial for us to meditate on various aspects of the Lord’s love that can illuminate the path of ecclesial renewal, but also to say something significant to a world that seems to have lost its heart,” he said.
Pope Francis requested believers to join him in prayer during the preparation of this document, which he intends to release in September.
At the General Audience, the Pope also renewed his appeal for global peace, asking the faithful to join him in prayer. “We ask the Lord for the intercession of His Mother for peace,” he said, specifically mentioning peace in Ukraine, Palestine, Israel, and Myanmar. “Let us pray that the Lord may grant us the gift of peace and that the world might not suffer so much from wars,” he added.
