The Sacred Heart of Jesus can be traced back in the 12th century but it was only through Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque in 1673 that Jesus appeared and told her “that the love of His Heartmust spread and manifest itself to men.” With the help of her confessor Saint Claude La Colombiere, the devotion to the Sacred Heart spread in France and eventually throughout the world. The said devotion was officially recognized and approved by Pope Clement XIII in 1765.
On the other hand, the devotion to the Divine Mercy was promulgated by Saint Faustina Kowalskain the1930’s in Poland with which we are more familiar with the daily 3 o’clock prayerhabit. Our Lord appeared to Saint Faustina to give her the message of mercythat “God loves us — all of us — no matter how great our sins. He wants us to recognize that His mercy is greater than our sins, so that we will call upon Him with trust, receive His mercy, and let it flow through us to others” (EWTN). Pope John Paul II had actively promoted the message of Saint Faustina and when he canonized her in the Jubilee year 2000, he likewise proclaimed that Divine Mercy will be celebrated every second Sunday of Easter.
In contrast, both the messages of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Divine Mercy share one common theme…God’s call to us for repentance. As we celebrate today Divine Mercy Sunday, we recall that our Holy father Pope Francis has declared 2016 a special Jubilee Year of Mercy and Compassion in which everyone is encouraged to do both corporal and spiritual works of mercy.
The parish is inviting all men to join the Men of the Sacred Heart. For more inquiries, you may visit our parish office.
Santuario de San Antonio Parish 