Militia of the Immaculata and the Sacred Heart of Jesus

Friday, Jul. 18, 2025

Donna Masek

During the month of June, the Catholic Church recognizes the infinite love of Christ through the image of his Most Sacred Heart. This image was given to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, a French Visitation nun, in the 17th century. To her Christ revealed his exposed heart as a symbol of his immense love for humanity. With flames springing forth from its top, it is encircled by a crown of thorns and pierced by a sword. A cross rests above the flames, revealing the depth of Christ’s sacrificial love.

To promulgate this devotion, Our Lord gave St. Margaret Mary 12 promises for those who promote devotion to his Sacred Heart. One such promise offers those who receive his Body and Blood in Holy Communion for nine consecutive First Fridays of the month the grace of final perseverance at the hour of death. 

In his general audience in St. Peter’s Square on May 22, 2024, Pope Francis made an appeal to the faithful to recognize the infinite love of Christ, through the intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary: “The feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the memorial of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, which the Church is preparing to celebrate in the coming days, reminds us of the need to respond to the redemptive love of Christ and invites us to entrust ourselves with confidence to the intercession of the mother of the Lord.” 

Similarly, in a video message on June 15 of this year, Pope Leo XIV urged the faithful, particularly young people, to be images of Divine Love to others: “I would like to invite all of you to take a moment, to open your own hearts to God, to God’s love, to that peace which only the Lord can give us. … As he gives us his love, he only asks us to be generous and to share what he has given us with others.”

 During the month of August, the General Roman Calendar will celebrate the feast of St. Maximilian Kolbe on Aug. 14, and the Solemnity of the Assumption of Mary on Aug. 15. In preparation for these events, the Militia of the Immaculata invites all to make or renew one’s Total Consecration to the Immaculata.  

The Militia of the Immaculata is a worldwide evangelization group founded by Saint Maximilian Kolbe. There are two MI villages, or groups, in Utah: One that meets in person at Saint Mary Parish in West Haven, the other online. 

Within the Act of Consecration, one says “… and thus extend as far as possible the blessed kingdom of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus … .” In his writings, St. Maximilian explains that the most Sacred Heart of Jesus is the love of God toward men. ... The implanting and developing of the honor of the Immaculata and the winning of souls for her is the winning of souls for Jesus’ mother, who will carry the kingdom of Jesus into souls. 

Let us bear witness to the words of Pope Francis and Pope Leo XIV, as well as St. Maximilian Kolbe, and bring the love of the Sacred Heart of Jesus to all.