The Twelve Promises
of the
Sacred Heart of Jesus

Please make every First Friday a Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus!

St. Margaret Mary Alacoque was born in 1647 in France. She was an invalid, but the Blessed Virgin Mary cured her. To thank God for the cure she promised to give her life to His service. When she was seventeen, Jesus appeared to her just as He looked after He was scourged.

At once, she entered into the Order of the Visitation. Sister Margaret Mary loved our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament very much. Jesus showed her His Sacred Heart in four visions. The flames that come forth from His Heart remind us of His burning love for us and His desire that we love Him in return. The crown of thorns around His Heart reminds us of sacrifice to make up for sin. Jesus made at least twelve promises to her telling her how he would help those who honour His Sacred Heart.

Jesus said to her: "Look at this Heart which has loved people so much, and yet they do not want to love Me in return. Through you My divine Heart wishes to spread its love everywhere on earth".

St. Margaret Mary wrote: "And He showed me that it was His great desire of being loved by men and of withdrawing them from the path of ruin into which Satan hurls such crowds of them, that made Him form the design of manifesting His Heart to men, with all the treasures of love, of mercy, of grace, of sanctification and salvation which it contains, in order that those who desire to render Him and procure for Him all the honour and love possible, might themselves be abundantly enriched with those divine treasures of which this Heart is the source. He should be honoured under the figure of this Heart of flesh, and Its image should be exposed.  He promised me that wherever this image should be exposed with a view to showing it special honour, He would pour forth His blessings and graces. This devotion was the last effort of His love that He would grant to men in these latter ages, in order to withdraw them from the empire of Satan which He desired to destroy, and thus to introduce them into the sweet liberty of the rule of His love, which He wished to restore in the hearts of all those who should embrace this devotion."

St. Margaret Mary died in 1690. Her feast day is October 16.

TWO -  I will establish peace in their families.

THREE - I will bless every house in which a picture of My Heart shall be exposed and honoured.

FOUR -  I will console them in all their difficulties.

FIVE - I will be their refuge during life and especially at the hour of death.

SIX - I will shed abundant blessings upon all their undertakings.

SEVEN - Sinners shall find in My Heart a fountain and boundless ocean of mercy.

EIGHT - Tepid souls shall become fervent.

NINE - Fervent souls shall rise speedily to great perfection.

TEN - I will give to priests the power of touching the hardest hearts.

ELEVEN - Those who propagate this devotion shall have their names written in My Heart, never to be blotted out.

TWELVE - I promise thee, in the excessive mercy of My Heart, that My all-powerful love will grant to all who communicate on the first Friday of the month for nine consecutive months the grace of final penitence; they shall not die in My displeasure nor without the sacraments; My Divine Heart shall be their safe refuge in this last moment.

Padre Pio recited this powerful prayer every day for all those who recommended themselves to his prayers:

I. O my Jesus, You said, "verily I say to you, ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened to you",

behold I knock, I seek and I ask for the grace of...

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father.

Sacred Heart of Jesus I put all my trust in Thee.

II. O my Jesus, You said, "verily I say to You, whatsoever you shall ask the Father in My name, He will give it to you",

behold in your name I ask the Father for the grace of...

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father.

Sacred Heart of Jesus I put all my trust in Thee.

III. O my Jesus, You said, "verily I say to You, heaven and earth shall pass away but My words shall not pass away",

behold I encouraged by your infallible words, now ask for the grace of...

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father.

Sacred Heart of Jesus I put all my trust in Thee.

O sacred Heart of Jesus, to whom one thing alone is impossible, namely, not to have compassion on the afflicted, have pity on us miserable sinners and grant us the grace which we ask of Thee through the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, your and our tender Mother.

Say the Salve Regina (Hail Holy Queen) and add, St. Joseph, foster father of Jesus, pray for us.