St. Margaret Mary Alacoque (1647-1690) was born Margaret Alacoque in a small village inFrance. After her father died when she was eight years old, she was sent to a convent school run by the Poor Clares where she became bedridden with rheumatic fever. For four years she was confined to her bed until she made a vow to Mary, Mother of God, to consecrate herself to religious life. Following this vow, her health was restored. Throughout her childhood and early adulthood, Margaret continued to have religious visions of Jesus.
In 1671, at age 24, Margaret entered the Order of the Visitation of Holy Mary and took the name Mary when she professed her vows. During her time in the convent, she had series of mystical experiences — most notably, her encounters with the Sacred Heart of Jesus. According to her accounts, Jesus appeared to her and revealed his Sacred Heart, burning with love for humanityand instructed her to devote herself to adoration of the Eucharist every Thursday night during a holy hour which she immediately incorporated into her routine. He also instructed her to celebrate a new feast, the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
St. Margaret Mary dedicated herself to promoting the feast and adoration of the Eucharist. Her visions and messages were met with skepticism initially, but she trusted God’s guidance. In 1688, just two years before she died, the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus was celebrated for the first time in the Church's liturgical calendar. Eventually, her holy hour of adoration also became a popular tradition among Catholics worldwide. St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, pray for us!