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Home , Margaret Mary Alacoque, Mary of the Divine Heart

June/July 2018 - Issue 47

magazine O of Jesus! By Emil Blaser OP

think it would be right to say that devotions form a very Franciscans the devotion was champi- intimate part of the prayer life of Catholics rather than oned by St (d 1274) and I non-Catholics. We have many devotions like the rosary, like others. In the early 1600s the devotion devotions in honour of like Martin de Porres, Francis of was especially propagated by the Jesuits Assisi, Dominic and hundreds of others. We honour our church- and the image of the Sacred Heart was es under the patronage of a . In fact I am always amazed at displayed everywhere, even on the title pages of their books. how people refer to their parish by their . It was St (1647-1690) who received ap- The month of June is dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The paritions of Jesus Christ, revealing the form of the devotion, its chief biggest sodality in the church in South Africa is called the Sacred Heart sodality and quite literally has thousands of members. They month, spending an hour in adoration before the Blessed Sacrament are all very enthusiastic ‘’Sacred Heart members’’. andfeatures celebrating being receiving the feast holyof the Communion Sacred Heart. on the first Innocent Friday VI of insti the- I remember as a boy we had an old monsignor in our parish who tuted mass in honour of the Sacred Heart in 1353. In 1693 the Holy boasted that in every parish he worked he installed a huge statue of See imparted indulgences to the Confraternities of the Sacred Heart the Sacred Heart with an ever burning light in front of it. Even today, mainly in France. In 1856 Pius IX extended the feast beyond France and in 1899 the feast was extended to the whole church. Pope Leo XIII was asked by Sister Mary to consecrate the entire world to the I visit Catholic homes and find a picture of the Sacred Heart pinned wall or from a rear-view mirror in the car. There are usually stories Sacred Heart of Jesus and after theological investigation this was behind the front door, as you might find the rosary hanging on the expressing deep faith, safety or dedication. Sometimes these images done on 25 May 1899. He also decreed that the consecration of the are cosmetic; other times they verge on the superstitious! entire human race to the Sacred Heart of Jesus take place on 11 June Basically, devotion to the Sacred Heart speaks of the incredible love that Jesus has for us and what is asked of us is to attend mass as dedicated to the Sacred Heart. It also included the prayer of con- secration1899. It encouraged to the Sacred the Heart. first Friday devotions and the month of June before the blessed sacrament every Thursday. I wonder how many It was who decreed that the consecration of the human on the first Friday of the month and to spend an hour in adoration members of the Sacred Heart sodality realise this! Devotion to the race to the Sacred Heart of Jesus should take place every year. Sacred Heart takes the physical heart of Jesus as the representation of his divine love for us. of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. It is celebrated 19 days after Pentecost, The modern form of this devotion goes back to St Margaret Mary whichPius XII is and always Benedict a Friday. XVI reaffirmed the importance of the devotion Alacoque who had a series of Some of the above facts are taken from Wikipedia. Hopefully this apparitions between 1673 and short article is enlightening about the feast and will encourage peo- 1675, and later, in the 19th cen- tury, from the mystical revela- of the blessed sacrament on Thursdays. Hopefully you might even tions of another , Blessed buyple to yourself attend amass little on emblem the first of theFriday Sacred of the Heart month - go and one to step adoration further , who like my old monsignor friend and install a little statue of the Sacred asked Pope Leo XIII to conse- Heart in your home! crate the entire world to the Sa- cred Heart of Jesus. In the Mid- Prayer by St Margaret Mary Alacoque O Sacred Heart of Jesus, you desire so ardently to shower your of this devotion in the form of favours upon the unfortunate, and to teach those who want to devotiondle Ages weto thefind wounded the beginnings Heart advance in the school of your love, you continually invite me to be meek and humble of heart like you. For this reason you convince of this devotion to the Sacred me that in order to gain your friendship and to become your true Heartof Jesus. was found The firstin the footprint11th and disciple, I can do nothing better that to try henceforth to be tru- 12th centuries. From the 13th ly meek and humble. O Jesus, permit me to enter your heart as I to the 16th centuries the devo- would a school. In this school, teach me the science of the saints, tion was propagated by various the science of pure love. O Good Master I shall listen attentively religious congregations, such to your words: “Learn of me, for I am gentle and humble of heart as the Franciscans, Dominicans and you will find rest for your souls”. and Carthusians. Among the The Life of St Martin - 11

JOYFUL NON-VIOLENCE This is Martin, the teacher of non-violent the other Martin said many years later with love at his best. He easily could have berat- such eloquence: “We shall so appeal to your Some of the religious brothers and unhealthy humility. This ap- ed the friars, calling them “racist pigs” and heart and conscience that we shall win you called Martin a “perro mula- proach furthers the caricature unworthy servants of the . After all, in the process.” In the end, it is all about love. to” (a mulatto dog), along with of Martin as an ignorant pawn do the Scriptures not say, “eye for eye, tooth other names aimed at upsetting of an oppressive religion and, for a tooth”? (Ex 21:24). What he did instead REFLECTION QUESTIONS him or causing him to get angry. worse yet, misses the power was act in such a way that his example might Begin by reading Matthew 5:38 - 48. If pos- Martin never showed anger. In hidden like a seed in the stories serve as a teaching about the love. sible, spend time with this pivotal teaching fact, he would respond with a themselves. Non-violence, Gandhi frequently said, is of Jesus (part of his sermon on the Mount), joyful smile, telling them what Martin was no dummy. He was not about being victorious over the enemy, following it up with some journalling if they said was right and that but about inviting them to conversion. The possible. What is Jesus saying? What are they really knew him well. Mar- face his enemies with patience friars that found Martin in the bar that night the consequences of this teaching for us tin would then serve these very so on fire with love that he could knew very well that Martin had done much today? Is there any “enemy” lurking in ones who attacked him with to the power of love. This is key to serve God that day. He was playing a se- your life these days who might need a sec- even greater love.. tountil the theypractice finally of non-violence. surrendered cret game with them, teasing them into con- ond chance? How does a nation that devel- Long before Mahatma Gandhi version: “I do this so that the day will not ops and sells arms respond to this teach- those who called him a “mulatto you will, we shall continue to ing of Jesus? What might it mean – in very and Martin Luther King, Jr., sys- dog” and offer them the healing love you …. Throw us in jail, we pass without doing something for God’s holy TEACHING THE tematised the philosophy and service.” concrete terms – to love violent criminals, that comes from authentic love shall still love you. Send your even terrorists? How do we respond from practice of active non-violence, Martin’s heart smiled as he said these POWER OF LOVE and understanding. Again in the hooded perpetrators of vio- a faith perspective so that we can love what Gandhi called ahimsa, words, for who, after all, was letting the day his is an example of words of Chavez, “Non-violence lence into our community at the those who hate into conversion? Reread Martin had already learned the pass without doing something holy for God? how the “little stories” in action is a very potent force midnight hour and beat us and the Martin Luther King Jr. quote above and Reproduced by kind permission of Brian Pierce basics from his dialogues with and it can’t be stopped ….. If we leave us half dead and we shall Martin was a wise teacher; he wanted to lure OP, author of Martin de Porres - A Saint for the about Martin’s life turn end with a prayer. T the gentle Christ on the cross, have the capacity to endure, if still love you. One day we will his brothers’ hearts into the “trap of love”. As Americas, and of Liguori Press. To be continued. the world upside down. and from his prayerful listening we have the patience, things will win freedom, but not only for It is a real tragedy that for many to the gospel. The words of Je- change.” ourselves. We shall so appeal to centuries these mulatto dog sus were quite clear: “I give you We can only understand Mar- your heart and conscience that Pope St John’s Homily at St Martin’s Canonisation stories (they are quite numer- a new commandment, that you tin’s strange responses to the we shall win you in the process”. ous) have been recounted as if love one another. Just as I have (Martin Luther King in Strength t Martin de Porres was canonised on It is remarkable how even today his influ- Martin were proposing that op- loved you, you also should love ence can still move us toward the things of others if we see him as a teach- to Love). May 6, 1962, by Pope St John XXIII. In pressed people hang their heads one another” (John 13:34). heaven. Sad to say, not all of us understand er,violence as one inflicted who used upon the him prac and- These words, of course, are Scelebration of the recent 56th anni- low and take the lashes from the To love just as Jesus loved; versary of that great event, here is Pope these spiritual values as well as we should, tice of nonviolence and patient from the other Martin - Martin nor do we give them a proper place in our master’s whip with humility. To Martin knew that this was no St John’s homily on that occasion. endurance to teach others that Luther King Jr – and they very lives. Many of us, in fact, strongly attracted read these stories in this way is easy task. Daily, though, he there must be another way. Mar- beautifully reveal the power The example of Martin’s life is ample ev- by sin, may look upon these values as of lit- to drive a stake into the heart of worked at putting into practice tin, of course, would laugh if he hidden in the practice of nonvi- idence that we can strive for holiness and tle moment, even something of a nuisance, Martin the Porres, but nothing salvation as Christ Jesus has shown us: first, this new commandment of his heard us calling him a teacher, olence. It is a spiritual path and or we ignore them altogether. It is deeply could be further from the truth. by loving God “with all your heart, with all gentle Christ. Many years later, just as he would with the title rewarding for men striving for salvation to His entire life was spent lifting your soul, and with all your mind; and sec- another proponent of non-vio- of preacher. He had no such pre- is to win the opponent over to follow in Christ’s footsteps and to obey God’s God’s poor and beaten children ond, by loving your neighbor as yourself.” commandments. If only everyone could lence, Cesar Chavez, who spent tence. But that is precisely what love.fleshed As inthe love, story and with it’s whichonly goal we out of the violence of hatred. When Martin had come to realise that learn this lesson from the example that his life struggling on behalf of he was. He scrubbed toilets in- began this chapter said, “Mar- farm workers, spoke about the Christ Jesus “suffered for us and that he Martin gave us. Others simply skirt around stead of spending his days in the tin would then serve these very carried our sins on his body to the cross,” these uncomfortable stories price one pays when commit- archbishop’s palace precisely to ones who attacked him with he would meditate with remarkable ardour of Martin thanking people for ted to this path: “Non-violence teach Father Juan to re-evaluate even greater love..” and affection about Christ on the cross. He treating him like a dog and kiss- exacts a very high price from the priorities in his own life. He Limatambo was a large hacien- had an exceptional love for the great sacra- A Practical Appeal ing the feet of those who de- one who practices it …. It takes ment of the and often spent long prepared a salad of capers for da (farm) owned by the Domin- here are many loyal readers of this newsletter. Each day we pray the spised him. We cannot be true more guts, if I can put it bluntly, Father Pedro Montes de Oca, hours in prayer before the blessed sacra- icans on the outskirts of Lima. ment. His desire was to receive the sacra- novena prayers for all your intentions, confident that St Martin prays to Martin by ignoring these sto- than violence.” It took guts and who had just called him a “mu- Martin spent much time there ment in Communion as often as he could. for you. ries, dismissing them as nothing patient endurance for Martin latto dog” and other bad things, planting medicinal herbs and ol- Saint Martin, always obedient and in- T but examples of old-fashioned to look into the hateful ways of There are also many who turn to St Martin to help them in their needs. These re- to lead him into a new way of ive trees, as well as visiting with spired by his divine teacher, dealt with his quests end up at our where we pray for all your needs. dealing with his anger. Anyone the poor indigenous and African brothers with that profound love which FOCUS: LOVE EVEN THOSE who has lived in community or farmworkers who lived there. comes from pure faith and humility of spir- One sad case is of an elderly couple. They are pensioners and he is not strong and WHO HATE YOU been married knows that such One night some of the friars it. He loved men because he honestly looked well. His wife had to have her one leg amputated and now has a prosthetic limb. a non-violent approach to the on them as God’s children and as his own There is not much she can do. Often they have to help each other but when one is dis- “God created the world in marvellous diversity, a garden of found Martin in the barn, feed- little “violences” of daily life is ing the mules and oxen. brothers and sisters. Such was his humility abled or sick, it becomes very difficult. They live in a small two-roomed house. Their fecund asymmetries.” Unfortunately, not everyone experi- that he loved them even more than himself, great need at the moment is to find a caregiver and possibly add a small room to no easy path to walk. Martin “Leave that work for the ences this garden of diversity as something so “marvellous”. did not enjoy being treated like and considered them to be better and more the house. Neither of these are possible right now. The colour of Martin’s skin provided the needed scapegoat Blacks,” they told him. righteous than he was. an animal any more than Jesus They have a son who is very active in the church and whose ap- for certain people to project their own self-hatred on to Martin responded, “The Blacks He excused the faults of others. He for- plication has been received to study for the priesthood. How- someone else. Hitler, of course, turned this sickness into an are tired and the animals have gave the bitterest injuries, convinced that though, had “the capacity to en- ever, should he leave for the seminary, his dear parents, who art form, but we see it in our own day when nations, reli- worked more than I have. They he deserved much severer punishments on dure”enjoyed with being the crucified.hope and Both,trust have given him their blessing, would be very badly off. In- gions, and political parties demonise one another. We see it have earned their food, and it account of his own sins. He tried with all that love would ultimately tri- deed, they already struggle on his meagre salary. when anti-immigration laws seek to drive the “stranger in would be a lack of charity not his might to redeem the guilty; lovingly he umph. comforted the sick; he provided food, cloth- our midst” underground. Hatred comes disguised in many to give it to them. I, on the oth- This is a practical case where your help could provide “To our bitterest opponents ing and medicine for the poor; he helped, as forms. Martin de Porres, however, refused to play the game er hand, have done nothing to them with a caregiver and some financial assistance we say: we shall match your ca- best he could, farm labourers and Negroes, and facilitate the son on his journey to the priesthood. of hatred. He refused to respond to violence with violence. serve God today; I do this so that as well as mulattoes, who were looked upon Instead, he teaches us the way to disarm our hatred through the day will not pass without at that time as akin to slaves: thus he de- Once again, if you are able to help please contact capacity to endure suffering. We doing something for God’s holy served to be called by the name the people Father Emil 0829997171 the practice of love. pacity to inflict suffering by our shall meet your physical force service.” gave him: ‘Martin of Charity.’ with soul force. Do to us what A MEMORABLE YEAR! he past year, 2017/2018, will be remembered by many for a num- Tber of reasons. On 19 May 2018 the world witnessed the spectacular royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan. It was a memorable and co- lourful day. As with all royal functions, the

On 5 August 2017 another historic cel- ebrationwedding wastook organised place – the to thecentenary finest details. of the presence of Dominican friars in South Af- rica. It was also the 800th jubilee of the foundation of the Dominican Order. The King William’s Town Dominican sisters also celebrated their 140th birthday. 2018 was also the 200th birthday of the foundation of the in South Africa. So, we could home in on many memorable oc- casions. Another noteworthy event was the con- tinued growth of the Dominican Friars in South Africa. At long last we are receiving tory of the Church in our country. Our other Dominicans are doing in our country and local vocations from South Africa. We have great achievement has been the establish- beyond, how memorable that would be. We established our presence in Zimbabwe and ment of the only Catholic radio station in would like to remind people about this plea Malawi and we continue to receive voca- South Africa, Radio Veritas. We do not have over the next few months so that the month tions from Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe. the trumpets and fanfare of the royal wed- of August in which we celebrate the feast Over the last hundred years we have been ding but we do have many loyal friends in of St Dominic will receive your special at- helped tremendously by the Dominican our parishes and various apostolates. tention. Please remember that St Martin de Order in Holland and elsewhere. Indeed, Each year the brethren try to reach out to Porres was a faithful Dominican and that he without this help we could never have sur- their parishioners and friends in August in will pray for you and your families. vived and we are very grateful. And now, order to support the ministries of the Or- Please send your donation to: funders abroad are insisting that we stand der especially for the formation of young St Martin Centre friars. Unfortunately from all the parishes Standard Bank Springs 012142 have about 20 Friars in formation and the and ministries in which we work, we have Account number 020858647 coston our is approximatelyown feet. This R100is very 000 difficult per annum as we seldom reached R50 000. The month of Au- per student. We cannot but be mendicant - Reference: St Dominic and your phone friars! Keeping all these facts in mind it is nancial assistance. This year we have aimed number. remarkable that the Dominican Order has highgust isand the hope month to raise in which at least we R100appeal 000. for fi made such an incredible mark on the his- That would be a tremendous achievement in this jubilee year and we would love to see it become an even more memorable year which would be possi- ble with the generos- ity and goodwill of all our friends. If every friend of St Martin de Porres who reads this newsletter would be prepared to - nation to support the valuablemake a significant work that dothe

St Martin Centre Acc Name: St Martin Centre 46 Derby Avenue Bank: Standard Bank This newsletter proudly PO BOX 303 Branch: Springs sponsored by JetLine Springs 1560 South Africa Branch code: 012142 Mr John Shalala Director: Fr Emil Blaser OP Acc. No: 020858647 www.stmartincentre.org.za [email protected] Produced by Frank Nunan Tel: 011 362 4482 SA Catholic Online Fax: 011 362 4369 www.sacatholiconline.org