There are 15 churches in Colorado named for the Sacred Heart of Jesus, reflecting a devotion that is centuries old. General prayers to the Sacred Heart were popular in Benedictine and Cistercian monasteries, but specific devotions became even more popular when St. Margaret Mary Alacoque (1647-1690), a Visitation nun, had a personal revelation involving a series of visions of Christ as she prayed before the Blessed Sacrament. She wrote, "He disclosed to me the marvels of his Love and the inexplicable secrets of his Sacred Heart." Promises were made to those who would consecrate themselves to His Sacred Heart, chiefly, "to all those who receive Holy Communion on the First Fridays in nine consecutive months, the grace of final perseverance; they shall not die in His disgrace, not without receiving their sacraments."
The devotions attached to these promises include:
- Receiving Communion frequently
- First Fridays: going to Confession and receiving the Eucharist on the first Friday of each month for nine consecutive months. Many parishes offer public First Friday devotions
- Holy Hour: Eucharistic Adoration for one hour on Thursdays ("Could you not watch one hour with me?"). Holy Hour can be made alone or as part of a group with formal prayers.
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