Hi readers, it seems you use Catholic Online a lot; that's great! It's a little awkward to ask, but we need your help. If you have already donated, we sincerely thank you. We're not salespeople, but we depend on donations averaging $14.76 and fewer than 1% of readers give. If you donate just $5.00, the price of your coffee, Catholic Online School could keep thriving. Thank you. Help Now >
St. Margaret Mary Alacoque
FREE Catholic Classes
Facts
Daughter of Claude Alacoque and Philiberte Lamyn, Margaret was born on July 22, at L'Hautecour, Burgundy, France, was sent to the Poor Clares school at Charolles on the death of her father, a notary, when she was eight years old. She was bedridden for five years with rheumatic fever until she was fifteen and early developed a devotion to the Blessed Sacrament. She refused marriage, and in 1671 she entered the Visitation convent at Paray-le-Monial and was professed the next year. From the time she was twenty, she experienced visions of Christ, and on December 27, 1673, she began a series of revelations that were to continue over the next year and a half. In them Christ informed her that she was His chosen instrument to spread devotion to His Sacred Heart, instructed her in a devotion that was to become known as the Nine Fridays and the Holy Hour, and asked that the feast of the Sacred Heart be established. Rebuffed by her superior, Mother de Saumaise, in her efforts to follow the instruction she had received in the visions, she eventually won her over but was unable to convince a group of theologians of the validity of her apparitions, nor was she any more successful with many of the members of her community. She received the support of Blessed Claude La Colombiere, the community's confessor for a time, who declared that the visions were genuine. In 1683, opposition in the community ended when Mother Melin was elected Superior and named Margaret Mary her assistant. She later became Novice Mistress, saw the convent observe the feast of the Sacred Heart privately beginning in 1686, and two years later, a chapel was built at the Paray-le-Monial to honor the Sacred Heart; soon observation of the feast of the Sacred Heart spread to other Visitation convents. Margaret Mary died at the Paray-le-Monial on October 17, and was canonized in 1920. She, St. John Eudes, and Blessed Claude La Colombiere are called the "Saints of the Sacred Heart"; the devotion was officially recognized and approved by Pope Clement XIII in 1765, seventy-five years after her death. Her feast day is observed on October 17.
More Saints
Saint Feast Days by Month
Saint of the Day
St. Margaret of Cortona
Margaret of Cortona, penitent, was born in Loviana in Tuscany in 1247. Her father was a small farmer. Margaret's mother died when she was seven years old. Her stepmother had little care for her ... continue reading
More Saint of the DayFemale Saints
Sts. Perpetua and Felicity
Sts. Perpetua and Felicity were Christian martyrs who lived during the early persecution of the Church in Africa by the Emperor Severus. With details concerning the lives of many early martyrs unclear and often based on legend, we are fortunate to have the actual ... continue reading
More Female SaintsMore Female Saints
Angels
St. Michael the Archangel
Saint Michael the Archangel isn't a saint, but rather he is an angel, and the leader of all angels and of the army of God. This is what the title "Archangel" means, that he is above all the others in rank. St. Michael has four main responsibilities or offices, as we ... continue reading
St. Gabriel, the Archangel
St. Gabriel is an angel who serves as a messenger for God to certain people. He is one of the three archangels. Gabriel is mentioned in both the Old and the New Testaments of the Bible. First, in the Old Testament, Gabriel appears to the prophet Daniel to explain his ... continue reading
Saints Fun Facts
St. Hugh of Lincoln
Hugh of Lincoln was the son of William, Lord of Avalon. He was born at Avalon Castle in Burgundy and was raised and educated at a convent at Villard-Benoit after his mother died when he was eight. He was professed at fifteen, ordained a deacon at nineteen, and was made ... continue reading
St. Ignatius Loyola
Born Inigo Lopez de Loyola in 1491, the man known as Ignatius of Loyola entered the world in Loiola, Spain. At the time, the name of the village was spelled "Loyola," hence the discrepancy. Inigo came of age in Azpeitia, in northern Spain. Loyola is a small village at ... continue reading
FREE Classes on Lent from Catholic Online School
Our Mission is to Provide a Free World Class Catholic Education for Anyone, Anywhere. Help our Mission >
More Saints
Christian Saints & Heroes
Feast of the Deacon St Vincent Calls the Church and her Deacons to Heroic Virtue
By Deacon Keith Fournier
Vincent was a man like us who encountered the same Risen Lord Jesus whom we have encountered. He struggled with the choices which always accompany living the Christian life in the midst of a culture which has squeezed God and His truth out of the center of its ... continue reading
More Christian Saints & Heroes
Hi readers, it seems you use Catholic Online a lot; that's great! It's a little awkward to ask, but we need your help. If you have already donated, we sincerely thank you. We're not salespeople, but we depend on donations averaging $14.76 and fewer than 1% of readers give. If you donate just $5.00, the price of your coffee, Catholic Online School could keep thriving. Thank you. Help Now >
Latest
by Catholic Online
- St. Polycarp: Saint of the Day for Saturday, February 23, 2019
- Vermont bishop: Abortion bill tests limits of human brokenness
- Daily Readings for Saturday, February 23, 2019
- Making a Difference: U.S. bishops confront racism and call us to ...
- Prayer Requests Live for Friday, February 22nd, 2019
- Tagle: Confront the 'stench of filth' caused by abuse
- Daily Reading for Sunday, February 24th, 2019 HD Video
Latest Videos
on YouTube
Daily Readings
Daily Reading for Friday February 22, 2019
Reading 1, First Peter 5:1-4
Psalm, Psalms 23:1-3, 3-4, 5, 6
Gospel, Matthew 16:13-19
Saint of the Day
St. Margaret of Cortona
February 22: Margaret of Cortona, penitent, was born in ... Read More
Information
Learn about Catholic world
Catholic Online
Inform - Inspire - Ignite
Catholic Online Saints
Your saints explained
Catholic Online Prayers
Prayers for every need
Catholic Online Bible
Complete bible online
Catholic Online News
Your news Catholic eye
Daily Reading
Today's bible reading
Lent / Easter
Death & resurrection of Jesus
Advent / Christmas
Birth of Jesus
Rest of Catholic Online
All Catholic world we offer
Services
Products and services we offer
Catholic Online Shopping
Catholic medals, gifts & books
Advertise on Catholic Online
Your ads on catholic.org
Catholic Online Email
Email with Catholic feel
Education
Learn the Catholic way
Catholic Online School
Free Catholic education for all
Student Classes
K-12 & Adult Education Classes
Support Free Education
Tax deductible support Free education
Socials
Connect with us online
Catholic Online on Facebook
Catholic social network
Catholic Online on Twitter
Catholic Tweets
Catholic Online on YouTube
Enjoy our videos
Catholic Online on Instagram
Shared Catholic moments
Catholic Online on Pinterest
Catholic ideas style inspiration
Copyright 2019 Catholic Online. All materials contained on this site, whether written, audible or visual are the exclusive property of Catholic Online and are protected under U.S. and International copyright laws, © Copyright 2019 Catholic Online. Any unauthorized use, without prior written consent of Catholic Online is strictly forbidden and prohibited.
Catholic Online is a Project of Your Catholic Voice Foundation, a Not-for-Profit Corporation. Your Catholic Voice Foundation has been granted a recognition of tax exemption under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Federal Tax Identification Number: 81-0596847. Your gift is tax-deductible as allowed by law.
