The long conversations St Margaret Mary Alacoque with Mary

During her childhood, Margaret – the future visionary of the Sacred Heart – recovered from a serious illness of four years through Mary's intercession. In gratitude, on the day of her confirmation, she added the name "Mary" to "Margaret".

"I went to her with so much trust that I felt I had nothing to fear under her maternal protection. I consecrated myself to her, to be her slave forever, begging her not to refuse this offering. I spoke to her as a child, with simplicity, to a good Mother, for whom I felt a tender love from then on. I entered the Visitation Convent because I was attracted by the very lovable name of Mary. I felt that this was what I was looking for."

As a nun, she fell ill, and it was again the Virgin Mary who cured her: she appeared to Margaret Mary, "gave her affectionate strokes," talked to her for a long time and said: "Take courage, my dear daughter, in the health I give you on behalf of my divine Son, for you still have a long and painful journey ahead of you, always on the cross, pierced with nails and thorns, and torn with whips; but do not fear, I will not abandon you and I promise you my protection."

Sister Margaret Mary also recalls several apparitions of Christ.

On December 27, 1673, the feast of Saint John the Evangelist, having a little more free time than usual, she was praying before the Blessed Sacrament. Jesus said to her: "My divine Heart is so consumed with love for men, and for you in particular, that, being no longer able to contain the flames of its ardent charity, it must spread them by means of you, and manifest itself to them, to enrich them with its precious treasures, which I am disclosing to you, and which contain the sanctifying and saving graces necessary to save them from the abyss of perdition; and I have chosen you – who are an abyss of unworthiness and ignorance – for the accomplishment of this great purpose, so that everything may be done by me."

Françoise Breynaert

Find out more in Library of Marian Writings