SPIRITUAL MOTHER FOR PRIESTS

In history many holy people  had visions of Jesus, who encouraged them to pray for priests and renewal of  the clergy. They are spiritual mothers, who  take special spiritual care of priests. 

One such saint who gave her life for priests was BL. MARIE de JEAUS DELUIL-MARTINY born in 1841 in Marseilles, France. She was the oldest child in family of five.  Among her mother’s family members there were  nuns, who through their devoutness and perseverance impressive the family. Marie’s father was a lawyer and in this profession he earned money to maintain his family.

Marie was educated in a school conducted by sisters. After graduating, she wanted to visit Ars to listen to  (St.) Jean Marie Vianney’s homilies. Many pilgrims came to Ars to meet this priest. While she eventually got to Ars, she didn’t meet the saintly man.

When Marie returned home, she found that her younger sister, age 10, had died following her First Communion. It was a huge shock for Marie (she wrote in her diary that she felt like a part of her soul was dying then). 

She was invited in 1865 to make a spiritual retreat on the occasion of Pope Pius IX celebrating the beatification of Marguerite-Marie Alacoque. In December 1866 she heard the Jesuit priest Jean Calage  preach on the topic of the Sacred Heart and so revealed to him her desire to enter the religious life - he became her spiritual director.

In 1873 she decided to found the Congregation of the Daughters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. From childhood she was very devoted to Sacred Heart of Jesus, so naturally it became a Center of spiritual life in founded Congregation. Sisters tried to execute their charism not only by acts – the main aim was to unite spiritually with Jesus Heart. Marie understood Jesus’ calling to find “lost sheep”. She wrote:

“One more heart, which loves Jesus, one more soul, which adores Him and devote oneself Him, one more mouth, which profess and worship Him; one more spirit to contemplate Him and to be filled with His presence. And after that – one more seraph to be feverish with His love. For all these things it’s worth to spill your blood for it. Others may say it is an act of folly – the first example is Jesus: this is the same folly, for which a Word came to world as a man, the same folly that humbled Him in Nazareth and covered Him with blood in Gethsemane. It was the same folly that made Him an offer on Calvary and after His death – hurt His heart to let His Holly Blood flow and to spread His Love.”

Bl. Marie was aware how important was having saint shepherds in Church. She knew that priests were of great importance in leading people to God – by sacraments and preaching the Gospel. Because of it, she felt big responsibility of them and decided to pray and suffer in their intention. She said: “Offering for souls is really valuable thing! But offering for priests’ souls… it is so beautiful and responsible challenge that thousand lives and hearts wouldn’t be enough… I would willingly sacrifice my life for priests – just to make them be up to Jesus’ expectations. I would offer my life in the intention of any priest – hoping that he would perfectly realize God’s plan in his priestly service.”

In February 1884,  she was shot  by the crazed gardener, who was also an anarchist. He waited in ambush as she and the religious passed during their recreation. He sprang out as she spoke kind words to him. He grabbed her and shot her twice at point-blank range with a revolver. Before she died, she murmured "I forgive him ... for the Institute".

After death her body was moved from place to place and eventually – it was placed in Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Antwerp. On 22nd October 1989 she was beatified by pope John Paul II. Her remains were later moved to Rome on 28 September 2013.