8.206. Why is devotion to the Sacred Heart, First Fridays, and First Saturdays so important?
1. The Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus
Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus is one of the most central and profound devotions in traditional Catholicism. It is rooted in Scripture, Tradition, and the teaching of the Church, and it emphasizes the infinite love of Jesus Christ for humanity—a love wounded by the sins and ingratitude of men.
This devotion was officially promoted by Our Lord Himself in a series of apparitions to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque (1647–1690), a French Visitation nun. In these apparitions, Christ revealed His Sacred Heart as a burning furnace of charity and requested special acts of reparation, love, and penance in response to the coldness and indifference shown to Him, especially in the Blessed Sacrament.
Our Lord gave St. Margaret Mary twelve promises for those who practice devotion to His Sacred Heart. Among them are:
“I will give them all the graces necessary in their state of life.”
“I will establish peace in their homes.”
“I will be their refuge in life and especially in death.”
“I will give priests the power to touch the most hardened hearts.”
“I promise thee in the excess of the mercy of My Heart that My all-powerful love will grant to all those who receive Holy Communion on the First Friday of nine consecutive months the grace of final penitence…”
This last promise forms the basis for the First Friday devotion.
2. The Nine First Fridays
The Nine First Fridays devotion requires the faithful to:
Receive Holy Communion on the first Friday of nine consecutive months,
Be in the state of grace,
Offer the Communion in honor of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and
Perform it with the intention of making reparation to the Sacred Heart.
This devotion is not a “get out of hell free” card but a powerful spiritual discipline to foster sanctifying grace, regular confession, and fervent love for Christ. The promise of final perseverance is not a superstition but an invitation to develop a consistent life of prayer and union with Christ.
3. The Five First Saturdays
Closely tied to the Sacred Heart devotion is the devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, particularly through the Five First Saturdays. This was revealed by Our Lady of Fatima to Sister Lucia in 1925 as a means of making reparation for the five major blasphemies against the Immaculate Heart:
Denial of the Immaculate Conception,
Denial of her perpetual virginity,
Denial of her divine maternity,
Insulting images or desecration of her sacred statues,
Indifference or hatred toward devotion to her Immaculate Heart.
To fulfill this devotion, the faithful are to:
Go to confession (within 8 days before or after),
Receive Holy Communion,
Pray five decades of the Rosary, and
Meditate for 15 minutes on one or more mysteries of the Rosary—
all with the intention of making reparation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, on the first Saturday of five consecutive months.
Our Lady promised assistance at the hour of death and great graces for those who faithfully complete this devotion.
4. Modern Neglect and Confusion
These devotions, once widespread, have been largely forgotten in the post-Vatican II era. In the new liturgy, the First Friday and First Saturday devotions are rarely mentioned, and the emphasis on reparation—both personal and corporate—has been softened or removed.
This loss reflects the broader crisis of belief in the sacrificial nature of the Mass, the Real Presence, and sin itself. Without sin, who needs reparation? Without belief in judgment, who fears final impenitence?
The Novus Ordo liturgy emphasizes community and celebration over adoration and atonement, diluting the rich theology behind these devotions. The traditional Catholic, however, knows that these practices are not optional extras—they are part of the deep well of grace that Christ offers through His Church to strengthen us in a dark age.
5. Devotions as Spiritual Armor
In an age marked by secularism, moral relativism, and confusion, the Sacred Heart and Immaculate Heart devotions are powerful sources of consolation and strength. They remind us of:
Christ’s personal love for each soul,
Mary’s maternal intercession,
The urgency of prayer and reparation for sinners, and
The spiritual battle being waged for souls.
These devotions are not outdated—they are weapons for our times.
| Category | Traditional Catholic View | Post-Vatican II / Modern View | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Devotion to the Sacred Heart | Centered on reparation, love, and sin’s offense against Christ | Viewed as optional or emotional, with little theological emphasis | Traditional devotion includes promises and is tied to the Eucharist |
| First Friday Practice | 9 consecutive Fridays, Communion of reparation, frequent confession | Rarely mentioned or practiced in modern parishes | Loss of belief in sin and Hell undermines the need for reparation |
| First Saturday Practice | 5 consecutive Saturdays, tied to Fatima message and Marian reparation | Ignored or misunderstood post-Vatican II | Modern Marian devotions downplay her role in salvation and reparation |
| Purpose of Devotions | Make reparation, draw close to Christ and Mary, gain final perseverance | Seen as personal spiritual “extras,” not essentials | The traditional view stresses their necessity for salvation and grace |
| Theological Foundation | Rooted in dogma: sin, Hell, justice, mercy, Real Presence | Focus on feelings, humanism, and community experience | Without belief in sin, reparation seems meaningless |
Summary:
The devotions to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary—expressed through the Nine First Fridays and Five First Saturdays—are not sentimental or optional practices. They are deeply rooted in the Church’s pre-Vatican II theology of sin, grace, justice, mercy, and the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist.
Through the Sacred Heart devotion, Catholics are invited to contemplate and respond to the wounded love of Christ. He calls for reparation because His love is real, and sin truly offends Him. This love demands a response—not of vague goodwill but of sacrificial devotion. The First Fridays devotion, with its promise of final perseverance, aims to cultivate a stable spiritual life centered on frequent Communion and confession.
Likewise, the First Saturdays are part of Heaven’s solution to the modern crisis. Our Lady of Fatima identified the chief blasphemies against her and begged for reparation. Ignoring this is not just neglecting a private revelation—it is rejecting Heaven’s direct plea in our time.
After Vatican II, both devotions were marginalized. Modern liturgy and catechesis have downplayed sin, the need for penance, and the importance of sacramental grace. As a result, the Faithful are weaker, more confused, and less devout. The rise of irreverence in worship and lack of belief in the Real Presence confirms the spiritual anemia of the post-conciliar Church.
Traditional Catholics cling to these devotions not out of nostalgia, but because they are channels of grace, intimately linked to the theology and liturgy that nourished saints for centuries. In the face of apostasy and confusion, these devotions serve as spiritual lifelines.
They also provide a clear contrast between the traditional Church and the Novus Ordo establishment. Where the former calls for sacrifice and repentance, the latter often offers comfort and affirmation. Where the former upholds the infinite majesty of God, the latter places man at the center of worship.
In a world growing colder to God, devotion to His Sacred Heart—and the Immaculate Heart of His Mother—offers warmth, clarity, and the way back to holiness. These are not quaint customs of a bygone age—they are Heaven’s directives for the times in which we live.
Further reading:
Latin Mass Helper Fr. Lasance 1945 Missal Mass readings
Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary’s 1962 Calendar - not sedevacantist
Joe Antognini’s Tridentine Calendar (iCal/Google format) - not sedevacantist
Boston Catholic Journal’s Pre‑Vatican II Calendar in PDF - not sedevacantist
Usus Antiquior / Propria Ordo calendar - not sedevacantist