Friday, May 4 & Saturday, May 5: First Friday & First Saturday of the Month of May Devotion

First Fridays

In 1675, Our Lord appeared "out of a monstrance" before St. Margaret Mary Alacoque and showed the burning love of His Heart for men. After revealing the now-famous promises to those who would venerate his Sacred Heart, Our Lord Said:

"The all powerful love of my Heart will grant to those who shall receive Communion on the First Friday of nine consecutive months the grace of final repentance."

Those who honor Our Lord in His Sacred Heart by attending Mass and receiving Communion for nine consecutive First Fridays would receive many graces from the Heart of Jesus and would not die without receiving the Sacraments.

A final promise was that the Sacred Heart would be an "assured refuge at the last hour." A similar promise was made by Our Lady for those who faithfully practice the First Saturday Devotion.

First Saturdays

The promise made by Our Lady to Lucia at Fatima on July 13, 1917, that there would be a future manifestation concerning the five First Saturdays, was fulfilled on December 10, 1925. Lucia was then a postulant in the Dorothean convent at Pontevedra, Spain. This time Our Lady appeared together with the Child Jesus. She addressed Lucia as follows:

"Look, my daughter, at my heart encircled with thorns, with which ungrateful men wound it every moment by their blasphemies and ingratitude. Give me consolation, you, at least; and announce for me that I promise to assist at the hour of death, with the graces necessary for salvation, all who on the first Saturday of five consecutive month confess, receive Holy Communion, recite five decades of the Rosary, and keep me company for fifteen minutes meditating on the mysteries of the Rosary, with the purpose of making reparation to me."

The devotion of First Saturdays, as requested by Our Lady of Fatima, carries with it the assurance of the graces necessary for salvation at the hour of death. However, to derive profit from such a great promise of Our Lady, the devotion must be properly understood and duly performed. The requirements as stipulated by Our Lady are: Confession, receive Holy Communion, recite five decades of the Rosary, and keep me company for fifteen minutes meditating on the mysteries of the Rosary, and to do all these things in the spirit of reparation to my Immaculate Heart.

Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us.

Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us.