The Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary

This is the image most often associated with the writings of the Belgian mystic Berthe Petit. She promoted devotion to the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary.


During my preparation for the retreat I am giving at the end of the month in Pantasaph, North Wales, I began reading a book by the late John Haffert (once the lay leader of the Blue Army of Fatima). His theory in the book, which speaks of God's "last effort" to convert the world before the coming chastisement, is that we are now living in the third or fourth "day" of the Fatima week. At this time, according to Haffert, we should be promoting devotion to The Immaculate Heart of Mary. I also consulted another book by Dr. Courtnay Bartholomew (whom I have been privileged to meet) which also speaks of the importance of this devotion, linking it with the writings and visions of the mystic Berthe Petit, and the importance of the full title of the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart. These things will feature in the last talk of the retreat which leads on from a consideration of Mary's motherhood especially in relation to her suffering.


This retreat is important for me. It is drawing me back to things I knew but had not thought enough about. For example, the connection of motherhood with suffering (not to leave out the joys of course), and the wider application of "motherhood" in the ministries of the Church. I don't think many are coming, but it is already doing me good just preparing for it.