The Sacred Heart and the Priesthood

As we have already seen, Father Charrier ordered Mother Louise Margaret under obedience to write down the communications which she had received from Our Lord. He had in his possession for about thirteen years all these writings. They formed the material from which The Sacred Heart and the Priesthood, The Book of Infinite Love were composed. The thoughts contained in these notes were most sublime, they were in perfect accord with Catholic teaching, and they appeared to be just what was suitable for the needs of the time, There was no reason then why some use should not be made of them, without pronouncing on the question whether they were inspired or not.

In May 1903, Father Charrier wrote to Sister Louise Margaret:

“My dear child in Christ, I have read with edification and interest the thoughts which Our Lord has given you on the virtues of the priest. If it be the will of the Master, some use could be made of them.”

Sister Louise Margaret replied:

It seems to me to be the desire of Our Lord that the little extract which is to be made from them should be in very simple language without any attempt at style and that everything in it should be simple and humble like Jesus.”

However, Father Charrier made no move for two years. In 1905 he wrote to her saying that he was thinking of preparing a little work on the Priesthood. He said that he was almost conquered by the “accent of truth” which he heard and the “seal of divine action which he saw in all that she had written and he asked her to pray that Our Lord would help him to overcome his doubts about His merciful intentions with regard to his own profound misery. Nothing was done then: three years were to elapse before a serious attempt was made to give effect to Our Lord’s wishes.

Three events that happened in the January of 1908, which can hardly be called mere coincidences, co-operated in a marvellous manner in getting a beginning made to publish these communications.

Firstly during the month of January, 1908, Our Lord expressed His desire that a book be written as the first step towards establishing an organisation for priests.

Secondly in the same month, Father Charrier expressed his willingness to compose this book from the writings of Mother Louise Margaret which he had in his possession.

And thirdly in the same month, Father Hamon gave as his opinion to Father Charrier that a little book should be composed that would spread the ideas expressed in these writings.

The following is the letter of Mother Louise Margaret to Father Charrier, written January 18th, 1908:

“My dear good Father, I have still something else which I must tell you. A few days ago while I was at prayer, Our Lord showed me the immense desire which He has to be loved by His priests, whom He Himself loves as His dearest members. He wishes that they should all know that He has given them His Heart, and it seems to me that He demands that you write, or that you get someone else to write, a little book in which would be expressed all the desires that He has for His priests and all the effusions of His tenderness for them with the idea of founding this organisation (which I have perhaps, understood so badly but which you understand better) the object of which is to group them all around His Heart and in His Infinite Love; that this little book should be presented to the Holy Father who, if he judges proper, would get the organisation founded according to his desires. It seems to me that the Master wishes this to be done this year and without further delay.”

As it turned out Fr Charrier did delay more due to an increased workload from his superiors and also because he could not fully believe that he was the one chosen by Our Lord to write the book. Fr Charrier realised he could not write the book and sent her back all her writings which she sent to Fr Poletti and after he read some of them he said: “To complete them and put them in form for the printer cannot, however, be the work of any other hand, or come from any other heart but that of the person who has received these communications from her divine Spouse.”. So Mother Louise wrote the book over the next few months.

The little volume is composed of four parts:

I The Priest, the creation of Infinite Love. (Jesus teaching, Jesus pardoning, Jesus consoling, Jesus offering sacrifice.)

II The Sacerdotal Virtues of the Heart of Jesus.

III The Love of the Incarnate Word for Priests.

IV Sublime Reflections on Infinite Love and the Priesthood.

It seems to be a book which tells us what sort of Priests Jesus would like His Priests to be. It is a guide on how to be a Priest according to the desires of the Sacred heart of Jesus.