APOSTOLATE OF PRAYER. – A religious association in which the faithful participate in the establishment of the kingdom of the Sacred Heart through the merits of their daily actions and offerings.
Its founder and originator was the Jesuit Xavier Gautrelet, who in December 1844 invited the young religious students entrusted to him at the college of Vals-les-Bains (France) to unite in a league of prayer for the salvation of souls. The idea soon spread beyond the religious house at Vals; in 1846 Fr. Gautrelet published a pamphlet promoting it, which was enthusiastically received by the bishops; in 1849 the Apostolate of Prayer was enriched with indulgences by Pius IX, and from then on it began that rapid and grand diffusion throughout the world, which now numbers its associates at over 35 million, distributed in about 135,000 centres.
The powerful organiser of the work was the Jesuit Henri Ramière, who in 1860 became its general director and in 1861 founded the *Messager du Sacré-Cœur*, the official organ of the association; at his instigation two other similar associations were absorbed into the Apostolate of Prayer (also called the Pious League of the Sacred Heart): the Pious Society of the Catholic Apostolate, founded in Rome by the Venerable Vincent Pallotti (1795–1850), and the *Orbe sanctificato*, founded in Piedmont around 1840 by Fr. Francesco Pellico, brother of Silvio.
The Apostolate of Prayer is the flowering of the doctrine of the Mystical Body. All men are responsible for the salvation of the world; all must take part in it in union with the Head. Their entire life must be consecrated to the redemption of humanity in a spirit of zeal and prayer. United to the Heart of Jesus, in homage to which they wish to make reparation for the sins of the world, men are also united and in solidarity with one another. The strength of the daily offering lies precisely in forming all Christian wills into a tightly bound bundle, under the direction of the Supreme Pontiff. Many souls, sanctified by this doctrine, have permeated their lives with fervour and have accepted trials to save humanity. Here lies the most effective remedy against modern materialism, which distorts consciences and ties them to the earth.
Each year, twelve general intentions and as many missionary intentions, recommended by the Pope, are proposed to the associates. The practices required, according to the three degrees in ascending order, are: for the 19th degree, sufficient to belong to the Apostolate of Prayer, the daily offering; for the 20th, a daily decade of the Rosary to the Immaculate Heart of Mary is added; for the 30th, monthly reparatory Communion is further added. The Work has spread throughout the world devotion to the Sacred Heart, to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, reparatory Communion, personal and family consecration, the practice of the Holy Hour, and in general devotion to the Eucharist. It has also fostered love for the Supreme Pontiff, for which many Masses are celebrated at every hour of the day and in all parts of the world.
The Apostolate of Prayer directs the following works: the Work of the Consecration of Families, the Leagues of the Sacred Heart (which encourage monthly Communion among adults), the Eucharistic Crusade of Children, the Cadets and Cadettes of the Sacred Heart, and the League for the Clergy. In 1939 the Work published more than 60 different editions of the *Messager du Sacré-Cœur* in more than 40 languages (the recent war has suspended one edition, but they are being resumed). It also has 36 editions of monthly leaflets, 51 journals of the Eucharistic Crusade, and a large number of other periodicals for leaders and members of the various sections.
The associates of the Apostolate of Prayer share in the merits of more than 80 religious communities; all the Popes from Pius IX onwards, and very many archbishops and bishops, have approved and recommended II. Pius XI said that all the Catholics of the world should belong to it, and His Holiness Pius XII declared: “… once again most willingly we declare that it would be most pleasing to Us if all the faithful without exception would enrol their names in this holy militia, thus far surpassing the nearly 35 million members… Nor can this give rise to any suspicion of a kind of encroachment by the Apostolate of Prayer upon the domain of others.” (*AAS*, 40 [1948], p. 501).
The direction of the Apostolate of Prayer is entrusted by the Holy See to the Society of Jesus; the general director, delegated since 1927, resides in Rome at the Jesuit General Curia; previously it was in Toulouse. There are also national secretaries and diocesan directors; local directors preside over the centres and are assisted by groups of zealots and zealotesses. Each associate receives every month a card outlining the intentions proposed by the Supreme Pontiff; monthly meetings, or even more frequent ones, keep the activity of the association alive, which has had and continues to have a notable influence on the spiritual life of the Church.