APOSTOLATE OF PRAYER. - A religious association in which the faithful participate in the establishment of the reign of the Sacred Heart through the merits of their actions, offered daily.
Its originator and founder was the Jesuit Xavier Gautrelet, who in Dec. 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 of Vals; in 1846 Fr. Gautrelet set it out in a propaganda pamphlet, which was received by the bishops with enthusiasm; in 1849 the A. d. p. was enriched by Pius IX with indulgences, and from then on began that rapid and grand diffusion throughout the world which today brings the associates to more than 35 million, distributed in approximately 135,000 centers. The powerful organizer of the work was the Jesuit Henri Ramière, who in 1860 became its director general and in 1861 founded the Messager du Sacré-Coeur, the official organ of the association; at his wish two other similar associations were absorbed into the A. d. p. (also called the Pia Lega del Sacro Cuore): the Pia società dell'Apostolato Cattolico, founded in Rome by the venerable Vincenzo Pallotti (1795-1850), and the Orbe santificato, founded in Piedmont around 1840 by Fr. Francesco Pellico, brother of Silvio.
The A. d. p. is the flowering of the doctrine of the Mystical Body. All men are responsible for the salvation of the world, all must participate 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 whom 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 consists precisely in forming from all Christian wills a tightly bound bundle, under the direction of the Supreme Pontiff. Many, many souls, sanctified by this doctrine, have permeated their lives with fervor and have accepted trials in order to save humanity. Herein lies the most effective remedy against modern materialism, which falsifies consciences and attaches 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 1st degree, sufficient for belonging to the A. d. p., the daily offering; for the 2nd, a decade of the Rosary to the Immaculate Heart of Mary is added each day; for the 3rd, the reparative communion at least once a month is added as well. The Work has spread throughout the world devotion to the Sacred Heart, to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, the reparative communion, the personal and family consecration, the practice of the Holy Hour, and in general devotion to the Eucharist. And it has also developed love toward the Supreme Pontiff, on whose behalf many, many Masses are celebrated at every hour of the day and in all parts of the world.
The A. d. p. directs the following works: the Opera della consacrazione delle famiglie, the Leghe del Sacro Cuore (which have adults practice monthly communion), the Crociata eucaristica dei fanciulli, the Cadetti and the Cadette del Sacro Cuore, the Lega pro clero. In 1939 the Work published more than 60 different editions of the Messager du Sacré-Coeur, in more than 40 different languages (the last war caused about ten of them to be suspended; but they are recovering). It also has 36 editions of monthly leaflets, 51 magazines of the Eucharistic Crusade, and a great number of other periodicals for the directors and members of the various sections.
The associates of the A. d. p. participate in all the merits of more than 810 religious communities; all the Popes, from Pius IX onward, and very many archbishops and bishops have approved and recommended it. Pius XI said that all the Catholics of the world ought to be part of it, and His Holiness Pius XII: «... once again we very willingly declare that it would be for Us a most gratifying thing if all the faithful without exception were to give their name to this sacred militia, thus far surpassing the nearly 35 million enrolled... Nor can this give rise in anyone to the suspicion of a quasi-irruption of the A. d. p. into others' field». (AAS., 40 [1948], p. 501).
The direction is entrusted by the Holy See to the Society of Jesus; the director general delegated since 1927 resides in Rome at the general curia of the Jesuits; previously he was at Toulouse. There are then national secretaries and diocesan directors; the local directors preside over the centers and are assisted by groups of male and female zealators. Each associate receives every month a leaflet with the development of the intentions proposed by the Supreme Pontiff; the monthly meetings, or even more frequent ones, keep alive the activity of the association, which has had and has a notable influence on the spiritual life of the Church.