APOSTOLATO DELLA PREGHIERA. – An association of a religious character, 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 his care at the college of Vals-les-Bains (France) to join together in a league of prayer for the salvation of souls. The idea soon spread beyond the religious house at Vals; in 1846 Fr. Gautrelet expounded it in a pamphlet of propaganda, which was received enthusiastically by the bishops; in 1849 the A. d. p. was enriched with indulgences by Pius IX, and from then began that rapid and grandiose diffusion throughout the world which
today brings the number of associates to more than 35 million, distributed among approximately 135,000 centers. The powerful organizer of the work was the Jesuit Henri Ramière, who in 1860 became its general director and in 1861 founded the Messager du Sacré-Coeur, the association’s official organ; at his desire, two other similar associations were absorbed into the A. d. p. (also called the Pia Lega del Sacro Cuore): La pia società dell'Apostolato Cattolico, founded in Rome by the ven. 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 human beings 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, human beings are also united and mutually supportive. The power of the daily offering consists precisely in forming all Christian wills into a closely bound force, under the direction of the Supreme Pontiff. Many, many souls, sanctified by this doctrine, have imbued their lives with fervor and accepted trials in order to save humanity. Here lies the most effective remedy against modern materialism, which distorts consciences and attaches them to the earth.
Each year twelve general intentions and an equal number of 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, one decade of the Rosary each day to the Immaculate Heart of Mary is added; for the 3rd, reparation 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, reparation Communion, the personal consecration and consecration of families, the practice of the Holy Hour, and, in general, devotion to the Eucharist. It has also developed love for the Supreme Pontiff, for which very many Masses are celebrated at every hour of the day and in every part of the world.
The A. d. p. directs the following works: the Opera della consacrazione delle famiglie, the Leghe del Sacro Cuore (which lead adults to practice monthly Communion), the Crociata eucaristica dei fanciulli, the Cadetti and Cadette del Sacro Cuore, and 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 recent war caused about ten of them to be suspended; but they are now resuming publication). It also has 36 editions of monthly leaflets, 51 magazines of the Eucharistic Crusade, and a large number of other periodicals for the directors and members of the various sections.
The associates of the A. d. p. share 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 II. Pius XI said that all Catholics in the world should belong to it, and His Holiness Pius XII: «... we very willingly declare once again that it would be most gratifying to Us if all the faithful without exception gave their names to this sacred militia, thus far surpassing the nearly 35 million enrolled... Nor can this give rise in anyone to the suspicion of some sort of incursion by the A. d. p. into another’s field». (AAS., 40 [1948], p. 501).
The direction 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 he was in Toulouse. There are also 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 a monthly sheet setting out the intentions proposed by the Supreme Pontiff; the monthly meetings, or those held more frequently, keep alive the activity of the association, which has had and continues to have a notable influence on the spiritual life of the Church.
Item.: H. Ramière-C. Parra, L'Apostolat de la prière en union avec le Coeur de Jésus, 9ª ed., Tolosa 1933; C. Parra, s. V. in DSp., I, coll. 770-72.