Excerpts From the Manual of the
Eucharistic Crusade of the Apostleship of Prayer

Educating the Youth to Live the Mass

(slightly edited by Fr. Boulet)

3. THE SERVICE OF CHRIST AND DEVOTION TO THE SACRED HEART

                Devotion to the Sacred Heart is the chief means to found and build up the spiritual life of the faithful and to renew the world in the love and law of Christ. This devotion is not just one of many which nourish the spiritual life of the Christian. Pope Pius XII taught that the merciful love of Our God and Saviour is the central mystery of our religion. Therefore, to instruct children in the exercise of this devotion means to teach them that form of piety towards Christ which corresponds to the needs of our modern times and which is given by Christ to His Church as remedy against those evils from which we suffer today. Besides, devotion to the Sacred Heart appeals to the character, generosity and affections of young people as long as this mystery of the love of Christ is rightly proposed.

FAMILIARITY WITH CHRIST

                The Norms mention familiarity with Christ as the special reason why the Crusade promotes this devotion to the Sacred Heart among children. It is a manifestation of our union of love with Him and the most precious foundation on which the whole of our spiritual life ought to be constructed and perfected.  This requires that we be joined to Him in intimate familiarity as with one of ourselves, that we converse with Him as with a friend, a benefactor, a mediator. On the other hand, it demands that this intimate and friendly converse be surrounded by the holy reverence due to God.  If then we wish to form children in this true and sincere familiarity with Christ, we must so instruct them that they believe in and honour Christ as both true God and true Man.

(To be continued)