St. Margaret Mary Alacoque was a French nun and mystic, who promoted devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus in its modern form. She was born in France, the daughter of Claude and Philbert Lamyn Alacoque. Her father died when she was eight years old. She started her education at Poor Clare School. Later she was bedridden for fifteen years due to fever.
Mary had a devotion to divine grace from a very young age. Deciding not to marry, Mary became a member of the Visitation Convent at Paray- le- Monial in 1671. From the age of 20, Mary began to receive visions of Jesus. On December 27, 1673, for a year and a half, there was a continuum of revelations and visions in Mary’s life. Jesus told her that he had chosen Mary to spread piety. But most of her bosses disbelieved her revelations. But the confessor recorded that the revelations were accurate.
When Mother Melin was elected Superior in 1683, she made Mary Margaret as her assistant. She later became Novice Mistress. The monastery observed the Feast of the Sacred Heart privately in 1686. Two years later a chapel was built for the worship and reverence of the Sacred Heart. Gradually, the worship of the Sacred Heart began to spread throughout the Visitation Convents.
Mary Margaret died October 17, 1690. Margaret was canonized by the Church on 13 May 1920 by Pope Benedict XV. She is the patron saint of those who suffer with polio, devotees of the Sacred Heart, the one who lost their parents.