The First Friday devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus stems from Christ’s revelations to Saint Margaret Mary Alocoque, a 17th-century French nun of the Visitation Order. Jesus chose Saint Margaret Mary to receive the message that His burning love for humanity was not being reciprocated through faithful devotion. He said, “Behold this Heart, Which has loved men so much, that It has spared nothing, even to exhausting and consuming Itself, in order to testify to them Its love; and in return I receive from the greater number nothing but ingratitude by reason of their irreverence and sacrileges, and by the coldness and contempt which they show Me in this Sacrament of Love.”
Jesus then asked Saint Margaret Mary to establish special devotions, including the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart (June 12 this year), which is now celebrated on the Friday after Corpus Christi Sunday, and the devotion of the nine First Fridays.
About First Fridays, He said, “I promise you in the excessive Mercy of My Heart that My all-powerful Love will grant to all those who communicate on the First Friday in nine consecutive months the Grace of Final Penitence; they shall not die in My disgrace nor without receiving the Sacraments; My Divine Heart shall be their safe refuge in this last moment.”
There are three requirements for this devotion. First, one must receive Holy Communion on nine first Fridays. It is worth noting that The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that Holy Communion can be received only by those in the state of grace, so those who have committed mortal sin are required to go to confession prior to Communion (1415) at Mass, including First Friday Masses. Second, the nine first Fridays must be consecutive. Third, the first Fridays must be made in honor of and in reparation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Parishes sometimes offer special Masses on the first Friday of a month, dedicated to the Sacred Heart, but Catholics can also attend a daily Mass on the first Friday of a month with the intention of participating in this devotion.
The fruit of this devotion is to receive an abundance of Christ’s love during this life, at the moment of death and for eternity. Like all authentic devotions, this is not an arbitrary or magical formula to obtain God’s favor. Rather, it encourages us to sincerely embrace Him in prayer and the sacraments, particularly the Holy Eucharist.
Special observances on Fridays, the day on which Jesus died on the Cross, and Sundays, the day on which He rose from the dead, pull us into the Paschal Mystery on a weekly basis. On Fridays, we meditate on Christ’s total gift of self—how He laid down His life in obedience to the Father and for love of us. The First Friday devotion is one of many ways to participate in this mystery. We can also engage it by offering some form of penance, such as fasting or abstaining from meat or another pleasure. On Sunday, we embrace the Resurrection by participating in Mass, where we encounter Christ alive in the Eucharist, the Bible, the priest and the congregation. We also rest from servile labor and spend time with those we love, touching that wholeness that flows from the gift of salvation.
Through Saint Margaret Mary Alocoque, Jesus showed how much he wants us to receive the love of His heart and how much He wants us to offer our love back to Him. How we devote ourselves on Fridays (and Sundays) can be a real-life encounter with this love.
Friday Masses at Parishes Across the Diocese
Ashtabula County
Our Lady of Peace Parish,
Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church
1200 East 21st Street, Ashtabula
Fridays at 8 a.m.
440-992-0330
www.OLOPAsh.org
St. Andrew Bobola Parish
3700 State Route 193, Kingsville
Fridays at 9 a.m.
440-224-0987
www.DOY.org
Sacred Heart Church,
St. Margaret Mary Alacoque Parish
3049 State Route 45, Rock Creek
Fridays at noon, except for on June 12, when a special Mass for the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart will be celebrated at 5 p.m.
440-563-3010
www.StMargaretMaryAlacoque.org
Columbiana County
St. Aloysius Church,
Holy Trinity Parish
235 West 5th Street, East Liverpool
Fridays at 9 a.m.
330-385-7131
www.HolyTrinityELO.org
St. Jude Church,
St. Carlo Acutis Parish
180 7th Street, Columbiana
Fridays at 8:30 a.m.
330-482-2351 www.StCAParish.org
Mahoning County
Holy Family Parish
2729 Center Road, Poland
Fridays at 7 a.m.
330-757-1545
www.HolyFamilyPoland.org
Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, St. Blaise Parish
4490 Norquest Boulevard, Austintown
Fridays at 9 a.m.
330-793-9988
www.StBlaiseAustintown.org
Our Lady of Mount Carmel Basilica
343 Via Mount Carmel Avenue, Youngstown
Fridays at 8:30 a.m.
330-743-4144
www.OLMCSTA.com
St. Ann Parish
323 South 15th Street, Sebring
First Fridays at 8:30 a.m. (other Fridays are at 830 a.m. at St. Joseph Parish in Maximo)
330-938-2033
www.StAnnChurchSebring.org
St. Christine Church,
St. Mary Magdalene Parish
3165 South Schenley Avenue, Youngstown
Fridays at 8:30 a.m.
330-792-3829 www.StMaryMagdaleneYoungstown.org
St. Columba Cathedral
159 West Rayen Avenue, Youngstown
Fridays at 12:10 p.m.
330-744-5233
www.StColumbaCathedral.org
St. Dominic Parish
77 East Lucius Avenue, Youngstown
Fridays at 8 a.m. & noon.
330-783-1900 x201
www.SaintDominic.org
St. John the Baptist Church,
Christ the Good Shepherd Parish
159 Reed Avenue, Campbell
Fridays at 8:30 a.m.
330-743-2955 www.DOY.org
St. Luke Church,
St. Catherine of Siena Parish
5235 South Avenue, Boardman
Fridays at 8:30 a.m.
330-758-2325
www.StCatherineParishBoardman.org
St. Paul the Apostle Parish
10143 Main Street, New Middletown
Fridays at 8 a.m.
330-542-3466
www.StPaulNewMiddletown.org
Portage County
Immaculate Conception Parish
409 West Main Street, Ravenna
Fridays at 8 a.m., until July 1, when the schedule may change. Call the parish for more info.
330-296-6434
www.ICParishRavenna.org
St. Joseph Parish
11045 Saint Joseph Boulevard, Mantua
Fridays at 9 a.m.
330-274-2253
www.StJosephMantua.com
Stark County
Little Flower Parish
2040 Diamond Street Northeast, Canton
Fridays at 8 a.m.
330-494-2759
www.LittleFlowerParish.com
St. Anthony Church,
St. Francis of Assisi Parish
1530 11th Street Southeast, Canton
Fridays at 8:30 a.m.
330-452-9539
www.StFrancisOfAssisiParish.com
St. James Parish
400 West Lisbon Street, Waynesburg
Fridays at 9:30 a.m.
330-866-9449
www.DOY.org
St. Joan of Arc Church,
Guardian Angels Parish
4940 Tuscarawas Street West, Canton
Fridays at 8:15 a.m.
330-477-6796
www.GACanton.org
St. Joseph Church
Divine Mercy Parish
322 Third Street Southeast, Massillon
Fridays at 9 a.m.
330-833-6898 www.DivineMercyMassillon.org
St. Michael the Archangel Parish
3430 Saint Michaels Boulevard, Canton
Fridays at 6:45 a.m.
330-492-3119
www.StMichaelCanton.org
St. Paul Parish
241 South Main Street, North Canton
Fridays at 7:15 a.m. and First Friday holy hours at 7 p.m. The parish will have a special 7 p.m. Mass on Friday, June 12, for the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart.
330-499-2201
www.StPaulNCanton.org
St. Peter Church,
The Basilica of St. John the Baptist and St. Peter Parish
726 Cleveland Avenue Northwest, Canton
Fridays at 8:30 a.m. during the school year.
330-453-8493
www.StJohnCanton.com
SS. Philip & James Parish
412 High Street Northeast, Canal Fulton
Fridays at 8:30 a.m.
330-854-2332
www.SPJCanalFulton.com
Trumbull County
Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church
St. Pope John XXIII Parish
381 Robbins Avenue, Niles
Fridays at 8:30 a.m.
330-652-5825
www.SaintPopeJohnXXIIINiles.com
Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church,
Queen of Heaven Parish
618 Ohio Avenue, McDonald
Fridays at 8:30 a.m.
330-530-1111
www.DOY.org
Queen of the Holy Rosary Parish
291 Scoville Drive, Vienna
Fridays at 8 a.m. & 6 p.m.
330-856-4204
www.QHRparish.com
St. Patrick Church
Our Lady of Hope Parish
6367 State Route 87, Kinsman
First two Fridays of the month at 9:30 a.m. (the other Fridays are at Our Lady of Victory Church in Andover at 9:30 a.m.)
440-293-6218 www.AndoverKinsmanParishes.org
St. Mary Church
St. Teresa of Calcutta Parish
232 Seneca Avenue Northeast, Warren
Fridays at 12:05 p.m., followed by Adoration. Padre Pio Prayer Group is on First Fridays at 11 a.m.
330-393-8721
www.WarrenCatholic.org
St. Rose Parish
48 East Main Street, Girard
Fridays at 8:30 a.m.
330-545-4351
www.StRoseGirard.com
St. Thomas the Apostle Parish
4452 Warren-Sharon Road, Vienna
Fridays at 8:30 a.m.
330-394-2461
www.TheApostleThomas.com
