Editing Pope Leo XIII (section)

====Consecration of the world to the Sacred Heart====
[[File:Maria Droste zu Vischering.jpg|thumb|right|200px|The Blessed [[Mary of the Divine Heart|Sister Mary of the Divine Heart]] was a [[Religious sister (Catholic)|religious sister]] from the [[Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd]] who requested Pope Leo XIII to consecrate the entire world to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.<ref>{{Citation |last=Chasle |first=Louis |title=Sister Mary of the Divine Heart, Droste zu Vischering, religious of the Good Shepherd, 1863–1899 |publisher=Burns & Oates |place=London |year=1906}}.</ref>]]
Leo entered new theological territory in consecrating the world to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. After he had received many letters from Sister [[Mary of the Divine Heart]], the countess of [[Droste zu Vischering]] and [[wikt:Special:Search/mother superior|Mother Superior]] in the Convent of the [[Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd|Good Shepherd Sisters]] in [[Porto]], Portugal, asking him to consecrate the entire world to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, he commissioned a group of theologians to examine the petition on the basis of revelation and sacred tradition. The outcome of this investigation was positive and so in the encyclical letter ''[[Annum sacrum]]'' (on 25 May 1899), he decreed that the consecration of the entire human race to the Sacred Heart of Jesus should take place on 11 June 1899.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Annum Sacrum (May 25, 1899) {{!}} LEO XIII |url=https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiii/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_l-xiii_enc_25051899_annum-sacrum.html |access-date=2025-05-08 |website=www.vatican.va}}</ref>

The encyclical letter also encouraged the entire Catholic episcopate to promote the [[First Friday Devotions]], established June as the Month of the Sacred Heart, and included the [[Prayer of Consecration to the Sacred Heart]].<ref>{{Citation |first=Ann |last=Ball |year=2003 |title=Encyclopedia of Catholic Devotions and Practices |isbn=978-0-87973-910-2 |page=166|publisher=Our Sunday Visitor }}.</ref>