In the spiritual heart of Paray-le-Monial, cradle of devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Postulator General of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts, Father Andrzej Lukawski, delivered on November 15 a historic conference recalling the life and legacy of Father Mateo Crawley-Boevey (1875–1960), tireless apostle of Divine Love and founder of the Work of the Enthronement of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Families.
The occasion could not have been more meaningful: the 150th anniversary of his birth, coupled with the announcement of the opening of his beatification process, recently authorized by the 40th General Chapter of the Congregation.
“We gather in this holy place to honor the memory of one of the great apostles of the Sacred Heart of the 20th century,” said Fr. Lukawski. “It was here, in Paray-le-Monial, that in 1907 Father Mateo received the grace that would mark his entire life: the mission to renew the world through the sanctification of families.”
A missionary between two continents
Born in Tingo (Arequipa, Peru) on November 18, 1875, Mateo Crawley-Boevey grew up in a family deeply rooted in faith. His Peruvian mother, María Murga, was devoutly religious, while his father, Charles Octave, of English origin, later converted to Catholicism. At fifteen, he entered the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts in Valparaíso, Chile, and was ordained a priest in 1898.
From his early years as a religious, young Mateo felt called to bring the Gospel into the very heart of family life. Inspired by a painting of the Sacred Heart — the same one used by Ecuadorian President García Moreno in the 1874 consecration of his nation — he understood that his mission was to transform society by starting with the Christian home.
His pastoral work in Chile brought him close to families, young people, and communities, awakening in him a deep conviction: the family must be the first altar of Christ’s love. During the devastating 1906 earthquake, his tireless aid to victims cost him his health, leading him to Europe to recover — a journey that would change his life and modern spirituality forever.
An experience that defined his destiny
In 1907, after being received by Pope Pius X, who told him, “I do not permit you to dedicate yourself to this work; I command you to do so,” Father Mateo traveled to Paray-le-Monial. There, in the Chapel of the Apparitions, where Jesus revealed His Heart to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, he experienced a physical and spiritual healing that confirmed his vocation. From that moment, he dedicated himself entirely to enthroning the Sacred Heart in families, making every home a small sanctuary of love and reparation.
He returned to Chile and began a spiritual crusade that soon spread across Latin America and Europe. With his simple yet passionate preaching, he attracted crowds everywhere. “He spoke from the heart, and his faith ignited others,” recalled Pope Pius XI, who called him “the flying missionary of the King of Love.”
Between opposition and recognition
Not all was easy. His proposal — a public family commitment to the Heart of Jesus — met both enthusiasm and skepticism. In Spain and France, he faced restrictions and prohibitions, which he bore with humility. Finally, Pope Benedict XV, in 1915, officially approved the theological legitimacy of the Enthronement in the Acta Apostolicae Sedis, calling it “a work of social salvation.”
From then on, Father Mateo became a true ambassador of Divine Love. He preached in more than 22 countries, spoke six languages, and spread his message even to nations he never visited. His best-known work, Jesus, King of Love, along with The Holy Hour and Rosary Meditations, continues to inspire millions of faithful to this day.
An tireless apostle to the end
Toward the end of his life, Father Mateo focused his ministry on the sanctification of priests, convinced that only priests deeply in love with the Heart of Christ could renew the Church. “Without holy priests,” he wrote, “there can be no holy homes.” His final years were devoted to preaching retreats for thousands of priests, summarizing his message in one word: Diliges — “You shall love.”
After decades of preaching, travel, and suffering, his body could endure no more. He died in Valparaíso, Chile, on May 4, 1960, saying with joy: “I offer everything for the glory of the Sacred Hearts.” His remains rest beneath the altar of the Sacred Heart in the church he loved most.
On the path to the altars
According to Fr. Lukawski, “Father Mateo’s figure deserves to be rediscovered by the Church of the 21st century.” His life was a continual offering of divine love — a “vocation within a vocation” uniting mysticism, family, and universal mission.
The decision to begin his beatification cause is not only a recognition of his work but also a call to continue his legacy: to make the Heart of Jesus the living center of every Christian home and community.
“His reputation for holiness,” concluded Fr. Lukawski, “remains alive in the hearts of countless believers. Time will tell if the Church raises him to the altars, but many already venerate him as a guide and friend on the path of love and faith.”
11/15/2025