In the very place where Saint Margaret Mary received the revelations of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Father Richard McNally sscc highlighted the relevance and vitality of the mission of Father Mateo Crawley-Boevey (1875–1960), apostle of the Enthronement of the Sacred Heart in families, during a conference entitled “The Enthronement of the Sacred Heart in Families as the Life Mission of Father Mateo.”
The gathering, held as part of an international colloquium, emphasized how the message of Paray-le-Monial profoundly shaped the vocation of the young Chilean priest, who understood his life as a response to Christ’s call to reign in homes.
“Devotion to the Sacred Heart,” said McNally, “was for him a driving force of love that transformed personal, family, and social life.”
From social crisis to family apostolate
At the beginning of the 20th century, Father Mateo perceived the effects of secularism on family and marriage. Faced with a society seeking to “free the family from the tyranny of the Church,” he devised an evangelizing response: the Enthronement of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in the home—a symbolic and spiritual act proclaiming Christ as King of Love in everyday family life.
As McNally explained, “It was not merely about placing an image in the home, but about committing to a deeper Christian life, united with the Eucharist and marked by reparation, prayer, and active love.”
A work of social redemption
Father Mateo conceived his apostolate as an organized and collaborative work involving lay people, religious, and priests. He promoted offices in numerous countries and formed ‘Apostles of the Sacred Heart’—men and women convinced that the transformation of the world begins at home.
“It was a true grassroots evangelization,” McNally emphasized, “family by family, heart by heart.”
Throughout his life, Father Mateo traveled across five continents, passionately preaching the message of the King of Love. In Asia, Europe, and the Americas, his mission inspired millions of enthronements and sparked a spiritual renewal centered on the love of Christ.
The relevance of his message
In the final part of his talk, Father McNally reflected on the enduring relevance of Mateo Crawley-Boevey’s message in the face of today’s challenges: the fragility of families, confusion about their meaning, and religious indifference.
“In a world where the family is disintegrating and Christ is being relativized, we must rediscover His kingship as a source of love and unity,” he affirmed.
He urged the continuation of Father Mateo’s mission “with the same zeal and creativity,” adapting it to modern realities and working alongside lay people.
“His purpose remains ours: that every family invite Jesus, the King of Love, into their home and let Him reign in their lives.”
A message that never ages
Father McNally concluded by recalling the phrase that inspired Father Mateo Crawley-Boevey’s entire life:
“My only desire is to be a saint and to make known and love to the death the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary.”
From Paray-le-Monial, that message still resounds with the same strength: the reign of Christ begins in the heart of every family.
11/15/2025