Catholic Dictionary
Find accurate definitions of over 5,000 Catholic terms and phrases (including abbreviations). Based on Fr. John Hardon's Modern Catholic Dictionary, © Eternal Life. Used with permission.
Your Term:
NINE OFFICES
A form of devotion to the Sacred Heart, originating with St. Margaret Mary Alacoque (1647-90). According to her, the Sacred Heart desire "a special union and devotion to the holy angels, who are chosen to love, honor and praise the Sacred Heart in the divine sacrament of live, so that they who are in His divine presence would love Him for us and for all those who do not love Him, and also to make up for the irreverences we commit in His holy presence." The method suggested by Margaret Mary is to take one office of special prayers for a month for nine successive months, whether assigned or chosen individually. Others prefer to take a different office each day or each week. Each office is then directed to one of the nine choirs of angels.
