Poke around in any average Catholic household and you’re bound to run across something related to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Be it a picture, a holy card, a medal, or some other devotional item, the image of the Sacred Heart is pretty much ubiquitous in Catholicism. But how many of us have taken the time to investigate where the image originated? Better yet, how many have taken the time to contemplate what the image means, both in its intention and to each of us on a personal level? These are some of the questions explored by Sacred Heart: His Reign Has No End, the new docudrama which recently caused a stir in France.
Now, why would a film about a centuries-old Christian devotion cause a stir? Well, it seems to be for no other reason than it is so undeniably Christian. Less than a week prior to the film’s release in France, Mediatransports, the advertising arm of the country’s national rail and public transport systems, refused to allow advertisements for the movie to be displayed in its stations. Apparently it was felt the “denominational and proselyte character” of the film’s content was incompatible with France’s tradition of neutral secularism. The mayor of Marseille apparently agreed with this viewpoint, canceling a sold-out screening of the movie one hour before it was to start. Needless to say, those who favor freedom of religious expression took issue, claiming the film was being suppressed so as not to upset a certain segment of the population. However, despite any efforts to bury the film, Sacred Heart went on to sell over half a million tickets, becoming one of France’s top box office draws for 2025. It’s also said to have brought about numerous conversions to the faith.
And now it’s coming to the United States. So, what can audiences expect from the controversial film? Probably not much controversy at all, as anti-Christian sentiment in the U.S. doesn’t yet hold as much sway as it does in some European countries. What they will find instead is a bit of history, some explorations of the teachings of Christ, and personal testimonies on the effectiveness of devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
For those unfamiliar with the origins of the Sacred Heart image and devotion, the movie provides plenty of backstory through reenactments of incidents in the life of St. Marguerite-Marie (Margaret Mary) Alacoque. The young nun had only been a member of the Visitation Sisters— a contemplative order founded by St Francis de Sales and St Jane de Chantal— for a few years when she began to experience apparitions of Jesus. In these visions, the Lord expressed His sadness over the tepid faith of most Christians. At one point, Christ opened His robe and exposed His heart, a reminder that He had been fully human, exclaiming, “I come into the heart I have given you in order that through your fervor you may atone for the offenses which I have received from lukewarm and slothful hearts that dishonor me in the Blessed Sacrament.” From this, came the oh-so-recognizable image of Jesus, his heart exposed and shining with divine light.
As interesting as these reenactments are, though, it is the testimonies from the likes of musicians, college students, those suffering afflictions, and even reformed criminals that make up the heart, so to speak, of the movie. It’s through them the personal impact of following the devotion is revealed. There’s a reason the Sacred Heart of Jesus is one of the most important and popular devotions in the Catholic Church, and watching these varied individuals relate their experiences goes a long way to explaining what it is. As one interviewee puts it, “To set the world on fire you must have caught fire first.” For those open to it, the Sacred Heart can light that fire. Will this movie help ignite that spark in the United States the way it did in France? One can hope.
Sacred Heart: His Reign Has No End is in theaters on June 9, 11 and 14, and June 10 in Spanish -- just in time for the consecration of the United States to the Sacred Heart of Jesus by the U.S. bishops. Get tickets here.
