Catholics across the country recently celebrated St. Claude's feast day. | Diocese of Joliet/Facebook

Catholic churches in Joliet, Illinois, celebrated the feast day that honors St. Claude de la Colombière, a French saint who helped establish devotion to the Sacred Heart. 

The Diocese of Joliet posted a brief message on social media, asking “St. Claude de la Colombière, pray for us.” 

De la Colombière was born in 1641 and entered a Jesuit novitiate when he was 17. After being ordained, he was the chair of rhetoric at the Collège de la Trinité at Lyon. Later he became the superior at the Jesuit college at Paray-le-Monial, where he met Margaret Mary and became her spiritual director, britannica.com research shows. 

St. Margaret Mary had been experiencing mystical visions and De la Colombière helped her interpret and validate those visions through his writings and testimony. That work helped turn the Sacred Heart, which refers to Jesus’ heart, into an important aspect of the Catholic devotion, britannica.com says. The Savior’s heart is often depicted as a radiant, wounded heart that is encircled by a crown of thorns.

St. Claude's feast day is celebrated on Feb. 15. He was canonized by Pope John Paul II in 1992, the Catholic Church says.