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The Society was founded in Paris in 1800, just a few years after the French Revolution. Our foundress, Madeleine Sophie Barat came from a small town called Joigny, and you can read about her life and origins below. The Society came to England in 1842. Over the decades various communities have opened and closed, but we have maintained a longstanding presence in a few places, and their stories are recounted here.
On the 21st November 1800, in Paris, Madeleine Sophie and her companions made their first vows, and the Society of the Sacred Heart was born.
Madeleine Sophie was driven by two deep desires: to make known the love of Jesus, and to help the society of her day to heal in the aftermath of war and revolution, especially through the education of girls.
In her lifetime, the Society of the Sacred Heart would spread across Europe, reaching North Africa and North & South America.
On the 21st November 1800, in Paris, Madeleine Sophie and her companions made their first vows, and the Society of the Sacred Heart was born.
Madeleine Sophie was driven by two deep desires: to make known the love of Jesus, and to help the society of her day to heal in the aftermath of war and revolution, especially through the education of girls.
In her lifetime, the Society of the Sacred Heart would spread across Europe, reaching North Africa and North & South America.
Born in 1769 in Grenoble, France, Rose Philippine Duchesne joined a Visitation monastery when she was 19, but had to return home when it was disbanded during the French Revolution.
In 1804, she joined the Society of the Sacred Heart.
Philippine felt called to bring the love of the Heart of Jesus to distant lands, and after years of hoping, her wish was granted: she would go on mission to America. She went on to begin the first community of the Sacred Heart on the American continent, in what was then the pioneer territory of the southern states.
Philippine laboured ceaselessly and her example attracted other women. Some years before she died, already in frail health, Philippine lived for a year with a native American tribe called the Potowatomi, who called her ‘the woman who prays always'. She died in 1852 and was made a saint of the Catholic Church in 1988.
Born in 1769 in Grenoble, France, Rose Philippine Duchesne joined a Visitation monastery when she was 19, but had to return home when it was disbanded during the French Revolution.
In 1804, she joined the Society of the Sacred Heart.
Philippine felt called to bring the love of the Heart of Jesus to distant lands, and after years of hoping, her wish was granted: she would go on mission to America. She went on to begin the first community of the Sacred Heart on the American continent, in what was then the pioneer territory of the southern states.
Philippine laboured ceaselessly and her example attracted other women. Some years before she died, already in frail health, Philippine lived for a year with a native American tribe called the Potowatomi, who called her ‘the woman who prays always'. She died in 1852 and was made a saint of the Catholic Church in 1988.
On December 8th 1842, six sisters and two students arrived at Berrymead Priory, Acton.
Madeleine Sophie Barat had been clear that the sisters needed to be in both England and Ireland. She was getting requests for foundations in countries where speaking English was essential but most of all she desired to make the devotion to the Heart of Jesus known in this country.
Eight years later, the sisters moved to a new building in Elm Grove in Roehampton, a village just outside London. The sisters took possession of this new property and, all this time later, Roehampton is still home to Digby Stuart College, Sacred Heart Primary School, Duchesne House, alongside other sisters of The Society of The Sacred Heart.
On December 8th 1842, six sisters and two students arrived at Berrymead Priory, Acton.
Madeleine Sophie Barat had been clear that the sisters needed to be in both England and Ireland. She was getting requests for foundations in countries where speaking English was essential but most of all she desired to make the devotion to the Heart of Jesus known in this country.
Eight years later, the sisters moved to a new building in Elm Grove in Roehampton, a village just outside London. The sisters took possession of this new property and, all this time later, Roehampton is still home to Digby Stuart College, Sacred Heart Primary School, Duchesne House, alongside other sisters of The Society of The Sacred Heart.
Born in 1857 in Cottesmore, England, Janet Erskine Stuart was raised in a devout Anglican family. Her interest in philosophy led to her conversion to Catholicism at the age of 21, a courageous decision as at this time Catholics were still viewed with suspicion in England. Her father, an Anglican minister, could not allow her to remain at home.
In 1882, Janet joined the Society of the Sacred Heart at Roehampton.
By 1911, she had been elected Superior General of the Society of the Sacred Heart and left Roehampton to live in the Mother House in Brussels until the outbreak of war in 1914. She worked hard to improve Catholic secondary education for girls and young women in Sacred Heart schools and colleges across the world. Her spirituality also affected many that she ministered to, and she continues to guide many through her posthumously published works.
Janet died on October 21st 1914 and is buried in the Sacred Heart chapel at Roehampton.
Born in 1857 in Cottesmore, England, Janet Erskine Stuart was raised in a devout Anglican family. Her interest in philosophy led to her conversion to Catholicism at the age of 21, a courageous decision as at this time Catholics were still viewed with suspicion in England. Her father, an Anglican minister, could not allow her to remain at home.
In 1882, Janet joined the Society of the Sacred Heart at Roehampton.
By 1911, she had been elected Superior General of the Society of the Sacred Heart and left Roehampton to live in the Mother House in Brussels until the outbreak of war in 1914. She worked hard to improve Catholic secondary education for girls and young women in Sacred Heart schools and colleges across the world. Her spirituality also affected many that she ministered to, and she continues to guide many through her posthumously published works.
Janet died on October 21st 1914 and is buried in the Sacred Heart chapel at Roehampton.
The twentieth century brought two wars and great social change. During World War II, the school at Roehampton was evacuated and then moved to Woldingham in 1946.
However, this century also saw much growth for the sisters in Britain, as new schools were founded in Newcastle (1905) and Tunbridge Wells (1915) along with another teacher training college, St Mary’s Fenham (1905). Outside of teaching ventures, a house for student accommodation was opened in Oxford (1929) which provided housing for several generations of students, and a retreat centre was opened in Llannerchwen, near Brecon in Wales (1979).
All of this growth was made possible by the grace of God and the openness of remarkable women with a huge range of gifts. Rose Thunder welcomed refugees from war-torn Europe, Constance Perry oversaw the opening of the house in Oxford, and Winifrede Archer-Shee coped with the traumas of World War II, evacuation on a vast scale, and the bombing of Roehampton.
The twentieth century brought two wars and great social change. During World War II, the school at Roehampton was evacuated and then moved to Woldingham in 1946.
However, this century also saw much growth for the sisters in Britain, as new schools were founded in Newcastle (1905) and Tunbridge Wells (1915) along with another teacher training college, St Mary’s Fenham (1905). Outside of teaching ventures, a house for student accommodation was opened in Oxford (1929) which provided housing for several generations of students, and a retreat centre was opened in Llannerchwen, near Brecon in Wales (1979).
All of this growth was made possible by the grace of God and the openness of remarkable women with a huge range of gifts. Rose Thunder welcomed refugees from war-torn Europe, Constance Perry oversaw the opening of the house in Oxford, and Winifrede Archer-Shee coped with the traumas of World War II, evacuation on a vast scale, and the bombing of Roehampton.
Following the Second Vatican Council, a council of the whole Roman Catholic Church that took place in Rome between 1962 and 1965, the sisters turned to new ways of bringing the Heart of Jesus into people’s lives.
Some sisters began ministering to marginalised groups, such as migrants, asylum seekers, and those in hospital. Others began offering spiritual direction and counselling or working as chaplains. Smaller communities in more ordinary houses replaced the larger, institutional houses, which enabled sisters to live more closely among the people they served.
In this time, English sisters also went on mission further afield, in Korea, Uganda-Kenya, India, Egypt, and Indonesia.
Even with moving to smaller communities and different types of work, the Society of the Sacred heart remained contemplative and apostolic, always aware of the constant call to reveal the love of the Heart of Jesus to others.
Following the Second Vatican Council, a council of the whole Roman Catholic Church that took place in Rome between 1962 and 1965, the sisters turned to new ways of bringing the Heart of Jesus into people’s lives.
Some sisters began ministering to marginalised groups, such as migrants, asylum seekers, and those in hospital. Others began offering spiritual direction and counselling or working as chaplains. Smaller communities in more ordinary houses replaced the larger, institutional houses, which enabled sisters to live more closely among the people they served.
In this time, English sisters also went on mission further afield, in Korea, Uganda-Kenya, India, Egypt, and Indonesia.
Even with moving to smaller communities and different types of work, the Society of the Sacred heart remained contemplative and apostolic, always aware of the constant call to reveal the love of the Heart of Jesus to others.