A Religious of the Sacred Heart

The Society of the Sacred Heart (Societas Sacratissimi Cordis Iesu) is a Roman Catholic religious congregation founded in France in 1800 by Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat. Its foundation came in the wake of the French Revolution, a time when the Church was sorely persecuted and Catholic education had nearly collapsed. In response to this devastation, Mother Barat established the Society with a special mission: to glorify the Sacred Heart of Jesus through the sanctification of its members and the Christian formation of young women, especially through education.

The members of the Society, commonly known as Religious of the Sacred Heart (R.S.C.J.), take the traditional vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, and dedicate themselves to a life of prayer, teaching, and spiritual formation. The love of the Sacred Heart, understood as the symbol of Our Lord’s infinite charity and mercy, lies at the heart of their spirituality. Their daily lives are marked by Eucharistic devotion, interior silence, and zeal for the salvation of souls.

When a work is authored by “A Religious of the Sacred Heart,” it is usually penned by an anonymous sister of this congregation, writing not for personal recognition but as an act of service to God and the Church. Such works are often intended for the instruction of youth, the sanctification of the family, or the deepening of devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. They are characterized by doctrinal soundness, simplicity of expression, and a deep supernatural spirit rooted in fidelity to the Magisterium and love for the interior life.