“May the Sacred Heart of Jesus be Loved Everywhere!” This is the universal motto of the Missionary Sisters of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus -- the motive of their worldwide missionary endeavors.

Shortly more than four score years ago, Father Jules Chevalier, M.S.C., was invited by Pope Leo XIII to send his priests to the missionary territory of New France and New Guinea. At this time New France was an island of 300 Cannibal Kings who “lived to feast on long pig cooked in a grave of red hot coals,” but from a pirate ship this island had appeared to be a tropical paradise. In reality it proved to be a veritable graveyard for its first unfortunate French settlers. Its beautiful green foliage was a media for virulent malaria, volcanic disturbances were frequent, the rains came for eight months of each year, and the fierce, cunning natives received the white settlers with a hungry joy. These head hunters worshipped idols, practiced sorcery and magic, and were avid believers in spiritism.

Father Chevalier’s missionaries departed from Barcelona, Spain the same year they were invited, in the fall of 1881. Their venture was a very dangerous one. Hardship and sacrifice was their daily fare. Danger, sickness, strenuous work, and poverty were part and parcel of their pioneer existence. They would have found it hard to believe that in 75 years the Catholic Mission of New Britain would include over 81,000 Catholics, 70 priests, 54 brothers, and 154 sisters. Such was the reward God chose to bestow upon their valiant endeavors.

In 1899 the Very Reverend Hubert Linckens, M.S.C., was inspired to found a missionary order of sisters who would care for the bodily needs of the natives, thereby enabling the fathers to devote more time to souls. Thus was born in 1900 the Congregation of the Missionary Sisters of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. Founded specifically for activity in pagan lands, they were also to assist in every way possible in work for the salvation of souls -- educating and instructing the young, caring for the sick and destitute, both at home and in the missions.

In 1902 four Sisters set sail for the Marshall Islands and three months later seven for the pagan soil of New Britain. They were the pioneer members of this new Congregation -- the mustard seed that would soon spring up to be a vital missionary congregation dedicated to spreading the knowledge and love of Christ to all peoples.

But in keeping with the paradox of Christ and all that is of Christ, the tree had to be pruned before it could grow. Five of these zealous sisters were slain by hostile natives on August 13, 1904, in Baining. Consecrated with the blood of martyrs, the tree grew rapidly and its branches extended one by one to the islands of Liber, Tonga, New Ireland, New Britain, the Leper Colony of Analaua, then to Europe, South America, Africa, Australia, China, the United States, Italy, Spain, and soon, God willing, Korea.

The M.S.C. Sisters came to the United States in 1908 while this country was still considered mission territory. They came to answer the need for teachers in Pennsylvania, to educate “young America for God and country.” Then gradually were added the activities of nursing the sick, catechetical work, care of orphans and the aged, domestic arts, and a large scope of other activities all embraced courageously regardless of sacrifice endeavoring to conquer the world for Christ.

Their first Southern venture came in answer to the request of the Most Reverend Archbishop Gerald O’Hara in 1938. Their “mission” was a vacant 45-bed hospital in Athens, Georgia. Although 98% of its patients are non-Catholic, St. Mary’s Hospital has become a tradition of dedicated service to the people of Athens. Its capacity has increased to 100 beds and its staff to 16 Missionary Sisters. Construction is now underway for a new and modern St. Mary’s at another site in the city of Athens.

After ten years of serving Christ in the suffering, the hospital sisters were joined by four teaching sisters who arrived to instruct the young Catholics of the area and bring into existence St. Joseph’s parochial school. The kindergarten and elementary school enrollment is now over 250 pupils who are taught by seven sisters and two lay teachers. The sisters also conduct catechetical classes in Monroe, Hartwell, Gainesville, and Elberton.

As teachers, the Missionary Sisters have a sublime vocation with the desire to develop good citizens and loyal Catholics.

Their activities have been carried on with success in the Archdiocese of Atlanta, Cincinnati, Philadelphia, Allentown, New York, and the dioceses of Columbus, Peoria, Rockford, Toledo, and Wheeling.

They look with pride upon their fully accredited School of Nursing at Sacred Heart Hospital, Allentown, and their School of Practical Nursing at Sacred Heart Hospital, Norristown, Pennsylvania. In their various hospitals and health resorts they have been serving Christ in His Suffering for many years.

Homeless boys and girls are cared for with great love and devotion at the Sacred Heart Home in Coopersburg, Pennsylvania which has been under the care of the M.S.C. Sisters since 1938.

The old folks are also provided for in their homes for the aged where the sisters bring sunshine and happiness to the receding years of their guests.

The training center or novitiate for young women aspiring to the vocation of Missionaries of the Sacred Heart is located at the Provincial Motherhouse in Reading, Pennsylvania. Four hundred of the total 3,000 members labor in the home missions of the U.S.

The novitiate accepts qualified applicants between 16 and 30 years of age who are animated by a sincere desire to dedicate their lives to the service of the Sacred Heart. There is addition to this aspirancy conducted for young girls who intend to join the order that after graduation from Mount St. Michael’s High School, located on the same premises.

The Congregation is grateful to God for its many successful activities both here and in the foreign missions. Please pray that God will continue to bless their missionary activities in this archdiocese and the world so they may fulfill their ideal of bringing the love of Christ to the world and the world to the loving Christ!