Celebrating 200 years of the writing of the first Constitutions of the Society of the Sacred Heart – 1815-2015

  • Frontispice of the Constitutions of 1815

 

 

 

The first Constitutions of the Society of the Sacred Heart
were written by St. Madeleine Sophie and Father Joseph Varin, SJ
at his family estate of Chevroz (Doubs) France in the year 1814-1815.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
They were accepted on December 17, 1815 by the General Congregation of the Society meeting in Paris.   
 
             
                 
At the time, the name of the congregation was “Dames de l’instruction chrétienne” (Ladies of Christian Instruction), as the use of “Sacred Heart” was not allowed in France.

Final approval by the Church was granted by Pope Leo XII in 1826.

Margaret Phelan rscj
General Archivist