Holy Heart of Mary, Servants of the
HOLY HEART OF MARY, SERVANTS OF THE
(SSCM, Official Catholic Directory #3520), a religious community of women that began in the middle of the 19th century when François Delaplace, a Holy Ghost Father, sought to gather abandoned children from the streets of Paris. In 1860 Jeanne Marie Moysan undertook to share his apostolate by directing an orphanage. After two years' preparation, she and others who followed her made private vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. From this initial group the congregation gradually developed. The orphanage was only the first step in Delaplace's life work, namely, the founding and directing of a religious congregation that became engaged in various apostolic works in France and elsewhere. The community received final approval from the Holy See in 1932.
In 1889, at the invitation of the viatorians, the sisters came to the United States to serve at St. Viator College, Bourbonnais, Illinois. Charged with the infirmary and supervision of meal preparation, laundry, and linen rooms, the sisters thus participated in the work of the Viatorian Fathers until their college closed in 1938. Members of the congregation are engaged in teaching in elementary and secondary schools, in nursing and nursing education, in parish ministries, and in social work. The general motherhouse is in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The United States provincialate is in Kankakee, Illinois.
[m. a. doheny/eds.]