Our History
Established in 1878 by the Venerable Leo John Dehon, SCJ, our religious community is committed to continuing Christ’s work of rebuilding our world into God’s kingdom of justice and love. We are pastors in urban and rural parishes, involved in teaching, counseling, chaplaincies and works of social justice.
1878
1878
Founded by Fr. Leo John
Dehon in St. Quentin, France
1888
1888
First SCJ foreign mission established in Ecuador, followed by missions in Brazil and Congo within the next decade.1923
1923
Ministry in the USA begins in a mission among Native Americans in Lower Brule, South Dakota.1929
1929
Monastery for first American SCJ seminarians opens in Hales Corners, Wisconsin.1933
1933
US Province of the Priests of the Sacred Heart established with headquarters in Wisconsin.1964
1964
29 members of the SCJ congregation, including a bishop, murdered in a bloody rebellion in Congo.1968
1968
The new Sacred Heart Monastery/Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology Campus is dedicated in Hales Corners (Milwaukee), WI2011
2011
The SCJ wing of Sacred Heart at Monastery Lake opens. In 2012, public apartments are opened for rental to those 55 and above.2013
2013
SCJs inaugurate District of Vietnam, bringing global presence to 41 countries on five continents.
2022
2022
Fr. Vien Nguyen, SCJ, is elected as the 16th provincial superior of the U.S. Province.We are full of gratitude to benefactors like you for allowing us to continue to change people’s lives.
