Fr. Jules Chevalier, msc founded the Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart at Issoudun in France, on the 30th August, 1874. Basic to his charism was the awareness that the whole of creation is the gift of God's love, and that everything that exists is being sustained and cared for by God's tender compassionate care.

For Fr. Chevalier, the Heart of Christ was a true image of a God with a loving heart who calls people to have 'heart' for one another.

Jules Chevalier was born in Richelieu, France on 15th March, 1824. His parents were Jean-Charles and Louise Chevalier. They were not at all wealthy. In 1841, his father was recommended for the job of caretaker of a tract of forests, the administrator of which offered to pay for Jules' seminary training. Jules was much older than his classmates because of his late start, but he eventually finished his studies at the minor seminary and in 1846 he moved on to the major seminary in Bourges. This was quite close to the town of Issoudun which was to play a large role in our story.

Jules Chevalier was drawn to the love of Jesus' Heart during his seminary days, and he dreamed of a Religious Family - women and men who would take the Good News of God's love to one and all.

Fr. Chevalier loved Jesus' words:

I have come to cast fire upon the earth and how I wish it were blazing already.
[Luke 12:49]

He wanted to involve as many people as possible in his work and by the end of his life there were over a million lay people enrolled in a confraternity he founded.

We were founded by a French priest, Fr. Jules Chevalier, who founded the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart (MSC) in 1854, and ourselves in 1874.

In 1882, Fr. Chevalier appointed Marie Louise Hartzer in charge of the community. On 9th September, 1884, the first profession ceremony took place, including that of Marie Louise. The Congregation now had 5 professed members. Just two years later, in 1884, on October 17th, five sisters set out for the great mission of Oceania and  landed in Sydney on January 31, 1885. Their destination was the missions of Oceania.

Two had made their vows a few hours before. They had the great sum of 25 francs between them, (out of which had to be bought a pair of shoes for one person in Marsaille)! What faith!

They were met by Fr. Navarre, MSC who had come from Thursday Island to greet them, and by Fr. Joly, a Marist who was waiting to take them up the Harbour to Villa Maria, the headquarters of the Marists. A small house on the property was placed at their disposal until they could have a convent of their own.
Also meeting them was a 19 year old girl, Margaret Sweeney, from Ryde, who became the first Australian Daughter of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart.

Archbishop Moran offered a place to the MSC/OLSH if they established a parish and school. They accepted Botany. Four of the sisters were French, but one was Irish, Sr. M. Xavier Ryan. Sr. M. Xavier began a small school beside the church on Botany Road in April, 1885. It was here that the work of the OLSH sisters in Australia began. It has taken us to all States except Western Australia.

Margaret Sweeney was the first of many young Australian women to join the Daughters. Like her, these too often left our shores to work overseas. As well, almost 300 OLSH have gone to work in the Northern Territory. Some of the places we have been to include...

• Papua New Guinea… beginning in 1887

• Kiribati… beginning in 1895
• South Africa… beginning in 1953
• Philippine… beginning in 1968
• South Sudan… beginning in 1995
• Japan… beginning in 1995

Our founder encouraged us to embrace the risk of ‘mission without limits’. Our history is full of heroic stories of our sisters in far-flung places of the world. And here in Australia too, our story is extraordinary. We began in Sydney in 1885. In 1886, we first went to Thursday Island. Then followed more foundations in NSW. In 1905, four sisters left for Mathina in Tasmania, followed shortly after by more foundations in Tasmania. In 1908 the first five Daughters left for Darwin. In 1916, a foundation was made in Queensland, in 1929 in Victoria, in 1947 in South Australia.

At present, Sr. Marife Mendoza is the leader of our International Congegration.

In gratitude for all the great things the Lord has done through her, our founder, gave Mary the title Our Lady of the Sacred Heart. This title focuses on the relationship of love between Jesus and Mary, the same relationship of love we are invited to participate in and have with each other.

“Father Jules Chevalier gave us our name to honour Mary as Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, the one chosen by God to be the mother of Jesus.  By her response in love and in total availability to the Holy Spirit, she gave Jesus his humanity, following him even to the cross.” (FDNSC Constitutions No 4)

Daughters of OLSH desire to be women of heart, centered on the Heart of Jesus, ours is a Spirituality of the Heart with a special Marian dimension. We were founded in Issoudun France in 1874 by Fr Jules Chevalier MSC

Since our small beginnings in France in 1874, we have been able to spread to 27 countries all over the world, carrying the fire that first burned in the heart of Jules Chevalier. Wherever we are sent, we try to respond to the needs of people and so are involved in many different forms of ministry. Our mission is boundless.