The Servants
of the Hearth of Jesus

A congregation present throughout the world

Our spirituality

The Servants of the Heart of Jesus is a Catholic religious congregation founded in France in the 19th century.

Faithful to the spirit of its founder Oliva Uhlrich, later known as Mother Mary of the Heart of Jesus, the congregation continues, throughout the world, to live out its core mission that is “to love the Heart of Jesus and make it loved”. Following Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque, Oliva Uhlrich recognised in the wounded heart of Christ, God’s tenderness for humankind. The Servantes du Coeur de Jésus wish to unite themselves with God through the prayer of adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and the service of the poorest in whom they see the face of Christ. They draw from Mary, “Servant of the Lord”, model of humility and charity, their impetus to participate with God in the redemptive work of humanity.

Our history

Founded by a young Alsatian woman in the 19th century, the Congregation of the Servantes du Coeur de Jésus has kept up with a life of prayer and action. Initially based in Strasbourg, the city where the congregation was born, the Servants of the Heart of Jesus are now located in Scy-Chazelles, in the nearby department of Moselle. At present the congregation amounts to 50 nuns living in France, Spain, Cameroon and Madagascar.. The Servants of the Heart of Jesus receive their name “Servant” from an intuition of their foundress, Oliva Uhlrich, later known as “Mother Mary of the Heart of Jesus”: this name “servant” calls for an attitude of daily availability, following the example of the Virgin Mary who made herself completely obedient by saying “yes” to the call of the angel. Drawing from her example, the Servantes du Coeur de Jésus choose to respond freely and generously to the will of God.

“Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word” Lk 1:38.

Mother Mary of the Heart of Jesus

Oliva Uhlrich was born into a Christian family in Villé, Alsace, on March 25th, 1837. Attracted by the adoration of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, the young Alsatian nourished the desire of a life consecrated to God. She left for Strasbourg with her mother and settled in a house above a handicraft workshop which she quickly took charge of. Some young girls she assisted at the workshop were touched by her charity and fervour and asked her to initiate them into prayer and service. Thus began the small community that would grow into the Congregation of the Servantes du Coeur de Jésus. Oliva later took the name Mother Mary of the Heart of Jesus wishing to follow in the footsteps of the Virgin Mary, the Servant of the Lord. The archbishop of Strasbourg blessed the new institute she founded, and the religious congregation received its recognition on November 21st, 1867 with the mission of devotion to the Heart of Jesus, through adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and service to the poor, in a spirit of love and reparation.

Our community

For the Servantes du Coeur de Jésus, community is the first place where each sister receives and incarnates her call to the consecrated life. She is thus incorporated within a fraternity where she concretely experiences her being a member of the People of God. Through a simple life, imbued with charity and prayer, the Servants of the heart of Jesus place themselves at the service of their brothers and sisters. Community life, pivotal to their vocation, is the privileged place through which they make themselves available to all.

“With the sisters that God gives us, gathered around the Eucharist where the presence of Jesus unites us… day after day, we build community”

Constitutions nº 50

The life of prayer

Personal and community prayer is the foundation of the life of the Servantes du Coeur de Jésus. Those moments of daily closeness to Christ are the starting point of their vocation and of all their activities. It is especially during the adoration of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament that they draw the strength they need to accomplish their mission.

“The Eucharist is for us the pivotal act of the day. We unite ourselves to the perfect self-giving of Christ so as to be led to a generous surrender to the will of the Father”.

Constitutions nº 57

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