DSHJ Congregation
Benaglio Province, India
DSHJ Congregation - has its origin on 8th February 1831 at Italy. Founded by St.Teresa Verzeri and Mons.Joseph Benaglio. Benaglio province is one of the provinces of the DSHJ Congregation which established on 18th January 1980 at Kottayam Kudamaloor.
Our Charism and Spirituality
The charism and spirituality of the Congregation is a legacy left by our Founders. Through spirituality, we assume a lifestyle, a way of living, a way of being in the world. We give special meaning to our lives. Through spirituality, we cultivate and strengthen our spiritual strength, that is, our essence and our own life. It is spirituality that gives meaning to everything we do, dream, and seek.
Spirituality makes us dynamic, firm in faith, and persevering in the mission. Spirituality is that dynamism, that force that leads us to act. Living spirituality is letting oneself be led by the Spirit of God that dwell in the depths of our being.
When we want to talk about a particular way of living a relationship with God, we usually add some specification. In our case, we speak of the spirituality of the heart of Jesus.
In common sense, the term heart is used to talk about affection, emotion, ways of expressing the feelings we cultivate for a person. “I love you with all my heart.” The heart expresses all spiritual richness, not just love; it is the source of life, ideas, dreams, projects, attitudes, and decisions.
When we refer to Jesus, the Son of God made one of us, and use the heart as a symbol and image, we are expressing in figurative language that God is good and that He has tender feelings for us, that we are loved by Him. And this is fundamental in the Christian faith. Christians believe that God is Love, that He comes to us personally, and loves each human being in a unique way.
Knowing that we are personally loved by the God of Life gives meaning to our living, suffering, and dying. It fills human relationships with meaning, always empowering us to forgive. Our gestures, attitudes, and behaviours become an expression of the way of being and acting of Jesus who lived and died believing in the Father’s love for Him, and for this reason, was able to fulfill his mission in relation to humanity.
“The Heart of Jesus is the source of the spirituality and mission of the Daughters of the Sacred Heart. The goal of the Congregation is to live the charity of the Heart of Christ, the sign of salvific love, for the glory of God.” (Cs.2)
Our Story
By the God’s abundant blessings and the active co-operation of several well wishers we could the first house of the Daughters of the Sacred Heart of Jesuso n Feb. 8th 1980 at Kudamaloor, village hallowed by the birth of St. Alphonsa.
At present scenario we, the Daughters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus have 14 communities, spread over five states in India, two in Italy and one in Germany. The Order is progressing according to the words of St. Paul “be everything to everyone” (1Co.9: 22) as envisioned by the Founders and in association with the local Church. Since 1980, the Congregation has been imparting training and subsequent enrolment to those who are genuinely attracted towards the sacred Heart of Jesus.
The first branch house was opened on 6th June 1980 at Kiliroor.To spread the wings of DSHJ in 1989, accepting the invitation of the Missionary Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament, DSHJ reached to Shimoga (Bhdravathi Diocese). The Daughters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus started their service in Mangalore in the parish of Kankanady belong to the Belthangady Diocese, in 1992.On 17th December 1994 the daughters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus went to North Koppa ( Karnataka).
In August 1995 the the daughters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus went to Kalluvayal in Talassery Diocese in the Distrct of Kannur. In May 1999 the Daughters of the Sacred heart of Jesus ventured at reaching out their hands to orphans and destitutes in the Diocese of Kalyan (Maharashtra). On 2007 it became as the Provincial House of Benaglio Province. On March 3rd 2010 as the part of mission expansion we started a new community in Kammam Diocese (Latin) belong to Andra Predesh.
