History of the Religious of the Sacred Heart in Grand Coteau
The Society of the Sacred Heart (www.rscj.org or www.rscjinternational.org) was founded by St. Madeleine Sophie Barat in 1800 in Amiens, France. The mission of the Society is to discover, live, and announce God’s love in the heart of the world through the service of education for transformation in diverse ministries, particularly, addressing the needs of children, young people, women and those in society who are marginalized. The members of the Society of the Sacred Heart are called Religious of the Sacred Heart.
In 1818 at the invitation of Bishop William Dubourg, bishop of the Louisiana Territory, four members of this new congregation sailed across the Atlantic and settled in St. Charles, Missouri, under the leadership of Philippine Duchesne, now also a canonized saint.
Three years later, Mrs. Charles Smith, a wealthy widow of a Grand Coteau planter, offered to fund an all-girl Catholic boarding school in Grand Coteau. At Bishop Dubourg’s request, two sisters, Mother Eugenie Aude and Sister Mary Layton, came to Grand Coteau and began a mission of education and retreat work for girls and young women that has continued unbroken until the present day.
Schools and ministries of the Religious of the Sacred Heart in Grand Coteau
1821 The Academy of the Sacred Heart was begun.
1837 The Jesuits came to serve in Grand Coteau and the surrounding area.
Through the years the sisters, students and staff at the Academy of the Sacred Heart
benefited greatly from the spiritual guidance and support of the Jesuits.
1875 At the initiative of Reverend Olivier S.J., the superior of the Jesuits in Grand Coteau, a school for African American girls was begun on the Academy grounds and was administered by the religious. A few years later, boys were included.
1888 A new structure for African American school children was built on the Academy grounds and administered by the religious.
1890 The Sacred Heart Parish School in Grand Coteau, which is now St. Ignatius School, was begun and administered by the religious until 1950. The Sisters of St. Joseph took over the direction of the school until 1975 when the Religious of the Sacred Heart resumed the administration of the school until 1986.
1917 The Sacred Heart College and normal school was started. The college provided a liberal education for many women and trained many teachers until 1956 when the college was closed.
1939 The school for African American children was moved to Grand Coteau and named St. Peter Claver School. The religious continued to administer the school until 1947. The school was given to Father Thensted S.J., who built a new high school. The Sisters of the Holy Family took over the direction of the school. The Religious of the Sacred Heart continued to teach at St. Peter Claver High School and at the Christ the King Mission school in Bellevue into the sixty’s.
In connection with St. Peter Claver School many retreats were hosted, in collaboration with the Jesuits in Grand Coteau, serving nearly 400 men and women yearly.
1981 Following the closing of St. Peter Claver High School in 1977, the high school building was renovated and opened as the Thensted Center. The Thensted Center became the social outreach service center of St. Charles Borromeo Church. Religious of the Sacred Heart continue to serve in social outreach ministry through the Thensted Center.
2006 A Sacred Heart school for boys was begun on the Academy grounds and was named St. John Berchmans School. With the establishment of the boys’ school, the Academy of the Sacred Heart for girls and St. John Berchmans school for boys is officially named Schools of the Sacred Heart (www.sshcoteau.org).