HISTORY

   Summary

   1. Beginnings
   2. The Congregation’s Expansion
   3. The Congregation after Second Vatican Council
   4. The Congregation’s Second Century Begins

1. Beginnings

Divine Providence made use of human agents and the political situation in the South Sea Islands to call forth the foundation of the Missionary Sisters of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. Thus, Rev. Hubert Linckens, MSC was commissioned by the founder of his society, the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, to establish a congregation of Sisters who would share the charism and spirituality of Fr. Jules Chevalier. The initial purpose of the foundation was to provide German Sisters to work in the mission island area of Papua New Guinea which, at that time, were newly acquired colonies under the German Government. The colonial government was requesting sisters to be sent to the missions. The sisters themselves were eager to go. They were continuously declaring their readiness to travel to the South Pacific.

The First Missioning to the South Pacific

In 1902, only two years after their foundation on March 25, 1900, the first missionaries left for their assignment in the Marshall Islands and New Pomerania, part of present-day Papua New Guinea. The first mission appointments were announced on the second Easter day, March 31, 1902. Five sisters were called to travel to the Marshall Islands and seven sisters were sent to New Pomerania. On July 17, 1902 they received their mission crosses at a special Mass. In the autumn of 1903 a further ten sisters prepared for the journey across the ocean. Father Hubert Linckens himself accompanied the group. Life in the tropics was very difficult; however, no hardships were able to dampen their zeal and enthusiasm for God's work among the people. The First World War caused the expulsion of all Missionary Sisters from the Marshall Island in 1919. After a five month grueling journey via Japan and Belgium, they arrived home.

Change of Leadership: The Community Becomes "Self-governing"

Whilst Father Linckens is visiting the South Pacific, Mother Servatia dies in Hiltrup

(April 6, 1904), at only 43 years of age. He is deeply affected by her death. His plans for the continuation of the young community seem shattered.
But Father Linckens concludes that the community should now govern itself. He considers Sister Franziska Fleige to become the general superior. She is already in charge of the mission station in Vunapope. There she is to gather as much missionary experience as possible and thus prepare herself for the great responsibilities ahead. She leaves her position in the South Pacific and returns to Hiltrup. On March 9, 1906, she is installed as first General Superior and is given an official council. She takes her final vows shortly before her investiture. At the time of the installation of the first general council the revised constitution is approved for a further 10 years.

2. The Congregation’s Expansion

Martyrdom of the MSC Sisters

On August 13, 1904, an event took place that would have a profound effect on the young foundation. In a matter of minutes, 2 MSC Fathers, 3 Brothers and 5 Sisters were brutally killed by the Natives of Baining in Papua New Guinea. The news of the murders works its way through the German press. Instead of being put off, many young women now believe they have the calling and feel encouraged to put their own lives into the missionary service. More women join the order than can be sent as missionaries to the South Pacific.

The process of growth and establishment was constant. The Congregation kept expanding into other countries and developing its ministries in education, health care, pastoral work. Increase of young women who wished to serve as missionaries, allowed the small congregation to reach out in its efforts to the United states in 1908, working among the immigrants, mainly in parishes and parish schools. In 1927 German MSC Sisters started in Australia, offering their service to the local needs, and giving support to the missionaries in PNG, especially regarding their health and ongoing formation. The Australian MSC Sisters gave during 75years generous help in personnel and finances to the PNG mission. From 1932-1952 German MSC Sisters and MSC Fathers started a mission in China, which had to be left behind because of the political situation in China. Just before the Second World War a group of Sisters were sent to Peru. The government had requested 100 Sisters for staffing the new workers' hospitals in Peru. This number was never reached. Nevertheless, the mission developed and Sisters worked in the health area and in education and pastoral work among the poor in urban and rural areas. in 1954 the General Administration, which had been since its foundation in Hiltrup-Münster, was transferred to Rome, Italy. The foundation in Spain (1963) had as one of its objectives to provide further religious vocation for Latin America. In Spain itself, education has been the main thrust of our Sisters.

3. The Congregation after Second Vatican Council

The celebration of the Second Vatican Council had great impact on the renewal of the Congregation, on a deeper understanding of the identity of MSC Sisters in the Church and on new missionary efforts. During this period new foundations have been set up in the Asia. Our Congregation was asked to receive and prepare young Korean women who did their formation program in Germany. They started in 1965 a community in Korea. Also from India, young women joined the congregation in Germany and started their own projects in India in 1976. The following foundations in the Dominican Republic (1985), El Salvador (1989), Mexico (1993), and Guatemala (1995) were initiated from Peru, Spain and the USA. Their main thrust is pastoral work, health care and education, promoting social justice in areas of conflicts and violence. The community in Rumania began in 1992 thanks to contacts with the German Church, especially to Caritas. The project in the Philippines (1994) was initiated as a house of studies for Sisters from different countries, mainly from Korea and PNG. Today the community has a significant outreach in the area (health and pastoral ministry).

4. The Congregation's Second Century Begins

In 2000 the Congregation celebrated its first 100 anniversary and in 2004 the Congregation celebrated the 100th anniversary of the martyrdom of MSC Sisters and Fathers in PNG. It was significant moments of encouragement of the young Sisters in different countries to reach out - as our foundational charism challenges us - to areas of great need within and outside their countries of origin. The community in Kiribati began in 2005 by Sisters from PNG Province and in August 2006, four Sisters from Peru, Guatemala and Korea went to new mission foundation in Paraguay.

For this heart you are in the midst of the world. We have experienced God's love and are called to share it through our being, and our actions, in all circumstances, at all times.
- H. Linckens -