Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Mary of Berlaar

The Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Mary of Berlaar trace their origins back to Gestel, where around 1722 a “Society of Devout Daughters” was established under the guidance of Pastor Ambrosius Van den Bosch.

The congregation in Berlaar was later officially founded, in 1845, with mission centered on the education of girls and the care of the sick and the poor.
From the 19th century onward, they developed a network of schools in and around Berlaar, including a boarding school (1881) and later a lace-making and sewing school and kindergarten teacher school.

The congregation also founded or took over several maternity clinics and hospitals — among others in Ixelles (Elsene), Tongeren, Sint-Truiden, and Neerpelt, where they established the Sacred Heart Clinic in 1931, built a new hospital in 1948, and later it merged during the 1990s with the Maria Hospital of Overpelt; this institution remained active until 2005.

During the 20th century, the sisters expanded their educational work by founding a domestic science school in Stevoort, which evolved into the Mariaburcht Institute, offering secondary education with a sports division.
In the 1980s, Mariaburcht merged into the Catholic school network of Hasselt.
The congregation originally owned and managed the domain, developing it into the Mariaburcht Institute; today it is known as i-MaS, renowned for its sports facilities and athletic programs.
The primary school on Kolmenstraat in Stevoort also originally belonged to the Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Mary of Berlaar.

Their healthcare mission continues today within the Zorggroep Zusters van Berlaar (Berlaar Sisters Care Group), which operates various hospitals, care centers, and nursing homes — for example, the maternity ward in Heist-op-den-Berg (foundation stone laid in 1954) and numerous other health institutions that have been founded, adapted, or merged over time.

First Missionaries – When and Where

Belgian Congo (Uélé):
In 1899, the first missionary sisters from Berlaar departed, following in the footsteps of the Norbertines of Tongerlo.
They established mission posts in Ibembo, Bondo, Buta, Lolo, and Wadsa.
Letters from 1919–1925 describe their work in education, maternity care, child welfare, and health care.

They also began missions in Brazil in 1907, which by 1935 had become their largest overseas mission (in 1953, 152 sisters served there, including 129 Brazilian members), and in Denmark from 1911.

The Spirit and Aim of Their Mission

In keeping with their Berlaar charism — simplicity, love, and hospitality — the sisters devoted themselves to education (especially of girls and youth), health care (maternity and medical work), and care for the vulnerable, seeking to be “the Heart of God on earth.”

Historically, their overseas missions focused on three main countries: Congo, Brazil, and Denmark, with Belgium as their home base.
Around 1950, the congregation counted about 870 sisters in 63 communities.

The Congregation Today

In Belgium, the Sisters continue their legacy through their schools (Heilig Hart van Maria schools) and through elderly and home care under the Zorggroep Zusters van Berlaar.

The mission in Congo was formally closed in 1998.
In Brazil and Denmark, the congregation maintains a smaller presence in the 21st century, though on a much reduced scale compared with the 20th century.