Brief History of Bethlemite Sisters Daughters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

Our Institute of Bethlemite Sisters, Daughters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, arose from the Bethlemite Order, founded in Guatemala in the year 1658 by Blessed Brother Pedro de San José Betancur, a lay man, who was a native of the Canary Islands. He was known for his deep faith and dedication to serving the poor and needy especially the mentally ill and destitute.

Pedro dedicated his life to the service of God through the poor, whom he sought out and aided with great love and special care. His house was open to everyone; those seeking spiritual and material help found refuge, and the needy received charitable shelter.

Attracted by his life, several brothers of the Franciscan Third Order, to which Pedro also belonged, joined him. They accepted him as their guide in living out the radical demands of the Gospel. Because of the message he perceived in the Lord's Nativity and his great love for this mystery, Pedro dedicated his house to Our Lady of Bethlehem, and his brothers in community took the name of Bethlemites.

In 1668, under Pedro’s inspiration, the female branch was started. Over the years, it faced difficult times and reached a point of spiritual stagnation. In 1838, Maria Vicenta Rosal, a native of Quetzaltenango, Guatemala, entered the Beaterio de Belen. She took the name Maria Encarnacion of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Elected prioress in 1855, she undertook the reform and revitalization of the Beaterio. To this end, she wrote the Constitution in fidelity to Pedro's spirit and their own evangelical experience. Since her reform was not accepted there, she founded a new convent to preserve the Founder's charism. She ensured that the charisma and spirituality of Pedro de Betancur continued through the renewed Bethlemite community. This new Institute was recognized in the Church by juridical approbation, granted through a laudatory decree on February 20, 1891. The Institute received its definitive approval in 1909.

Slowly, the Bethlemite community began to expand into Ecuador, Panama, Colombia, and Central America (including Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica), Rome (Italy), and later into India. Currently, we have five provinces: Colombia, Central America, Ecuador, Rome, and India. Our Generalate is located in Bogotá, Colombia, and the present Mother General is Irma Cecilia Fuentes Pérez, who is Colombian.

Our Founder Pedro Betancur was canonized on July 30, 2002, and our Mother Encarnación Rosal was beatified on May 4, 1997, by His Holiness Pope John Paul II.

Our Charism: Bethlehem and the Cross

We are committed to the work of evangelization through education, social work, and pastoral care, including engagement in schools, dispensaries, orphanages, homes for the elderly, and parish work.

Our vocation involves in the proclamation of Christ and in the communication of his message of salvation in the unity of faith and love for the realization of human beings, with fidelity to the Spirit, who speaks to us through history and in various ways. Faithful to the charism of our Holy Founders we are committed to the work of evangelization which, in announcing the God News, seeks the participation of all the people in the mystery of Christ, with a preference for the poor. We accomplish this evangelizing action:

• Through the medium of education among every class of people, especially among children and youth.
• In social, health and charitable service among children, young people and the elderly.
• By promoting and inspiring Christian communities in missions and parishes.

Congregation has five provinces.

1. The Sacred Heart of Jesus’ Province encompasses the countries of Colombia, Panama, Venezuela, USA and Spain.
2. Saint Michael the Archangel Province is comprised of the countries of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, and Nicaragua.
3. Our Lady of Bethlehem Province covers Chile and Ecuador.
4. Immaculate Province in Italy.
5. Holy Brother Pedro de San Jose Betancur Province in India.

The Indian Bethlemite sisters initially belonged to the Italian Province, having been formed in Rome for nearly fifteen years. As their numbers grew, Professed Sisters were sent to India to establish new communities and serve the needy in Nellore, Andhra Pradesh. This initiative was supported by Bishop Balaswamy, who was the Bishop of Nellore at the time, and he encouraged the formation of Indian girls in Italy.

On February 19, 1980, the first Bethlemite Sisters from India, following their initial formation in Italy, returned to their homeland to propagate the Bethlemite charism through their mission. In recognition of their commitment and dedication, Superior General Mother Berenice Moreno announced the formation of the Holy Brother Pedro De San Jose Betancur Province in Circular Letter No. 29, dated June 19, 1998. This province comprised all communities in India and was formally erected on December 8, 1998. Sister Imelda Sanchez Botero, a Colombian Sister, served as the first Provincial Superior.

We recently concluded yearlong Silver Jubilee celebrations on December 8, 2023. These celebrations provided us with an opportunity to reflect on our past, assess our present, and envision our future in a more positive light, propelling us to action. It is therefore most fitting that we update and share our story during this historic event of the Province.Top of Form

 

At the time of the erection of the new Province, there were 49 Sisters and 4 novices of Indian nationality. Among these 49 Sisters, 23 were perpetually professed Sisters and 26 were junior Sisters. Of the 49 Sisters, 39 were assigned to 6 communities located in Kovur, Kothur in Andhra Pradesh; Koovathur, Porur, and Thaiyur in Tamil Nadu; and in the Union Territory of Pondicherry. Eight Sisters were in Italy and 2 in Colombia. Since then, the Province has expanded to include other parts of Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and Karnataka. Currently, our Sisters are serving in 12 Dioceses spread across 4 States (Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and Karnataka) and 1 Union Territory (Puducherry).

Presently, our Province comprises 96 Sisters and 3 Novices. Among them, 83 are assigned to 16 communities across South India, 5 are in Colombia, South America, 2 in Dallas, USA, 1 in Spain, and 5 in Italy. From the initial establishment of the Bethlemites in India in 1980, through its establishment as an independent Province in 1998, and in the subsequent 25 years, we have witnessed the Lord's continued presence with us, guiding us closely by firmly holding our hands in His protective and reassuring grasp.

A year ago, we relocated our Provincial house from Nellore to Bangalore to benefit from increased spiritual, pastoral, and moral support, with the permission of Most Rev. Dr. Peter Machado, Archbishop of Bangalore. This house has been a formation center for over 20 years. Due to having fewer Novices, (at present we have only 3 Novices)the same building serves dual purposes; the ground floor functions as the Novitiate, while the first floor houses the Provincial offices.

To sustain ourselves, one Sister is employed at Sacred Heart Brother’s School, and two Sisters serve at Norbertine’s School.

 

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