Missionaries of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary

The Congregation of the ‘Missionaries of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary’ was founded by St. Gaetano Errico, who was born in Naples, Italy in 1791. From early childhood, Errico felt the ‘Call of God’ and was aspired to become a Priest. The challenges that he faced in order to reach his goal were many. His total trust in God and through perseverance he became a Priest in 1815.

At the beginning of the 19th century in Naples, people were influenced by the doctrine of Jansenism which kindled fear towards God instead of love. This kept many Christians away from God and His Church. Gaetano Errico, as a young diocesan priest, responding to the need of the time, gathered a group of priests to fight against this heresy.

It was under the inspiration of St. Alphonsus Ligouri he ventured into the mission of forming a religious community with the goal of making known the love of God. The important event which gave birth to the new congregation was ‘the Divine Communication through the apparition of St. Alphonsus to Fr. Gaetano Errico during his annual retreat at the house of Redemptorist Fathers at Pagani, Italy. He preached the message of God’s love revealed through the symbols of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate heart of Mary. A special devotion to the Sorrowful Mother was introduced as a means of highlighting the ministries of compassion. The image of the Sorrowful Mother was for him ‘the sign of victory’ in the struggles of life and ministry.