Who are we ?

One day a man had a dream: “Oh! if only one could bring together a society of priests having as a program, the program itself of the Heart of Jesus: absolute  dedication and  obedience, perfect simplicity, unshakeable gentleness!  These priests would be a true flying camp of  elite soldiers, priests to run at the first signal to all places where they would be called, even and above all, to the most difficult ministries and where others would not want!”

For him everything was summarized in Here I am  of love, a concrete and confident  choice of life.

His name was Michael Garicoïts, he lived in the XIX century, in a Marian Shrine in the –south of France.  His spiritual intuition gave birth to the Priests of the Sacred Heart of Betharram.   Still today, his Congregation supports itself on three pillars:

1. a spiritual life rooted in union with Christ, totally accepted by the Father, totally given to men;
2. a community life which witnesses of the radiant goodness and the humble audacity of the “first act of the Sacred Heart:   “Here I am !”;
3. an apostolic life which seeks to respond to the calls of the Church and of humanity.

From 1835 down to our times, the small community has spread its branches throughout the world.  It has become an international family, present in four continents.  Recently, committed laity have joined the 330 religious, priests and brothers,  working together with them and “drinking from the same source”.

The Betharrams want to work  where they are present, in the human and spiritual growth of those to whom they are sent.  Religious or laity, both seek to place their faith, their competence and their energies at the service of the neighbor, according to the spirit of the Gospel, and in different fields:

• education and formation of youth;
• animation in Parishes, chaplancies, in places of  reception of people and of spirituality;
• support to projects of development and human promotion.

Whatever their activity, they have one only “raison d’être”:  to share with others the happiness of following Christ in a “Here I am, without delay, without reserving anything, without taking it back, out of love !”