FIGLIE DEL CUORE DI GESÙ. – A religious congregation founded at Malines in 1872 by Maria Deluil Martiny under the direction of the Jesuit Fr. Calange, and approved by the Holy See on 9 August 1896. Its purpose is reparation to the Heart of Jesus. There are approximately 300 nuns, both choir sisters and lay sisters, in 15 houses.
BIBL.: A. Raimbert, Guide de vocation religieuse, II, Paris 1924, pp. 280–90; M. Laplace, La m. Maria di Gesù (Deluil Martiny), translated by M. Milan 1925. Silverio Mattei