Missionaries of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary (Naples)

MISSIONARI DEI SACRI CUORI DI GESÙ E MARIA (Naples). - Religious congregation founded in 1833 by the Ven. Gaetano Errico, in Secon-

digiliano di Napoli, for an intense apostolic ministry and for the education of youth. Its principal activity is the exercise of popular missions, especially in villages and rural areas, without however excluding or considering as secondary the ministry of missions among infidels. The Holy See approved it on August 7, 1846, confirming the supreme act with a brief of September 15 of the same year.

In its first twenty years the Institute flourished vigorously and numerous colleges were opened in the dioceses of Naples, Avellino, Sora, Aquino and Pontecorvo, Bari, Gaeta, Campobasso, Rome, Conza and Cerignola. The suppression of religious orders decreed by the Italian government cut short all its activity, leaving only the house in Rome, in which Errico's work survived until the day when the rebirth could truly begin. This took place in 1894 with the reopening of the novitiate, after part of the Mother House of Secondigliano had been repurchased.

In 1912 the first missionaries penetrated into Argentina and houses are now counted in Buenos Aires, Rosario, S. Fè, and in the capital of Uruguay. In 1948 a large apostolic school was inaugurated in Secondigliano and at the same time the novitiate in Juan Ortiz was opened for Latin American vocations. Currently, the Congregation counts about a hundred members, in 8 houses.