Founded in England in 1846 and in Ireland in 1856, in the United States in 1851 and in Mexico1931. The first of the foundations in South America took place in Chile in 1937. Others followed in Argentina in 1948 and in Peru in 1950. The first foundation in Asia took place in India in 1951.
This was followed by foundations in Pakistan, Japan and recently in the Philippines. Foundations also took place rapidly in West and East Africa. Today the Society exists in 32 countries on 4 continents, having 16 Provinces and 3 regions and carries out a variety of works according to the needs of the time and place. We are about 1200 sisters in all over the World today.
The Society of the Daughters of the Heart of Mary
Europe: France, Italy, England, Spain, Portugal,
Belgium, Germany, Ireland, HungaryAfrica – West: Benin, Burkina FasoAfrica – East: Ethiopia, Kenya, RwandaMadagascar
Asia: India, Pakistan and South East AsiaAmerica – North: Canada, United StatesCentral: MexicoAmerica – South: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Columbia,
Ecuador, Guatemala, Peru, Venezuela
Sister Dr Ruth Katherina Martha Pfau (9 September 1929 – 10 August 2017) had made an outstanding contribution in the field of health in Pakistan. She joined the Society of the Daughters of the Heart of Mary and came to Pakistan in 1960 where she worked tirelessly to eradicate leprosy in the country. The Government of the Republic of Pakistan honors her with a State funeral on 19th August 2017. She is known as the ‘Mother Theresa’ of Pakistan. Her death leaves a great void for the suffering people. Her services will never be forgotten.
Foundation in India 1951
Our main mission was namely women’s education and empowerment of women in India. The society has two provinces like India North and South with 26 centers’ in different part of India about nearly 250 sisters today.
The Nirmala Niketan College of Home science and Social work Mumbai, Roshni Nilaya School of Social Work Mangalore and these two Social work Colleges stand top most colleges among ten in India and Nirmala Institute of Education Goa are some of its most prestigious institutions.
Foundation in Chennai 1964
DHM was invited by Most Rev. Dr. Louis Mathias who was the Archbishop Madras Mylapore in 1964. His grace was delighted with the idea of Mrs. Mary Clubwala Jadhav, the pioneer social worker of Madras to start a practical – oriented home making course for young women on completion of their academic education. His grace was delighted with the idea and started exploring the possibilities found, a unique society of DHM without any distinguishing external sign or uniform apparel, with its headquarters at France, was established in India from 1951.
His grace offered “the Sea Croft” a beautiful bungalow by the sea side off Marina Beach to start an institution. The motto of Cultural Academy is to impart the knowledge of Light and Divine Love through our services.
DHM began with two courses and 58 students with twin objectives “Women’s education” And social concern for women. The programmes had picked from two Diploma courses in Home Science, for graduates and under graduates as to shape their homes to portray the rich values and culture of this great Nation.
There were other courses like Personality Development, Child Development, Nutrition and Dietetics, Home Management, Obstetrics, and other practical subjects like Cookery, Dressmaking, Handicrafts, Interior Decoration, Flower Arrangement, Social Etiquette and Table Setting, English Conversion, Batik, Cake icings Vegetable Carving Cosmetology etc., Few more new courses had started with hostel Accommodation for our students with Presentation sisters.
The Secretarial Course for graduates and undergraduates was started in 1972. A Certificate Course for graduates in Travel and Tourism was started in 1979. The Pre-School for the toddlers started in 1984. The Nursery Teacher Training was started in 1988. Fashion Designing and Textile started in 2000.
Nirmala Nilayam welfare center, training cum production unit in fibre and embroidery was started in 1972 in the same campus. The present three storied building has been built in 1989. The Nursery school for the lower income group has been started in the same year.
A Hostel was built within the campus in 1976 and students studying in different colleges were given accommodation with food. The old building “Sea Croft was demolished as it was not sufficient and new building was blessed then opened by Most Rev. Dr. Casimir Ganadickam S. J the then Archbishop of Madras – Mylapore in 1988.
The Paradigm shift has brought changes in social, cultural and economical aspects due globalization with high technology for the development thus the full time courses were terminated due to lack of students. However one feel happy to see that hundreds and hundreds of women who had been trained in the past, doing well in their lives. Academy also thought of catering to the needs of the less Privileges and Marginalized sections of the Society. The Community College started at Cultural academy in 2001 and it was shifted to Nirmala Nilayam in 2003 and it is affiliated to Tamil Nadu Open University.
A Counseling and Psychotherapy clinic was started in the campus in 2007. The Cultural Academy continues to conduct Nursery Teacher Training for graduates and under graduates. Part time courses are available like home making subjects like Cookery, baking, cake Icing, dressmaking, Embroidery, Handicraft, Spoken English and computing skills are conducted right now. The short term courses like yoga and Bharathanatiyam will start from 2018. Cultural Academy play school continues to run and it has been registered under Tamil Nadu Government in 2017.