Leo Dehon Library Blog

As word spread about the good work of Fr. Dehon’s religious order, Fr. Dehon began to receive requests from around the world for help. In 1888, two priests went to Ecuador as the congregation’s first missionaries. The apostolic work was difficult, yet the order continued to expand. Fr. Dehon’s vision and faith were critical to lead the congregation through this period. His previous travels and international connections helped him to see the broader impact his missionaries could have in the wider world. His strong faith and spiritual life helped him to trust in God. He once said, “God is above us to protect us; below us to support and carry us; around us to look after and to meet our needs; in us to preserve us and to show us his love.” In 1910, Fr. Dehon embarked on another trip around the world, visiting his missionaries and countries where the order had not expanded yet. The zeal of the missionaries made him optimistic; the spreading of the Good News filled him with hope. He realized however, that this missionary spirit was needed everywhere, in all the members of his congregation, whether in their home countries or in foreign lands. He wrote that wherever one is, “we should be completely on fire to spread the knowledge and love of the Good Master and the wonderful love that he has revealed to us in all his mysteries and that he continues to disclose to us every day in the Holy Eucharist.”

It's summertime (or at least what passes for it on a Great Lake)! In case you've got the fever, visit our Milwaukee! guide for ideas to get out and about. And if you've got the munchies, here's a link to our Restaurant guide.

Here are links to the English and Spanish versions of the Wisconsin Catholic Bishops’ Pastoral Letter on Immigration.

Fr. Leo John Dehon, the founder of the Priests of the Sacred Heart, engaged the media of his day in a tireless way - you might almost say he was a 19th-century influencer! He published a widely-read magazine, The Reign of the Sacred Heart in Souls and in Society, which promoted the social encyclicals of Pope Leo XIII and brought Catholic social teachings to a wide audience.

Once he founded the order, he traveled internationally to promote and encourage the local districts and provinces, keeping diaries. These, along with much of his extensive correspondence, is available through the Dehon Study Center in Rome.

The Priests of the Sacred Heart, and SHSST, are beginning a year-long celebration of the centenary of the death of Fr. Leo John Déhon in 2025. As part of this memorial year, the library will have special monthly displays and other ways of highlighting the life of Fr. Déhon and the charisms of the SCJs. 

We've got you covered! Check out this LibGuide from the librarians: "Places to Eat". It contains recommendations from SHSST folks for local places to eat. Have a suggestion? Contact us!