Priests of the Sacred Heart

What Priests of the Sacred Heart does

The Priests of the Sacred Heart (SCJ), also known as the Dehonians, is a 501(c)(3) Roman Catholic religious congregation founded in 1878 by Father Leo John Dehon in St. Quentin, France, with the U.S. Province established in 1933 and headquartered at the Sacred Heart Monastery in Hales Corners, Wisconsin. The organization operates three core ministry lines: the Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology (the largest seminary in North America for second-career priestly vocations), global ministry programs spanning at least nine countries including the U.S., Congo, India, Cameroon, South Africa, the Philippines, Vietnam, and Indonesia, and care for retired SCJ priests and brothers.

The U.S. Province sustains operations through a diversified non-profit revenue model totaling approximately $21.5M in FY2024-2025. Contributions of $16.6M (77%) form the backbone, supplemented by $4.1M in bequests (19%), investment income, mass offerings, charitable gift annuities, and modest e-commerce sales of prayer cards, devotional items, and livestock gifts. Donor engagement is conducted via a Convio-powered online donation portal, direct mail, the monthly Heart to Heart Society recurring giving program, donor advised fund integrations with Fidelity Charitable and Schwab Charitable, and a small specialty gift shop. The organization is governed by an elected Provincial Superior (currently Fr. Vien Nguyen, SCJ, the 16th to hold the role) and operates wholly-owned operating ministries including Sacred Heart Southern Missions, St. Joseph's Indian School, Sacred Heart Center, and Native Hope, plus the Dehonian Associates lay affiliate program.

The U.S. Province employs 51-100 staff and is part of a global congregation of roughly 2,200 priests and brothers across more than 40 countries on five continents. The technology stack is non-proprietary: standard donation processing via the Convio platform, basic e-commerce storefronts, email newsletters, and a Facebook presence, with no AI/ML, no proprietary software products, and no APIs or SDKs. The 100,000-volume Leo Dehon Library and the 66+ year American Ordo Liturgical Calendar are notable content assets that double as donor and clergy engagement touchpoints.

Name

Priests of the Sacred Heart

Legal name

Priests of the Sacred Heart-Sacred Heart Monastery

Website

https://poshusa.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1878

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Priests of the Sacred Heart (SCJ/Dehonians) is a 501(c)(3) Catholic religious congregation operating the largest U.S. seminary for second-career vocations, global mission programs in 40+ countries, and retired priest care, funded by individual donations, bequests, and recurring giving.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Organization and Charitable Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Religious Organizations (813110)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Religious Orders & Monastic Communities (Monasteries, Convents) (BPAGAJAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Campus Spiritual & Religious Life (EDALAHAI), Faith-Based Missions & Evangelism Organizations (Domestic & International) (BPAGAJAE), Sermon, Homiletics & Ministry Resource Publishing (Preaching Aids, Pastoral Resources) (MPAJAHAD), Places of Worship & Religious Facilities Operations (Cemeteries, Retreat Centers, Pilgrimage Sites) (BPAGAJAL)

Keywords

• Religious congregation
• Seminary education
• Global missionary work
• Charitable donations
• Retired priest care

Headquarters

HQ city

Hales Corners

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Charitable Contributions: Individual donors contribute to support global missions, seminary education, and retired priest care. Donations are tax-deductible as the organization is a 501(c)(3) charitable entity.
2. Bequests and Legacy Gifts: Inheritance and planned giving from benefactors who leave legacy gifts to support the congregation's ongoing mission.
3. Mass Offerings: Offerings received for celebrating Mass intentions and novenas.
4. Charitable Gift Annuities: Structured giving arrangements that provide donors with lifetime payments while benefiting the organization.
5. E-commerce Sales: Sale of prayer cards, prayer books, and other devotional items through the organization's gift shop.
6. Livestock Gifts: Specialty gift items available for purchase to support specific missions.
7. Investment Income: Returns on endowment and investment portfolios, including unrealized gains/losses.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Priests of the Sacred Heart is a Roman Catholic religious congregation that operates a U.S. seminary for second-career priestly vocations, runs global humanitarian and ministry programs across 40+ countries, and provides care for retired priests. Its core revenue-generating activities center on soliciting charitable donations and bequests from individual donors to fund these ministries, supplemented by sale of devotional items and prayer enrollment services. The organization is incorporated as a 501(c)(3) non-profit with its U.S. headquarters at Sacred Heart Monastery in Hales Corners, Wisconsin.

Product overview

The Priests of the Sacred Heart operates as a religious congregation offering a unified portfolio of spiritual, educational, and humanitarian services. The core offerings include the Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology (the largest North American seminary for second-career vocations), Global Ministry Programs supporting missions across 40+ countries, and Support for Retired Priests. These are complemented by prayer and devotional services including Daily Prayer, the American Ordo Liturgical Calendar, Novenas & Masses, Prayer Enrollment, and devotional videos. Fundraising products include the Heart to Heart Society (recurring giving), Special Appeals, Tribute Gifts, Donor Advised Funds, Cards & Prayer Books, and Livestock Gifts. The Sacred Heart Monastery serves as the central headquarters housing the seminary. The organization functions as a non-profit religious entity without a technology product in the traditional sense.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology
• Global Ministry Programs
• Support for Retired Priests and Brothers
• Novenas & Masses
• Prayer Enrollment
• Heart to Heart Society Monthly Giving Program
• Donor Advised Funds Program
• Tribute Gifts and Memorial Programs
• Cards & Prayer Books
• Livestock Gifts
• American Ordo Liturgical Calendar

Quantifiable outcome

• 82.04% of donations go directly to programs (missions, education, retired priest support)
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Sacred Heart Southern MissionscoreOthersAffiliated organization in northern Mississippi that raises funds for its own causes. All members are priests of the Sacred Heart, but each raises funds for different specific causes within the broader SCJ mission.
• St. Joseph's Indian SchoolcoreOthersAffiliated organization in South Dakota that raises funds for various ministries of the Priests of the Sacred Heart. Both organizations share SCJ membership but fundraise independently for different causes.
• Sacred Heart CenterminorOthersListed as a related entity under CAA Transparency disclosures, indicating shared healthcare compliance obligations.
• Native HopeminorOthersListed as a related entity under CAA Transparency disclosures, indicating shared healthcare compliance obligations.
• Sacred Heart Seminary and School of TheologycoreOthersThe seminary housed at Sacred Heart Monastery that prepares future priests and is recognized as America's top choice for second-career vocations.
• Sacred Heart Development OfficeminorOthersListed as a related entity under CAA Transparency disclosures for shared healthcare compliance obligations.
• Fidelity CharitableminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDAF Direct enables donors to recommend grants to the Priests of the Sacred Heart directly from their Fidelity Charitable donor advised fund accounts.
• Schwab CharitableminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDAF Direct enables donors to recommend grants to the Priests of the Sacred Heart directly from their Schwab Charitable donor advised fund accounts.
• Dehonian AssociatescoreOthersLay people who make commitments to the SCJ spirituality and mission, participating in the congregation's apostolate through love and reparation.
• FCh SisterscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSisters in Indonesia who celebrated their community's anniversary with 300 sisters present. Fr. Vien Nguyen, SCJ, provincial superior, attended the celebration representing the Dehonian family.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers: Roman Catholic male religious congregation focused on foreign missions, priestly formation, and lay engagement — directly comparable to the SCJs in structure, missionary footprint, and fundraising model.
• Society of the Divine Word (SVD): Another Catholic missionary congregation of priests and brothers operating internationally, with formation houses, parish ministries, and donor-funded mission appeals — closely analogous to SCJ structure and programs.
• Congregation of Holy Cross: Catholic religious congregation with U.S. provincial headquarters, seminary formation, international missions, and donor-supported ministries — comparable governance and operating footprint.
• Comboni Missionaries: Catholic congregation dedicated to missionary work in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, supported by recurring donor programs — directly comparable mission-centric fundraising model.
• Cross Catholic Outreach: U.S.-based Catholic nonprofit that channels donor funds to international Catholic ministries feeding and housing the poor — direct competitor for the same mass-market Catholic donor.
• Unbound (CFCA): Catholic sponsorship organization offering recurring donor support for children, elderly, and missionaries abroad — directly comparable recurring-giving model and donor demographic.

Broad incumbents

• Franciscan Friars (Order of Friars Minor): Much larger Catholic male religious order with parallel formation houses, missions, parishes, and donor fundraising in the U.S. — competes for donations and vocations from the same donor pool.
• Society of Jesus (Jesuits): Large Catholic religious order with extensive U.S. formation, missions, parishes, and development offices — a broader incumbent competing for Catholic donor dollars and vocations.
• Catholic Relief Services: Official overseas humanitarian agency of the U.S. Catholic Church, competing for the same donor audience supporting international Catholic humanitarian work.

Others

• Sacred Heart Southern Missions: Wholly affiliated SCJ organization raising funds independently for ministry in northern Mississippi — explicitly part of the SCJ family but a separate fundraising entity.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/PriestsoftheSacredHeart
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/priests-of-the-sacred-heart

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Priests of the Sacred Heart