History
On one of his pastoral visits to Periakulam, as missionary in charge of Dindigul, Palni, and the Kumbam valley in 1852, Fr.Saint-Cyr saw the Kodaikanal plateau rising almost perpendiculary out of the plains. After climbing to the top through the jungle, Fr.Saint-Cyr was convinced that the Madurai Mission should have a house there for the acclimatization and initial training/induction of missionaries coming from Europe. When he became the Superior of the Central District, he came to Kodaikanal and bought the bungalow of Mr.Baynes, former district judge of Madura in 1860. In 1863, Fr.Saint-Cyr built the Church of La Salette in fulfilment of a vow he had made during a serious illness.
The Jesuit formation house in this beautiful hill station came into existence in 1895. It has been a heartland for the Jesuits, who had their early formation of Novitiate, Juniorate and Philosophy in this perennially spectacular environment.
This rich heritage and spiritual vibrancy of Sacred Heart College, Shembaganur, challenge us to engage in meaningful ecological preservation, educational and social activities.