The congregation of the Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Mary officially came into being in 1845, but it already had a 'precursor' founded in the early 1720s under the influence of the pastor of a neighboring parish. This congregation of 'God-fearing daughters' was dissolved in the late 1730s, but two members continued to live communally and work on raising 'their' children. Other girls joined them, but the community never numbered more than six members.

The most remarkable woman among them was Sister Theresia, who had been part of the community since 1803. Together with the then pastor, she was the driving force and de facto founder of the congregation.

The congregation established its convent in Berlaar, behind the village church. The sisters focused on education, care for the sick and the elderly, and founded several schools. In the mid-19th century, the congregation organized primary education, and between 1881 and 1993, there was a boarding school. From around the turn of the century, girls could train to become nursery teachers at the "normal school for nursery education," established in 1974. In 1906, a secondary agricultural and home economics school, the 'domestic agricultural school', was established. From the First World War onward, there was also a lacemaking school, which was supplemented in 1928 with a sewing school. In 1957, the sisters decided to establish a general education program, and the 'modern humanities' were established. A new building was constructed in the convent garden for this purpose in 1961.