[1][2] Dehon's focus in his ecclesial life was to express his closeness with workers but he especially promoted a devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

The process was halted in 2005 due to allegations by both clerical and secular sources that his published works were anti-Semitic in nature.

Dehon's mother fostered a deep devotion to the Sacred Heart and encouraged her son in this practice.

In his adolescence Dehon felt called to the priesthood (which manifested at Christmas 1865), but his father sent him for higher education to the Sorbonne in Paris.

[4][5] His father sent him on a long tour of the East (including Palestine), but en route to return to France, Dehon found his call to the priesthood renewed.

After ordination, he continued his studies, earning an STD in theology on 13 June 1871 and a JCD in canon law on 24 July 1871.

(He was one of four French priests to serve as such; Dehon's record of the proceedings was published as the Diario del Concilio Vaticano I in 1962.)

[1] Following a period of depression and serious reflection, during which he undertook the Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius of Loyola, Dehon reformed the order.

It was founded as the Priests of the Sacred Heart in March 1884, known informally as the Dehonians after him, and its focus was parish and foreign mission work.

Though the Dehonians had secured the support of Leo XIII and his successors, until Pope Pius XI Dehon and the order's priests were accused of slander and various other charges.

Dehon began the construction of the Basilica del Sacro Cuore di Cristo Re in Rome (18.05.1920).

The new law resulted in difficulties for religious congregations, which often served as integral parts of local governments to administer welfare and operate schools.

Dehon wrote numerous articles for newspapers and periodicals, and published books on social matters and devotional topics.

He often wrote articles for various newspapers and periodicals on a wide range of different social issues, as well as devotional subjects such as the Sacred Heart.

On 5 February one French historian drew attention to seven controversial texts in which Dehon expressed anti-Semitic opinions.

Pope John Paul II titled Dehon as Venerable on 8 March 1997 after confirming that the late priest had lived a life of heroic virtue.

The miracle in question related to the healing of electrician Geraldo Machado da Silva from a grave case of peritonitis on 1 June 1954; he had invoked Dehon's intercession in prayer.

But the Vatican later announced that the beatification was placed on hold due to allegations of Dehon having expressed anti-Semitism by both clerical and secular individuals and organizations.

Benedict XVI ordered an urgent reexamination of Dehon's writings, with the first meeting scheduled for that 24 June.

[9] While anti-Semitism had been prevalent in Dehon's lifetime, the Catholic Church had worked to reduce this bias among its clergy and congregations following the disastrous Holocaust of World War II and the effort since to build more just societies.