Society of the Sacred Heart U.S. Province

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Collaborating with the RSCJ

Maggie Sieger Kaspura, AASH Interim National Office Director and MER enjoyed
 being with members of the Society and Network of Sacred Heart Schools in St. Charles, MO

Last April, Society of the Sacred Heart U.S. Provincial and AASH Honorary President, Sr. Paula Toner, RSCJ, invited me to attend a collaborative meeting with members of her Provincial Team, as well as incoming Provincial Sr. Barbara Dawson, RSCJ. We met on Sunday, July 8th in St. Charles, Missouri, home of the Shrine of St. Philippine Duchesne.  The participants included Sr. Paula Toner and a few members of her provincial team: Sisters Susan Maxwell, Mary Charlotte Chandler and Mary Kay Hunyady, as well as Sr. Shirley Miller, RSCJ Director of Mission Advancement and Ms. Therese Meyerhoff, Director of Communications and Public Relations for the U.S. Province.  Joining us from the Network of Sacred Heart Schools, Madeleine Ortman, Executive Director and Dr. Joseph Ciancaglini, Chair of the Network Board and Head at 91st Street. 

In mid July, I was invited to attend the Society's Provincial Assembly in St. Louis as one of their constituency collaborators, to be back at the Shrine to attend mass with over 230 RSCJ's and witness the Leadership Blessing Ceremony.  Yesterday, August 1st, Sr. Barbara Dawson and her new Provincial Team began their three year term.  Read more here about the New Leadership Team for the Society of the Sacred Heart, U.S. Province 

As you may know the U.S. Provincial of the Religious of the Sacred Heart serves as the Honorary President of AASH and is an advisor to the Board of Directors.  On behalf of the Alumnae and Alumni of the Sacred Heart, I want to publicly say "thank you" to Sr. Paula Toner RSCJ and her team for their leadership and devotion to all the "children of the Sacred Heart."  Please know that as you prepare to transition into new roles within the Society you will be in our hearts and prayers. 

To our new AASH Honorary President and U.S. Provincial, Sr. Barbara Dawson, RSCJ and her Provincial Team, Sisters Meg Causey, Sheila Hammond, and Diana Wall, rest assured that the AASH looks forward to continuing our support and promotion of the various ministries served by our beloved Society.

Barbara Dawson, RSCJ, US Provincial-elect names Provincial Team

 Barbara Dawson, RSCJ
US Provincial-elect

Today I received a letter from Barbara Dawson, RSCJ, US Provincial-elect announcing members of her Provincial Team.


Below is a copy of her letter - 


                                                                                                                              February 16, 2012



Dear Friends and Colleagues within the Sacred Heart family, 

I am happy to share with you that I have named a Provincial Team. Sisters Sheila Hammond, Diana Wall and Meg Causey have agreed to join me on our new provincial leadership team that will take office on August 1, 2012. I have also asked Sister Melanie Guste to serve as the Director of Planning with specific responsibility to oversee our planning work with the Network of Sacred Heart Schools and the Sacred Heart Commission on the Goals and Criteria (SHCOG) as well as oversight for strategic planning for the province as a whole.

I thought it might be helpful for you to know a little about our new leadership team. 

Sheila Hammond is currently the Director of Pastoral Care at Saint Louis University Hospital. Prior to this, Sheila has been Director of Chaplaincy Services at Mass General Hospital in Boston, Director of Formation for the US Province and a member of the provincial team under the leadership of Sister Kathleen Hughes. Sheila is a Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) supervisor and her graduate degree is in Theology. 

Diana Wall is currently Director of Institutional Advancement at Forest Ridge School of the Sacred Heart in Seattle. Diana has worked at the Rosary in New Orleans in Development and oversaw a great deal of our provincial work in eldercare in Albany, New York. Diana worked for a number of years in business management prior to entering the Society. Diana has a degree in nursing as well as an MBA. 

Meg Causey is on the current provincial team with Sister Paula Toner. Prior to this service she worked in administration and curriculum at Bloomfield Hills, started the Duchesne Center at Manhattanville College and has taught ethics and theology. Meg has extensive experience in Network Schools and was head of Oak Hill School at Villa Duchesne for several years prior to entering the Society. Meg has a PhD in theology. 

Melanie Guste is on the current provincial team. Melanie has extensive experience in planning, both within the province as well as with various organizations primarily in Louisiana. She is currently the team's liaison with SHCOG and has served on the Institutional Task Force that has been reviewing planning and structural issues of the Network in relationship to the province. Melanie has her PhD in Human and Organizational Systems and Master's degrees in Educational Administration/Supervision and Applied Spirituality. 

I look forward to meeting with you and working with you to further the Society's mission and charism in our country and beyond.  These are exciting times. While there are many challenges in our church and in our world, these same challenges give us the opportunity to renew our commitment to the vision of St. Madeleine Sophie and to search together for new ways to show forth the love of God in a world that longs for God and hungers for meaning.

This brings a promise of prayer for you and for your family,

Barbara Dawson RSCJ

Provincial-elect

Barbara Dawson, RSCJ named new US Provincial

Announcement from the Society of the Sacred Heart....

Barbara Dawson, RSCJ

Next Provincial Named

Barbara Dawson, RSCJ

A familiar face will return to the office of provincial for the United States Province of the Society of the Sacred Heart next summer. Barbara Dawson, RSCJ, has accepted the appointment to serve as the next provincial of the U.S. Province. Sister Dawson’s three-year term, beginning in the summer of 2012, will be her second appointment as provincial. She previously served two three-year terms from 1993 to 1999. As provincial, Sister Dawson will be responsible for the communities and ministries of the Religious of the Sacred Heart in the United States. She will consult with province members and assemble her provincial team prior to taking office.

Kathleen Conan, RSCJ, superior general of the international congregation of women religious, announced Sister Dawson’s acceptance of her nomination in a letter to the province on September 19. In it, she wrote, “Barb will bring to this service her strong commitment to the Society, her belief in our vocation and in the province.… Barb will bring her strong sense of mission rooted in our spirituality, her commitment to the co-responsibility of the membership, her experience in various aspects of the province’s ministries and the Society’s internationality, and her considerable administrative experience.”

Sister Dawson will succeed Paula Toner, RSCJ, who has led the province since 2008, when she replaced Sister Conan when she was elected superior general while in the midst of her term as provincial.

A native of San Francisco, Sister Dawson recently moved to Jakarta, Indonesia, where she is living and working with the Society of the Sacred Heart Indonesia (Kongregasi Hati Kudus Yesus) as it develops its plan for mission and ministry. She concurrently serves as an executive consultant to the Urban Catholic Schools for the Diocese of Oakland. Her previous ministries include President of St. Martin de Porres School in Oakland, Director of Public Policy and Immigration Outreach for Catholic Charities of the East Bay and Director of Ministry for the U.S. Province.

Sister Dawson earned her bachelor of arts from Lone Mountain College (now the University of San Francisco) and a law degree from the University of San Francisco. Her master of arts in international comparative education came from Stanford University. She is a member of the bar in both California and Missouri and serves on the board of trustees for Sacred Heart Schools, Atherton, the Network of Sacred Heart Schools and the School of Applied Theology, Berkeley.

In the Society of the Sacred Heart tradition, the superior general of the international community names the leader of the province following a province-wide nomination process. U.S. provincials serve for a term of three years and choose their own provincial term to serve alongside them.

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Society of the Sacred Heart U.S. Province

Society of the Sacred Heart

U.S. Province

Society of the Sacred Heart

For Immediate Release

September 20, 2011

For more information:

Therese Meyerhoff

314-880-0555

tmeyerhoff@rscj.org

Next Provincial Named for Society of the Sacred Heart, U.S. Province

Barbara Dawson, RSCJ, will be the next provincial of the United States Province of the Society of the Sacred Heart. Kathleen Conan, RSCJ, superior general of the international congregation of women religious, announced Sister Dawson’s acceptance of her appointment on September 19. Sister Dawson will succeed Paula Toner, RSCJ, who has led the province since 2008, when she replaced Sister Conan when she was elected superior general.

In her letter to the U.S. province, Sister Conan wrote, “Barb will bring to this service her strong commitment to the Society, her belief in our vocation and in the province…. Barb will bring her strong sense of mission rooted in our spirituality, her commitment to the co-responsibility of the membership, her experience in various aspects of the province’s ministries and the Society’s internationality, and her considerable administrative experience.” 

Sister Dawson’s three-year term, beginning in the summer of 2012, will be her third term as head of the U.S. Province. She previously served 1993-99. As provincial, Sister Dawson will be responsible for the communities and ministries of the Religious of the Sacred Heart in the United States. She will consult with province members and assemble her provincial team prior to taking office. 

A native of San Francisco, Sister Dawson recently moved to Jakarta, Indonesia, where she is living and working with the Society of the Sacred Heart Indonesia (Kongregasi Hati Kudus Yesus) as it develops its plan for mission and ministry. She concurrently serves as a consultant to the Urban Catholic Schools for the Diocese of Oakland. Her previous ministries include: 

• President of St. Martin de Porres School in Oakland (2003-2011)

• Executive Director of Urban Catholic Schools, Diocese of Oakland (2009-2011)

• Director of Public Policy and Immigration Outreach for Catholic Charities of the East Bay (2000-2003) 

• Research consultant at the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching (1999-2000)

• Teacher and consultant, Atma Jaya Katolik Universitas, Indonesia (1990-93) 

• Director of Immigration Programs for Catholic Charities of the East Bay (1988-90)

• Director of Ministry, Society of the Sacred Heart (1982-88)

• Managing attorney, Mental Health Advocacy Project, San Jose (1980-82)

• Adjunct Professor, Lone Mountain College (now University of San Francisco), San Jose State    University, and New College of California Law School (1977-82)

• Private law practice (1976-79)

• Associate Dean of Students, Lone Mountain College (1971-74)

Sister Dawson earned her bachelor of arts from Lone Mountain College (now the University of San Francisco), and a law degree from the University of San Francisco. She earned a master of arts in international comparative education from Stanford University. She is a member of the bar in both California and Missouri and serves on the board of trustees for Sacred Heart Schools, Atherton, the Network of Sacred Heart Schools and the School of Applied Theology, Berkeley. 

In the Society of the Sacred Heart tradition, the superior general of the international community names the leader of the province following a province-wide nomination process. U.S. provincials serve for a term of three years and choose their own provincial team to serve alongside them. 

The Society of the Sacred Heart was founded in France in 1800 by St. Madeleine Sophie Barat and brought to the United States by St. Rose Philippine Duchesne in 1818. There are 340 members in the United States Province and more than 2,500 professed members in 41 countries. Members of the Society are committed to discover, live and announce God’s love through the service of education for transformation, in diverse ministries, particularly addressing the needs of children, young people, women and those in society who are marginalized.

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One heart and one mind in the Heart of Jesus.