Society of the Sacred Heart Spirituality Forum 2013

Last week (July 10-14, 2013) I attended my very first Society of the Sacred Heart Spirituality Forum hosted at Sacred Heart Schools in Atherton, Calf.  The theme, Janet Erskine Stuart: Spirituality and Education for the 21st Century was what caught my attention.  Since this year marks the Launch of the Centenary Year of Janet Erskine Stuart (1857-1914) it was a perfect opportunity to learn more about this remarkable religious educator and Sixth Superior General of the Society of the Sacred Heart.  

So after getting settled at the Vallombrosa Center, Helen Ryan and I headed over to the brand new Johnson Performing Arts building for a Welcome Reception and Buffet Dinner hosted in Ravi Hall.  Sacred Heart Schools has a most beautiful 63-acre campus! The 200 plus attendees comprised of RSCJ (many from Oakwood and surrounding Communities),  Sacred Heart Educators, Associates and Alums from as far away as Australia, India, Puerto Rico and Canada.  Our time together would include: informative presentations and break out sessions, daily morning prayer and evening liturgies, time for reflection and group discussion.   The next few days we listened intently to the following speakers:  

Kathleen Hughes, RSCJ 
 - Janet Erskiine Stuart through the Eyes of Her Contemporaries

Suzanne Cooke, RSCJ
 -  Mother Stuart's Understanding of Prayer and its Impact on the Spirituality of Sacred Heart Education

Ray O’Connor, Associate
 - Janet Erskine Stuart's Educational Philosophy and the Plan of Studies
 

Ilia Delio, OSF
 -   The Legacy of Janet Erskine Stuart and the SPirituality and Education Needed for Today's Emerging Vision

From the many breakout sessions offered, I chose to attend Janet Stuart's Equine Legacy by Lyn Osiek, RSCJ; Connie Solari, Atherton; Corie Thompson, Atherton; and a very handsome Clydesdale named Beau.  On Saturday afternoon I went to Janet Erskine Stuart's Love of Nature by Ruth Cady, Atherton.  

The overall experience was fabulous.  I enjoyed seeing many familiar faces and most especially meeting and making new friends within our Sacred Heart family. To view the many photos taken during the 2013 Spirituality Forum just click on the photo to the right of this blog entry.

And to see more photos taken during the course of the Forum - click here or go to www.rscj.org

World Day of Prayer for Vocations... April 29th

For further info click here

Something I did not know until I ventured onto the Society of the Sacred Heart web page is that today marks the 49th annual World Day of Prayer for Vocations.  

Apparently in 1963 Pope Paul VI designated Good Shepherd Sunday as World Day of Prayer for Vocations and ever since, this day is celebrated on the fourth Sunday of Easter.  Sr. Kathleen Hughes, RSCJ and former Provincial for the U.S. Province wrote  the beautiful prayer below. 

Prayer for Vocations 

God whose power is love and whose heart is infinite,

You have called the Religious of the Sacred Heart

to discover and reveal your love

by living as women of the pierced heart of Christ,

attentive both to your presence

and to the anguish and hope of your people.

Keep us faithful to your longings for us:

contemplative by vocation

desirous of communion

generous in forgiveness

and passionate for justice.

By our witness

attract other women to this same spirit and mission.

Join to our number those who

are great-hearted and ready to reveal your face.

Give us companions who, despite the ambiguities of this age,

will lean on the love of their sisters as they root their lives in you.

Invite to the Society of the Sacred Heart

those who are generous and joy-filled like Madeleine Sophie,

those who are courageous and daring like Philippine,

and renew us all in these habits of heart.

We ask this in confidence and hope through Christ,

risen and reigning with you and the Spirit,

now and forever.  Amen

- Kathleen Hughes, RSCJ