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Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Feast of St. Ignatius

Bust of St. Ignatius Loyola
 as seen in Chicago at the 
Ignatius House Jesuit Community
photo credit: Ann Greene

To St. Ignatius
Feast July 31

O God, Who, by the ministry of St. Ignatius, hast given to the Church militant a new aid for spreading abroad the glory of Thy Holy Name, grant that, assisted by his protection and example, after having combated on earth, we may be crowned immortally in Heaven. Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

The prayer above was taken from the book: SPECIAL DEVOTIONS compiled for Children of the Sacred Heart - Revised Edition 1956


The Ignatian Volunteer Corps (IVC) provides men and women, aged 50 and older, opportunities to serve others and transform lives, matching the talents of experienced volunteers with the greatest social needs of our time. By contributing their leadership skills and life experience, IVC members make a real difference in the poor and marginalized communities in which they serve. Volunteers are strengthened in their Christian faith by IVC’s unique spiritual reflection program, which is rooted in the Jesuit tradition of Ignatian spirituality. IVC has grown to over 300 volunteers in 16 U.S. cities.
IVC Chicago is a vibrant, growing program with 40 volunteers serving at 32 service sites across the Chicagoland area. Our volunteers are in diverse positions of service across the city and suburbs, from tutoring/ mentoring at all levels of education and working at food pantries/soup kitchens, to immigration advocacy, social service, and hospital ministry. To learn more and see other locations, please visit www.ivcusa.org.

Sunday, July 29, 2012

BARAT COLLEGE: A LEGACY, A SPIRIT AND A NAME (ISBN #3734-8)

Sr. Martha Curry, RSCJ

Today is the Feast of Saint Martha and how appropriate that Sr. Martha Curry, RSCJ has good news to share with us!  
"BARAT COLLEGE: A LEGACY, A SPIRIT AND A NAME" is now available for purchase!  The book cost is $20.00 plus shipping.  To order your book call Loyola Press at 1-800-621-1008 (M-F 8:00 A.M. - 4:30 P.M. CST)  Be sure to order by the title and supply the ISBN #3734-8

About Martha Currry, RSCJ
Martha Curry, a Religious of the Society of the Sacred Heart, is an alumna and former member of the English faculty of Barat College. Sister Curry holds a doctorate in English Literature from Loyola University, Chicago, with an emphasis in American Literature. During her years on Barat’s faculty, she made a specialty of teaching, publishing, and lecturing on Sherwood Anderson, Gertrude Stein, and James Joyce.
Sister Curry’s ministries after she retired from teaching at Barat College included campus ministry at Princeton University and Wayne State University and serving as director of the retirement community of the Society of the Sacred Heart in Albany, New York.
After Barat entered into an alliance with Depaul University in 2001, and DePaul decided to close the college in 2005, Sister Curry determined that Barat’s story had to be told. The legacy and spirit of its namesake, St. Madeleine Sophie Barat, founder of the Society of the Sacred Heart, permeated the life of Barat College and permeates Sister Curry’s book. 


Saturday, July 28, 2012

Sacred Heart Student's Lia Neal and Katie Ledecky to Swim Today in London


Lia Neal, student at 91st, N.Y.


Tune in today, Saturday, July 28th (7:00 am EST) and cheer on Sacred Heart students: Lia Neal,   enrolled at 91st Street, NY and Katie Ledecky a student at Stone Ridge, Washington, D.C. Katie is the youngest member of the U.S. swim team.  

Katie Ledecky, student at Stone Ridge in Washington, D.C.


To St. Madeleine Sophie Barat

Painting of St. Madeleine Sophie Barat
The Sacred Heart School of  Montreal
2014 AMASC Congress Host School

July 28, 1819 ~ Philippine Duchesne writes to Madeleine Sophie Barat, "We do not talk among ourselves about our privations in order to express complaints, but to add fuel to the fire of our sacrifice and so renew it." 

Taken from the book, "Through the Year with Philippine Duchesne"

Friday, July 27, 2012

Quotation from Father Joseph Varin, S.J.

Father Pere Joseph Varin, SJ

July 27, 1820 ~  Quotation from Father Joseph Varin, S.J. "Who is the Master we serve? One Whose Heart is full of goodness and love, Who might command, but Who chooses to request, our service.  He is a Master Whose Heart, says the great Apostle, is filled with all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge."

Taken from the book, "Through the Year with Philippine Duchesne"

Monday, July 23, 2012

GOT HEART?...check out the Society of the Sacred Heart!

RSCJ and Collaborators enjoying a break from the 2012 Assembly meetings

Society of the Sacred Heart
US Province
Mission Statement

The Society of the Sacred Heart is an international community of women in the Catholic Church, founded in 1800 by St. Madeleine Sophie Barat.  Sharing her vision and mission, we are convinced of the centrality of prayer and contemplation in our lives. We are committed to discovering and making God's love visible in the heart of the world through the service of education. Conscious of what we do, we do together, and remembering a tradition marked by love for young people and missionary spirit, the Religious of the Sacred Heart carry out his service of education:
  • Especially in the work of teaching and formation
  • In other activities for human development and the promotion of justice
  • In pastoral work and guidance in the faith
 (1982 Constitutions of the Society of the Sacred Heart, #13)


For further info, contact: Vocation Director, Sr. Mary Pat White, RSCJ - click here and to go to their Facebook page here click to "Like" them!



Sunday, July 22, 2012

RSCJ Jubilarians


On Saturday, June 21st, I discovered at lunchtime that Sisters Mary Lou Gavan, Marianne Ruggeri and Anne Sturges, RSCJ were celebrating their Golden Jubilee together.  These women made their final vows in Rome on this very day!  Best wishes to all of you and special thanks to Mary Lou who works in the Soceity's archive office.

Friday, July 20, 2012

Juliet Mousseau, RSCJ, Professes First Vows at the Shrine


On behalf of the Associated Alumnae and Alumni of the Sacred Heart, I send our best wishes to Juliet Mousseau, RSCJ who on Wednesday, July 18, 2012 made her first vows.  To read more about the ceremony click here.

Video courtesy of Sr. Mary Schumacher, RSCJ

A very warm welcome from the RSCJ and a beautiful liturgy


This afternoon I was invited to attend mass with the RSCJ.  Father Sean Martin was the celebrant.  By far this was one of the most moving Liturgies I have ever attended!  The entrance song was Envia Tu Espirito by Bob Hurd (click below to hear the song) and sung by the RSCJ Choir... simply put their voices were angelic and the songs through out the mass were uplifting and very moving. We then had a delicious dinner and I enjoyed casual conversation with many old and new acquaintances.




Inside the postcard (above) reads:

Dear Alums -  I've arrived in St. Louis and have been warmly greeted by so many familiar faces and of course I'm meeting many new RSCJ's from around the US and abroad.  The best part of the day was the beautiful liturgy of which I prayed for all of you!  
In the heart, Maureen

Thursday, July 19, 2012

US Provincial Assembly Invites Collaborators


The theme Open Hearts transformed by the Spirit 

This afternoon, fellow AASH Board member, Maria Cristinia Garcia, and I will arrive in St. Louis and join approximately 230 RSCJs from all over the US for their Provincial Assembly.   In addition to the two of us representing AASH, I have been told that there will be approximately 24  "collaborators" representing the following constituencies: Associates, Network of Sacred Heart Schools, SHCOG, Vocation Ministry, as well as, Lay members of the Provincial Investment Committee; Finance Committee; and National Development Board.  

And, while the majority of the RSCJs in attendance will be from the US, there will be a few from Canada and other provinces as well.  Of special note is our very own, Sr. Kathleen Conan, Superior General who has traveled from Rome to be here as a member of the Province.  

As a collaborator we were provided with a brief overview of the purpose of an Assembly in the life of the Province.  Below is info provided by the Assembly Steering Committee...


Provincial Assemblies in the Life of the Province

From the Constitutions for the Society of the Sacred Heart #154:

The PROVINCIAL ASSEMBLY, the consultative organ of the province, is a means of:
  •  having a real experience of communion
  •  promoting interchange
  •  sharing experiences and reflections concerning the province
  •  expressing expectations and recommendations to the provincial and her council concerning the orientations of the province
  •  evaluating the progress of the province.
 The provincial, with the help of her council, will make sure that the whole province is involved in this important event in the life of the province. The composition of this assembly is determined by the Provincial Plan of Government.

From the United States Province Government Plan 1999: Members of the provincial community gather for different purposes, such as regional gatherings, ministerial or interest groupings, delegate assemblies, and assemblies of the whole. These assemblies enable members of the Province to foster communion and to discuss topics and concerns relevant to our religious life and ministry.  According to the Constitutions, provincial assemblies should occur at least every three years (Const. 154).  These can take different forms, but their purpose is to ensure co-responsibility.  These complement the Provincial Chapter. 






Wednesday, July 11, 2012

A Message From The Society of the Sacred Heart - RE: JPIC Survey

Illustration by Noelee Favet, RSCJ
To:       Alumnae, Alumni and members of the Network of Sacred Heart Schools

From:   Diane Roche RSCJ, contact person for the US Province, International JPIC (Justice, Peace & the Integrity of Creation) Spiritual Journey

During the past few months, RSCJ and members of the Sacred Heart Family around the world have been reflecting together on how we live the mission and the spirituality of the Society of the Sacred Heart in light of the challenges in the world today.  This brief survey will provide a way for you to add your thoughts and insights so that we can discover common concerns and commitments as a way of discerning together what our next steps on the journey should be. 

Please take a few minutes to read and reflect quietly (either alone or in small groups)  on the three quotes below (one from Scripture, one from the Constitutions of the Society of the Sacred Heart and one from our most recent Chapter).  Then we are asking you to take about 10-15 minutes to respond to an online survey by following this link:  https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/RSCJJPICSurvey

You may include your name and contact information if you wish or you can submit the survey responses anonymously.  The link to this survey will remain active for two weeks, so please try to have your responses back to us by Monday, July 23rd.

It has become very clear to us over the past few years that in order to discern the future of the Society of the Sacred Heart we need to hear all the voices of those who share in the life of the Society.  We thank you for taking the time to give this survey your prayerful attention. We look forward to hearing from you!




Gospel:Luke 7:11-17  Now when he was near the gate of the town there was a dead man being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow.  And aconsiderable number of the townspeople was with her.  When the Lord saw her he felt sorry for her and said to her, "Don't cry."  Then he went up and touched the bier and the bearers stood still, and he said, "young man, I tell you: get up."

Society of the Sacred Heart Constitutions of 1982: Caught up as we are in the desires of His Heart, we want people to grow in dignity, as human beings and as children of God.  Our starting point is the Gospel with all that it demands from us of love, forgiveness and justice, and of solidarity with those who are poor and rejected by the world.

Society of the Sacred Heart Chapter of 2008: We suffer the pain of our peoples.  With them, and from this depth, we enter into the Open Heart of Christ, the wellspring that satisfies our thirst. From our contemplation of the Pierced Heart of Jesus in the heart of a wounded humanity flows the desire to commit ourselves with greater passion and compassion to justice, peace, and the integrity of creation.


Sunday, July 8, 2012

Quotation from Father Jean Crasset, S.J.

 Shrine of St. Philippine Duchesne
photo taken prior to the Corpus Christi procession in 2011

July 8, 1852 ~   A favorite quotation of Mother Duchesne from Father Jean Crasset, S.J. "I am where God wills me to be, and so I have found rest and security.  His wisdom governs me, His power defends me, His grace sanctifies me, His mercy encompasses me, His joy sustains me and all will go well with me."

Taken from the book: Through the Year with Philippine Duchesne


Today, I celebrate my birthday and I just happen to be in St. Charles for a meeting.  To be here at the Shrine on this special day is awesome!  Yes, "I am where God wills me to be" today.  With loving gratitude for my mother and all the RSCJ "Mother's" in my life.