Cokie Roberts visits Josephinum Academy

Photos clockwise: Cokie Roberts with Michael Dougherty, President of 

Josephinum Academy and Sr. Carol Bredenkamp, SCC (Religion teacher), 

Students gather around her after her talk, Cokie with Sr. Muriel Cameron, RSCJ (Campus

 Ministry) and Sr. Mary Bernstein, RSCJ (Registrar); Sr. Cameron with Celeste Denton, 

former Board Member; invited guests line up to have Cokie sign copies of her latest

 book, Founding Mothers: Remembering the Ladies. 

Earlier this month, Cokie Roberts, Sacred Heart alumna, author, political commentator for ABC News and NPR senior news analyst was in Chicago to attend; the 20th Annual Spring Luncheon for the Woman's Board of Rush University Medical Center as their keynote speaker and to take part in a discussion on the The State of the World's Mothers report by Save the Children.

In between these two engagements Cokie graciously spent time at Josephinum Academy talking to students and invited guests about her Sacred Heart education and recently released book, Founding Mothers: Remembering the Ladies.  Afterwards books were available for purchase and Cokie personally signed copies much to the delight of attendees.  The best part was that all book proceeds benefited the Jo that day!  

To learn more about Founding Mothers: Remembering the Ladies - click here.  And, if you too are passionate about providing affordable Catholic educational opportunities to deserving young women, please consider supporting Jospehinum Academy. 

"Founding Mothers: Remembering the Ladies" by Cokie Roberts, Sacred Heart Alumna

This Presidents' Day holiday treat your children or grandchildren to the recently published book Founding Mothers: Remembering the Ladies by Cokie Roberts.  Cokie Roberts,  alumna of Stone Ridge of the Sacred Heart, renown journalist and New York Times bestselling author has collaborated with Caldecott-Honor winning illustrator, Diane Goode to create this wonderful book which highlights female patriots of the American Revolution. 

Cokie Roberts, ST'60

Founding Mothers: Remembering the Ladies introduces the young reader to women who orchestrated the American Revolution behind the scenes. These heroic stories highlight patriotic women such as Abigail Adams,  Martha Washington, Phillis Wheatley, Mercy Otis Warren, Sarah Livingston Jay, and others. Details are gleaned from their letters, private journals, lists, and ledgers. The bravery of these women’s courageous acts contributed to the founding of America and spurred the founding fathers to make this a country that “remembered the ladies.”

To learn more or order a copy of Founding Mothers: Remembering the Ladies - click here. 

Our New Pope Francis I

St. Francis Assisi

How befitting that yesterday amidst all the excitement of the news of our New Pope that I should receive an email with a link to the following poem by Vashel Lindsay - American Poems.

St. Francis of Assisi

Would I might wake St. Francis in you all,

Brother of birds and trees, God's Troubadour,

Blinded with weeping for the sad and poor;

Our wealth undone, all strict Franciscan men,

Come, let us chant the canticle again

Of mother earth and the enduring sun.

God make each soul the lonely leper's slave;

God make us saints, and brave.

- A poem by Vachel Lindsay - American Poems

Jorge Mario Bergoglio, SJ was born on December 17, 1936. He is the first Jesuit and the first from his country to be elected Pope on March 13, 2013. Taking the regnal name of Francis, after St. Francis Assisi. Pope Francis I is the first Pope born in the Americas and the first non-European Pope in history.

Of special note is that St. Madeleine Sophie Barat's brother Louis was a Jesuit priest. It is well known that her older brother Louis had a positive influence and served as her mentor.  He taught Sophie as a young girl and prepared her for religious life.  To read more about St. Madeleine Sophie - click here.

It was an honor to listen to Sr. Clare Pratt, RSCJ former Superior General of the Society of the Sacred Heart give commentary during the ABC News broadcast as we awaited the news of our New Pope. Last evening on the late news Cokie Roberts an alumna of Stone Ridge and ABC Correspondent was recapping the events on Nightline. So very proud of our Sacred Heart family!

Clare Pratt, RSCJ - Commentator on ABC News During Papal Conclave in Rome

Clare Pratt, RSCJ
Former Superior General 2000-2008

News from U.S. Provincial Team....

The U.S. Provincial Team asked me to share with you that Clare Pratt, RSCJ has been asked to be live on air with Diane Sawyer as a commentator throughout the papal conclave. We are not sure when the commentary will begin, who else will be commenting or how often it will be on, but we thought that you would want to know in order to tune in to ABC, particularly for their morning coverage.  Obviously, this opportunity is both an honor and a huge responsibility.

The following was posted to the RSCJ.org website this morning. 

Friends of the Society of the Sacred Heart might recognize one or more of the people providing commentary for ABC News during the papal conclave this week. Clare Pratt, RSCJ, will occasionally be on air with Diane Sawyer throughout the time the Cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church are sequestered to elect a new leader of the worldwide Church. She will also be available to provide information and perspective during the days following the announcement of the next Pope.

As with so many details about the conclave, it is unclear at this time how often Sister Pratt will appear, or for how long. She is one of several experts that ABC News has available for commentary. Sacred Heart alumna Cokie Roberts is an ABC News Contributor and will be involved in the coverage from Rome.

A native of Washington, DC, Sister Clare Pratt was the first American to lead the international Society of the Sacred Heart as superior general, 2000-2008. She also served as a member of the U.S. provincial leadership team, 1988-93. Currently, she serves as the community director for Oakwood Retirement Center in Atherton, California, where many Religious of the Sacred Heart in prayer ministry live. Sister Pratt is a graduate of Sacred Heart schools: Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart, in Bethesda, Maryland, as well as Manhattanville College of the Sacred Heart, Purchase, New York and Newton College of the Sacred Heart, Newton, Massachusetts. Her masters in religious education came from LaSalle College, Philadelphia.

The U.S. provincial team invites prayer for this historic and important moment in the life of the Church.

For further info on the ABC News Special Coverage "The Papal Conclave Choosing the New Pope" click here.

Remembering Betty Ford

A wonderful short video about Betty Ford!  May she rest in peace!

Cokie Roberts remembers Former First Lady Betty Ford

Betty Ford
1918-2011

Cokie Roberts (Sacred Heart alumna of Stone Ridge) will give the eulogy for Former First Lady Betty Ford today at St. Margaret's Episcopal Church in Palm Springs, California.  

In an interview with ABC news yesterday, Cokie describes the impact Mrs. Ford had and her legacy with regard to breast cancer awareness, the Equal Rights Amendment and substance abuse treatment.  It was in the Fall of 1982 that the Betty Ford Center opened and tens of thousands have credited Mrs. Ford for helping them.  The center provides treatment for alcoholism and drug dependencies. 

Mrs. Ford will be laid to rest on Thursday in Grand Rapids, MI on the anniversary of her husband's 98th birthday.