Josephinum Annual Winter Lunch at Union League Club of Chicago

"Your example, even more than your words, 

will be an eloquent lesson to the world" 

- Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat (1779-1865)

To view additional photos click on the photo album link
(right column of my blog) 

Alumnae from Josephinum Academy, various Sacred Heart Academies and Colleges, as well as, many of Chicago's finest civic and corporate leaders eagerly arrived to the Union League Club of Chicago on Tuesday, February 16th to attend Josephinum Academy's annual Winter Lunch. 

Supporting Scholarships for Exceptional Young Women 

Kudos to Co-Chairs: John and Ellen Engel & Kevin and Janice Lee, along with their stellar Host Committee: Michael and Cathy Brennan, Doug and Lee Ann Hoover, Ben and Maureen Kelly Ivory, Alan and Janet Lougee, John and Liz McEnaney, Rich McMenamin and Patty Mulvihill, Kenneth Venzant and Desiree Pepper-Venzant, R. Matthew and Jacque Simon, Robert and Jean Spence.

The highlight of the luncheon was Keynote Speaker, Elizabeth Hartigan Connelly, Sacred Heart alumna and former Board Chair of Sacred Heart Schools Chicago (her alma mater) who spoke eloquently on Women in Leadership.  

The student Keynote Speaker, Stefany Rendon, is a current senior at Josephinum Academy and member of the Peace Exchange. Stefany having applied to nine colleges plans to study sociology and was returning from a college visit when a delay at the airport prevented her from joining us in person.   As a member of the Peace Exchange, last summer Stefany traveled to Nicaragua exploring solutions for peace and nonviolence with community leaders and other student activists. 

Stefany was named an Illinois State Scholar this past December and is the president of Josephinum's National Honor Society.  She was also featured in the Allstate "Good Starts Young" film series about her involvement with the Peace Exchange.  While we were not able to personally meet Stefany we were treated to a clip of the "Good Starts Young" Chicago's Peacemaker film which premiered at the Aspen Ideas Festival. 

Josephinum Academy is an all-girls Catholic high school located in the heart of Chicago's Wicker Park neighborhood.  It is one of twenty-four Network of Sacred Heart Schools located in the United States and Canada.  For 125 years, "the Jo" has been educating and empowering young women to become confident, faith-filled leaders.  Every day young women travel from 40 zip codes around the Chicagoland area to receive the quality education that prepares them for college and life after academia.  

• Currently 88% of students receive additional financial aid and/or scholarship support
• Josephinum will offer 60 scholarships (nearly $330,000) to the incoming Class of 2020
• 100% of 2015 graduates were accepted to college and awarded $6.9 million in merit-based scholarships 

Save the Date: October 1, 2016 

Gala Co-Chairs: Celeste and Alan Denton & Maureen and Ron Sippel ask you to mark your calendars and plan to join them and Keynote Speaker: Archbishop Blasé Cupich in supporting Josephinum Academy at the Intercontinental Hotel for dinner and dancing on Saturday, October 1, 2016 

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. 

Sacred Heart Alumna Desiree Rogers will be Keynote Speaker at Josephinum Academy's Annual Winter Luncheon

Desiree Rogers, RA'77
CEO of Johnson Publishing Company

On Wednesday, February 26, 2014, Josephinum Academy will welcome 300 of its friends and supporters, consisting of some of Chicago's finest civic and public leaders, to the Union League Club of Chicago for its annual Winter Lunch.  This year's keynote speaker will be Desiree Rogers, former White House Social Secretary, and current CEO of Johnson Publishing Company and Chairman of Choose Chicago. Rogers is a 1977 alumna of the Academy of the Sacred Heart in New Orleans known as The Rosary.  Proceeds from Josephinum's Winter Lunch benefit scholarships and programs for current students.  

Josephinum Academy is an all-girls Catholic high school in Chicago's Wicker Park neighborhood.  It is one of twenty-two Network of Sacred Heart schools in the United States.  For 123 years, Josephinum has been educating and empowering young women to become confident, faith-filled leaders.  Every day, 197 students travel from 39 zip codes around the Chicagoland area to receive the quality education that will prepare them for college and life after academia.  

If you wish to learn how you too can help support the Jo, please click here.

Fr. Brian Paulson, SJ Named Next Provincial of Chicago-Detroit Province

MER with Fr. Brian G. Paulson, SJ  taken at the IVC Chicago
2013 "Evening of Gratitude" Reception

Sending my heartfelt congratulations to Fr. Brian Paulson, SJ who was recently named the next Provincial of the Chicago-Detroit Province.  Fr. Paulson will begin his new leadership role in July 2014, succeeding Fr. Timothy P. Kesicki, SJ who will become president of the U.S. Jesuit Conference.  By the way, Fr. Kesicki, SJ gave a wonderful Invocation at the 115th Commencement exercises at Sacred Heart Prep in Atherton, California on May 24, 2013 (click here to view on YouTube)

“As I finish my term as provincial of the Chicago-Detroit Province, I couldn’t be happier that Fr. General has named Fr. Paulson to be the next provincial,” said Fr. Kesicki. “He has the proven capacity and the gifts to care for the Jesuits and the ministries of our province. … I look forward to working with him in my new role as president of the Jesuit Conference.”

Fr. Paulson, SJ is well known here within the Chicago Sacred Heart community serving as the presider for many masses for both Sacred Heart alums and current students at Josephinum Academy and Sacred Heart Schools - Chicago. On occasion those fortunate may find him as presider for the Sunday evening mass at Holy Family Parish.  Holy Family Parish is the very same parish where the Society of the Sacred Heart had established in 1858 a parish school, as well as boarding school.  The Sacred Heart boarding school eventually relocated in 1904 to Lake Forest, IL and today is known as Woodlands Academy of the Sacred Heart.  

Fr. Paulson served as president of Saint Ignatius College Prep from 1999-2010 and he currently serves as rector of the Loyola University Jesuit Community in Chicago.  

“I am deeply humbled to accept this call of Fr. General to lead and serve my brother Jesuits as provincial of the Chicago-Detroit Province,” says Fr. Paulson. “In my 32 years as a Jesuit, I have been richly blessed with Jesuit and lay friends, along with tremendous opportunities for ministry, all of which I treasure.”

To read further information and details of this good news about Fr. Brian Paulson, SJ, please go to the Jesuits website - www.jesuits.org or click here. 

118th Annual Commencement Exercises for Jospehinum Academy

Congratulations to the 2012 Graduates of Josephinum Academy!

I enjoyed attending the 118th Annual Commencement Exercises for the 2012 Graduates of Josephinum Academy on Saturday, June 2nd and tried to capture some of the hightlights of the ceremony. Below is a video of Stephanie Castro, 2012 Class Valedictorian.

On behalf of the Associated Alumnae/i of the Sacred Heart, I welcome all 2012 graduates as you now become the newest members of AASH.   Please know that we wish you much success this fall as you enter college and I encourage you to stay connected!

L'Esprit de Sacre Coeur 2012 hosted at the Fairmont Hotel Chicago

Photo highlights from L'Esprit de Sacre Coeur 2012

What a fabulous evening as parents of students from Sacred Heart Schools Chicago, alums, friends and RSCJ gathered together for L'Esprit de Sacre Coeur 2012 - the most important fundraising event of the year hosted once again at the Fairmont Hotel in Chicago.

This annual benefit is sponsored by Parents of the Heart, Sacred Heart's parent organization.  The evening includes both a live and silent auction, a scrumptious dinner and dancing.  

Sr. Donna Collins, RSCJ and former Principal from 1996-2003 at Josephinum Academy gave the blessing before dinner.  SRAA Board Officers on hand this evening were: President, Kwaben Komai, A'83 and President Elect, Joey Yao, H'86

The best part of the evening is the presentation of the Schools' prestigious Goal Award.  

Goal 2: a deep respect for intellectual values

This year's recipient was Josephine Lee, President and Artistic Director of the Chicago Children's Choir.

Josephine Lee in the Middle School Art room
Sacred Heart Schools on Sheridan Road

All proceeds directly benefit the unrestricted annual operating needs of the Academy and Hardey Prep. Kudos go out to the many organizers who made the evening possible especially the CO-CHAIRS: Andrea Garber, Mary Beth Hopp and Colleen Mygatt. 

Nat Wilburn, Head of Schools since 2009 was delighted that Gerald J. Grossman, Head at Woodlands Academy and Michael Dougherty, President of Josephinum Academy (the newest member of the Network of Sacred Heart Schools) were able to attend the L'Esprit benefit.  All three men trace their Sacred Heart connection to California where they worked with each other at our Sacred Heart School in San Francisco.

A truly special evening! And, believe it or not next week the Parents of the Heart will start planning for next year!

Josephinum Academy hosts 3rd Annual Winter Luncheon at the Woman's Athletic Club

Attendees at the Woman's Athletic Club ~ Chicago, IL

Earlier today, Sacred Heart Alums and Friends of the Jo (Josephinum Academy) gathered for the 3rd Annual Winter Luncheon hosted at the Woman's Athletic Club.  Sanay, a sophmore at the school thanked the attendees for helping her to achieve her goal of an education in the U.S. 

Josephinum Academy is the newest member of the Network of Sacred Heart Schools and is located at 1501 North Oakley Boulevard, Chicago, IL