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. 

María Josefa Bultó, RSCJ (1905-2011) has died at the age of 106

María Josefa Bultó, RSCJ
(1905-2011)

María Josefa Bultó, RSCJ who served as the 11th Superior General of the Society of the Sacred Heart  died Tuesday evening in Barcelona, Spain.  She was 106 years old.  Mother Bultó is considered to be one of the longest surviving religious in her order. She served as Superior General through three years (1967-1970) of tension and tumultuous adjustment as the Society undertook the implementation of the the changes enacted in 1967.  Mother Bultó  presided over the transition to full participation of the religious in the governance of the Society during a brief, transitional mandate.  Five fundamentals were reaffirmed at the close of Mother Bulto's term: internationally, an educational mission, solidarity with the poor, solidarity with the Third World and community life. 

Superior General, Kathleen Conan, RSCJ writes, "Mother Bultó guided us with grace, understanding and enormous trust that God remains faithful in the midst of great challenges.  It is clear from her writings and letters that her primary concern was to call us to maintain union of hearts and minds at a time of divergent viewpoints concerning the way to live religious life following Vatican Council II.  Over and over in her letters she pleaded with us to move beyond our differences into one much wider vision. We thank God for giving to the Society a leader so well suited for those times, and we are grateful to Mother Bultó for exemplifying and calling us to live our Cor unum et anima una in Corde Jesu."

Mother Bultó, RSCJ wrote to the Society in September 1968: “Love must be real, concrete; we must train ourselves ceaselessly to recognize the presence of Christ in our Sisters…The only way we can learn to love one another truly, courageously, is to abide in the living Christ…For it is truly a matter of giving one’s life, of wearing oneself out in the service of others, of sharing the responsibilities of others, of bearing their burdens.”

Mother Bultó celebrating her 105th birthday September 15, 2010
pictured on the left  Sr. Margarita Bofarull, RSCJ, Provincial of Northern Spain

Today let us pray for Mother Bultó and all of our beloved RSCJ who have passed away.

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.