L'Esprit de Sacre Coeur ~ Tenth Anniversary

L'Esprit honored Care for Real
as their 2013 Goal Award Recipient

Saturday, February 9, 2013 Sacred Heart Schools Chicago celebrated their Tenth Anniversary of L'Esprit de Sacre Coeur with a Carnivale theme.  Nat Wilburn, Head of School introduced former Head of School, Sr. Susan Maxwell, RSCJ who was in town and gave a very beautiful blessing before dinner.  Sr. Maxwell read in part the following reflection (below) by Sr. Maureen Glavin, RSCJ and explained that the U.S. Conference of Bishops has named the month of February - the month of Philippine as part of their observance of the Year of Faith.  

Kudos go to Maria Cieciura, Michelle Krage and Claire O'Grady who did a fantastic job as Co-chairs of the event.  The night was filled with lively entertainment, a delicious dinner, and auction items that created a lot of excitement, as well as revenue for the school.

Editors Note: If you wish to read the entire collection of reflections on St. Rose Philippine Duchesne this month ~ please click here.  To see more photos of the L'Esprit Tenth Anniversary hosted at the Fairmont Hotel  ~ click here.

Reflections on St. Rose Philippine Duchesne

Philippine: Woman With A Global Heart Philippine Duchesne had what I like to call a Global Heart. Because of this, I find Philippine to be a particularly inviting model for our 21st century world. A global heart is simple enough to understand: it is a heart that has moved from lingering lovingly in an ego-centric place, through a group-centric place (my tribe, my race, my social group, etc.), to a world-centric place. A global heart has shifted the focus of interest and compassion from “me” to “us” to “all of us”! This development describes an emergence of consciousness and compassion into ever-expanding circles of whom is defined as “one’s neighbor” or into ever-expanding circles of people with whom one is capable of truly empathizing. A global heart has an inclusive, wide tent and a porous boundary! Philippine Duchesne was constantly expanding the borders and boundaries of her heart. As a child she yearned to reach out to the poor of Grenoble, as an adolescent and young nun she dreamed of working with native peoples across the ocean, and as an old woman she longed to travel to the Rocky Mountains and beyond—even to China. Philippine courageously crossed borders and boundaries that were not just geographic or political; she crossed borders and boundaries of social class, language, culture and customs. Philippine’s circle of compassion was as wide as the world. Her deep desire was to bring the Love of God, which she had come to know so intimately, to those in the world she thought were most removed from it. Philippine had a Global Heart. So what of us? How broad is the tent of our own inclusion? How wide is the circle of our compassion? How porous are the boundaries of our hearts? For whom do our hearts hurt? If the answer is too narrow or parochial, it is useful to know HOW Philippine’s Heart BECAME so GLOBAL. How? She opened her heart and spent copious amounts of time allowing God’s Love, through Christ, to fill her, to form her and, ultimately, to transform her. Her Heart thus became increasingly beautifully revelatory of Christ’s Heart. And AS Christ’s Heart, her heart encompassed the globe.  Maureen Glavin, RSCJ

Collaborating with the RSCJ

Maggie Sieger Kaspura, AASH Interim National Office Director and MER enjoyed
 being with members of the Society and Network of Sacred Heart Schools in St. Charles, MO

Last April, Society of the Sacred Heart U.S. Provincial and AASH Honorary President, Sr. Paula Toner, RSCJ, invited me to attend a collaborative meeting with members of her Provincial Team, as well as incoming Provincial Sr. Barbara Dawson, RSCJ. We met on Sunday, July 8th in St. Charles, Missouri, home of the Shrine of St. Philippine Duchesne.  The participants included Sr. Paula Toner and a few members of her provincial team: Sisters Susan Maxwell, Mary Charlotte Chandler and Mary Kay Hunyady, as well as Sr. Shirley Miller, RSCJ Director of Mission Advancement and Ms. Therese Meyerhoff, Director of Communications and Public Relations for the U.S. Province.  Joining us from the Network of Sacred Heart Schools, Madeleine Ortman, Executive Director and Dr. Joseph Ciancaglini, Chair of the Network Board and Head at 91st Street. 

In mid July, I was invited to attend the Society's Provincial Assembly in St. Louis as one of their constituency collaborators, to be back at the Shrine to attend mass with over 230 RSCJ's and witness the Leadership Blessing Ceremony.  Yesterday, August 1st, Sr. Barbara Dawson and her new Provincial Team began their three year term.  Read more here about the New Leadership Team for the Society of the Sacred Heart, U.S. Province 

As you may know the U.S. Provincial of the Religious of the Sacred Heart serves as the Honorary President of AASH and is an advisor to the Board of Directors.  On behalf of the Alumnae and Alumni of the Sacred Heart, I want to publicly say "thank you" to Sr. Paula Toner RSCJ and her team for their leadership and devotion to all the "children of the Sacred Heart."  Please know that as you prepare to transition into new roles within the Society you will be in our hearts and prayers. 

To our new AASH Honorary President and U.S. Provincial, Sr. Barbara Dawson, RSCJ and her Provincial Team, Sisters Meg Causey, Sheila Hammond, and Diana Wall, rest assured that the AASH looks forward to continuing our support and promotion of the various ministries served by our beloved Society.