from the Provincial

Dear Friends and Family of the Sacred Heart,

In this issue of Heart, we explore a variety of ways that our ministries advance our mission to discover and to reveal God’s love in the heart of the world through the service of education. These stories capture particular ways we and our partners in mission continue the work of Christ in our world today as we walk into the future together with courage and confidence. We are called to be the love of the Sacred Heart within the world, quietly and consistently supporting 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. We are inspired by Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat’s vision. In the Constitutions of the Society of the Sacred Heart, we speak of the grace of vocation being a way of conversion and apostolic fruitfulness. For us, all that we do springs from our being united in the Heart of Christ. Our perspective as Religious of the Sacred Heart is from the pierced Heart of Jesus, which opens our being to the depths of God and to the anguish of humankind. In these stories we hope you see the energy of our lives as we respond to the call to be the love of the Sacred Heart in our world here, now, and into the future. Inspired by Saint Madeleine Sophie, we hope to work for transformation as … we make her desire our own: – that people become ever more aware of the truth, of love and of freedom – that they discover the significance of their lives, and devote themselves to others – that they take part creatively in the common effort to transform the world – that they be enabled to encounter the love of Jesus – that they let their lives be shaped by an active faith.

Constitutions of the Society of the Sacred Heart, §11 The generosity of our partners in mission, your commitment to Sophie’s vision, your gracious support and your kindness encourage us to pursue Christ’s call to us to build the Beloved Community by being the Love of the Sacred Heart. Let us continue to pray for one another as we engage in this holy work of transformation. United in One Heart,

Suzanne Cooke, RSCJ We are called to be the love of the Sacred Heart within the world, quietly and consistently supporting people to grow in dignity as human beings and as children of God.”