is published two times a year to highlight the mission and ministries of the Society of the Sacred Heart United States – Canada Province for a wide circle of friends.
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The Society of the Sacred Heart, an international community of women religious, was founded by Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat in postrevolutionary France and expanded to North America by Saint Rose Philippine Duchesne. Our mission is to discover and reveal God’s love in the heart of the world through the service of education.
The Heart magazine team would like to hear from you. To share comments, ask questions or suggest articles for future issues, please email: editor@rscj.org
from the Provincial
Dear Friends and Family of the Sacred Heart,
We are in the midst of Advent, that special season that calls us to be still, to be sensitive to the small touches of grace. Adopting this disposition allows us to focus our attention as we anticipate celebrating the extraordinary act of God’s love for all of us — the Incarnation. The sheer joy of Christmas springs forth from our comprehension that God chose to become one of us in the person of Jesus Christ, and now we are called to continue the work of the Incarnation through the choices we make as agents of love.
In this issue of Heart, we share stories of love in action. The agents of love are our mission partners who with our sisters work for the common good. Their stories are ideal for Advent for they understand Walter Brueggemann’s insight: “Advent is an invitation to see the world differently.” The stories describe ways members of the Family of the Sacred Heart see within the brokenness of life the glorious potential of human beings. May their stories shine a light on our shared mission to discover and reveal God’s love in the heart of the world.
During Advent may we continue to encourage one another as we pursue Christ’s invitation to be agents of love. Let us continue to pray for one another. May we find ourselves at Christmas filled with hope and joy as those who see the world as Christ does.
United in the Heart of Christ,
Suzanne Cooke, RSCJ
“
The sheer joy of Christmas springs forth from our comprehension that God chose to become one of us in the person of Jesus Christ...”
General Chapter 2024
By Suzanne Cooke, RSCJ
Barbara Dawson, RSCJ, the superior general of the Society of the Sacred Heart, formally convoked the 2024 General Chapter in August 2024 naming the chapter’s theme as “Courage, Confidence and Transformation through the Power of the Spirit.” Delegates from 43 countries gathered in Nemi, Italy, to continue the important discernment about the future direction of the Society.
The General Chapter is convoked every eight years by the superior general with the consent of her council. Its purpose is to ensure and promote both communion and vitality in the Society of the Sacred Heart in view of its mission. The General Chapter represents all the members of the Society and has supreme normative authority within the congregation, in virtue of the Society of the Sacred Heart Constitutions. The chapter is composed of ex-officio members and elected members and is supported by a team of interpreters and secretarial staff.
The United States – Canada (USC) Province elected three delegates to the chapter: Imma De Stefanis, RSCJ, Paula Gruner, RSCJ, and Sheila Smith, RSCJ. The ex-officio delegates from the USC Province were Provincial Suzanne Cooke, RSCJ, and former Superior General Kathleen Conan, RSCJ.
The responsibilities of the 2024 General Chapter included:
• To evaluate the progress of the Society since the last General Chapter and to give direction to the Society for the next eight years.
• To confirm the reorganization of the congregation and identify the steps we need to take to make this plan a reality.
• To explore how our Apostolic Priorities — Education, Spirituality, JPIC (Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation) and Formation — will guide us in responding to the needs of our time and become a guiding force for our choices as a congregation.
• To determine new ways to share the congregation’s resources (human and financial) among and across provinces in a spirit of justice and equity for all and in support of our Apostolic Priorities.
• To elect a new superior general and recommend her leadership team.
During the Chapter, the entire Family of the Sacred Heart was invited to accompany the process through daily prayer, and all were invited to sign up for daily updates. As a result of such inclusion, delegates at the General Chapter expressed that they experienced
a powerful sense of support, especially as so many RSCJ and lay mission partners were made aware of the evolving process of discernment that took place at the Chapter.
Notably, with Sister Dawson’s term as superior general being completed, the General Chapter 2024 elected her successor.
On August 20, 2024, the General Chapter announced the election of Claire Castaing, RSCJ, as the next superior general of the Society of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Sister Castaing is from the Belgium – France –Netherlands (BFN) Province and has begun her eight-year term. She had previously served as a BFN provincial team member from 2012-2014 and as BFN Provincial from 2014-2021. She was a member
“As I reflect on the discernment process in which we have been engaged since the General Chapter of 2016, I believe that we are faithfully responding to God’s call. With courage and confidence, I look forward to the future and agree with Sister Castaing’s words: ‘The world needs our hope, our active participation as agents of transformation, our wisdom, our caring presence, models of living communities, people who embody the values of the Gospel and show everyone the love of the Heart of Jesus.’”
– Provincial Suzanne Cooke, RSCJ.
of the models committee, which helped prepare for the Society’s Special Chapter 2021, and she served on the Society’s International Planning Commission, which worked with the Society’s General Council to recommend a plan for the reorganization of the Society’s provinces. General Chapter 2024 decided on the plan that will go into effect in the next three years.
On the final Friday of the General Chapter, Sister Castaing appointed the members of the general council, also called the central team (pictured above left to right). Ananda Amritmahal, RSCJ, of the Province of India; Sheila Smith, RSCJ, of the United States – Canada Province; Noellina Namusisi, RSCJ, of the Uganda –Kenya Province; and Francisca (Paqui) Rodríguez Muriel, RSCJ, of the Province of Spain began their eight-year term serving in Rome with Sister Castaing.
Eight New Provinces
The General Chapter 2024 finalized the decision to reconfigure the current Society provinces into these eight new provinces:
• Democratic Republic of Congo – Chad, and Uganda – Kenya
• India, Indonesia, The Philippines, and Vietnam
• Australia – New Zealand, Japan, and KoreaChinese
• The Antilles (Cuba, Haití, Puerto Rico), Mexico, and United States – Canada
• Argentina – Uruguay, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Peru, and Venezuela – Paraguay
• Austria – Germany – Hungary, England –Wales, Ireland – Scotland, and Malta
• Belgium – France – Netherlands, Egypt, and Italy
• Poland and Spain
Sister Castaing (right) and Sister Dawson after lighting Sophie’s candle.
Our New Provincial Team Members
This September, Provincial Suzanne Cooke, RSCJ welcomed new Provincial Team members as her second term as Provincial began. Religious of the Sacred Heart, Associates and province staff joined Sister Cooke, her outgoing team and new team members for a virtual prayer service on Zoom on September 8.
The province thanked outgoing team members Marina Hernandez, RSCJ, and Imma De Stefanis, RSCJ, for their dedication and service to the province over the last three years, and welcomed new team members Maureen Glavin, RSCJ; Paula Gruner, RSCJ; and Mary Kay Hunyady, RSCJ. Lynne Lieux, RSCJ, who served on the previous provincial team will remain on the team for a second term.
Maureen Glavin
Maureen Glavin is originally from upstate New York. Among her past ministries in the Society, Sister Glavin served as a math and science teacher, an assistant principal of Our Lady of Guadalupe School in Houston, Texas, and as director of the junior high school at Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart in Miami, Florida. For 13 years, she was head of school at the Academy of the Sacred Heart in St. Charles, Missouri. She served on the Society’s provincial Bicentennial Planning Committee for the bicentennial celebrations in 2018. Sister Glavin was on the United States – Canada provincial team from 2018 to 2021. She currently lives in Indonesia, where she serves on the leadership team of the Society’s District of Indonesia.
Early in her career, before entering the Society, Sister Glavin worked as a technical specialist in a pharmacology lab at Upstate Medical Center and as a teacher in eastern United States schools. She was a lay volunteer at a junior seminary in Tanzania, East Africa, serving as an instructor of secondary level English, math and science. Sister Glavin was also on the boards of Villa Duchesne School of the Sacred Heart in St. Louis and the School of the Sacred Heart in Montreal.
She earned a bachelor’s in chemistry from St. Lawrence University in Canton, New York, and earned a master’s in theology at St. Thomas University in Houston.
Paula Gruner
Paula Gruner was born and raised in south central Ohio. Sister Gruner has served as a trustee of several member schools of the Network of Sacred Schools. Currently, she is on the Board of Trustees of Maryville University, in St. Louis, Missouri, and on the Board of Governors of the Sacred Heart Schools of Halifax in Nova Scotia. She has held positions within the Network of Sacred Heart Schools at Josephinum Academy in Chicago and Schools of the Sacred Heart in San Francisco, and Doane Stuart School in Albany, a former school of the Network. She was the assistant treasurer and accounting manager for the former United States Province, the assistant to the provincial bursar for the Uganda – Kenya Province, and the business manager for Sprout Creek Farm, a formerly sponsored ministry of the Society in Poughkeepsie, New York.
Sister Gruner is currently serving as the canonical treasurer of the Antilles Province of the Society of the Sacred Heart (Puerto Rico, Haiti and Cuba) and, most recently, was a delegate of the United States – Canada Province at the Society’s General Chapter 2024 in Nemi, Italy.
She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in religion from Capital University in Bexley, Ohio, a Master of Divinity degree from the Methodist Theological School in Delaware, Ohio, and a master’s in business administration from DePaul University in Chicago.
Mary Kay Hunyady
A graduate of Barat College of the Sacred Heart, Mary Kay Hunyady entered the Society in 1978 and taught religion at Duchesne Academy in Omaha, Academy of the Sacred Heart in Grand Coteau and Woodlands Academy in Lake Forest, Illinois, where she was also campus minister and in charge of the social awareness program. Sister Hunyady then became involved in community and political organizing around issues of social justice and compassion. She pursued these areas of ministry for several years during which she was arrested several times for acts of civil disobedience and spent time in jail, though never having to spend the night.
After final profession in the Society in Rome in 1987, she moved to the San Francisco Bay Area to continue working on social justice issues in diverse ways. Ultimately, she decided to focus on individuals, couples and families through work in psychology and began doctoral studies in psychology in Berkeley, California.
She holds a Bachelor of Arts in religious studies and the humanities from Barat College, a master’s in education from Boston College, and a master’s and a doctorate in psychology from the Wright Institute in Berkeley. She is a licensed psychologist in the state of California and a trained spiritual director. She continues her work in both fields.
Lynne Lieux
Lynne Lieux attended the Academy of the Sacred Heart in Grand Coteau, Louisiana, as a boarder.
After receiving her bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Maryville University in St. Louis, Missouri, she spent her first year in the Society at Villa Duchesne School of the Sacred Heart in St. Louis teaching math and physics. She received her master’s degree in physics from Washington University in St. Louis and her doctorate in educational administration from the University of New Orleans.
Sister Lieux has worked in the Network of Sacred Heart Schools as a teacher, dean of students, upper school head, and head of school. She has also served as an adjunct professor in the graduate education program at the University of New Orleans and has worked with the Jacobs Institute on Innovation in Education at the University of San Diego.
She is currently a trustee of the Academy of the Sacred Heart in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, the Academy of the Sacred Heart in New Orleans, The Regis School of the Sacred Heart in Houston, and Maryville University. She has served on the provincial team of the United States – Canada Province since 2021.
Summer Connection
By Erin Everson
Over the last 30 years the Network of Sacred Heart Schools has hosted hundreds of summer service opportunities for middle school and high school students who attend Sacred Heart schools in the United States and Canada.
Network summer service projects have been an extension of the Network’s commitment to Saint Madeleine Sophie’s vision of education. Rooted in the Goals and Criteria with an emphasis on Goal III, the projects provide students with immersive learning experiences designed to promote the inherent dignity of all humans and deepen students’ understanding of service to others. Additionally, these projects provide an opportunity for collaboration with Religious of the Sacred Heart (RSCJ) and other members of the wide Sacred Heart community.
This past summer, Religious of the Sacred Heart in several areas had the chance to connect with students and educators during these weeks of service and learning. Additionally, Society of the Sacred Heart novices — women in formation for religious life in the Society — and young adult members of the SacredHeartDNA community — one of the province’s young adult ministry initiatives — participated in a few of the projects. In the true spirit of collaboration, this past summer’s service projects exemplified how the Society continues to partner with the Network of Sacred Heart Schools to create opportunities for intergenerational and intercultural community building.
San Diego
Just outside San Diego in El Cajon, California, St. Madeleine Sophie’s Center, a long-time mission partner of the Society of the Sacred Heart, hosted a group of high school students for a week of volunteering and learning about its mission of educating and empowering individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities to realize their full potential.
Educators from Sacred Heart Schools (Sheridan Road) in Chicago coordinated this project. Eugenia Yasinska, NSCJ, served as a chaperone. Erin Everson, representing SacredHeartDNA, joined the group for half of the week.
After spending their days volunteering at St. Madeleine Sophie’s Center, the group ventured out into San Diego for various community building activities. One evening,
(left to right) Sister Schmeling, Erin Everson, Eugenia Yasinska, NSCJ, and Kristin Lagerquist.
they toured part of the University of San Diego and enjoyed a meal with RSCJ Virginia Rodee, Mary Hotz, and Annette Schmeling, as well as local Sacred Heart alumnae. Near the end of the week, students and educators spent an evening at the beach hosted by SacredHeartDNA. The evening brought together more RSCJ from the San Diego area for conversation, s’mores, and fun.
“I can’t begin to describe the value of these experiences. We don’t have very many RSCJ in the schools so seeing them here with us and interacting with our students has been amazing.”
– Kristin Lagerquist, educator at Sheridan Road, St. Madeleine Sophie’s Center project coordinator
Coast to Coast
Like Eugenia, Zsófia Trásy, NSCJ, served as a chaperone with a project hosted by Forest Ridge School of the Sacred Heart in Bellevue, Washington. During this project participants learned about the cultural heritage of Indigenous communities throughout the Puget Sound and engaged in various activities that promoted direct service and reinforced being just stewards of the environment and upholding the integrity of creation.
Students who attended a project centered around learning about food insecurity in St. Charles, Missouri, had the chance to visit St. Louis one afternoon. They participated in a Sacred Heart-themed scavenger hunt, with one stop being the RSCJ community located near the provincial office. RSCJ Mary Charlotte Chandler and Maríluz Borja, who was visiting from Mexico, welcomed students for a brief visit.
In New York City, the Convent of the Sacred Heart (91st Street) hosted high school students for a project focused on faith in action. These students had the opportunity to learn from leaders of faith-based organizations how to relieve some of the hardships that burden individuals from under-resourced and marginalized communities, as well as to engage in hands-on service. As they were in New York, students were able to meet with Margaret Mwarili, RSCJ, the Society’s United Nations-NGO representative.
(above and below) Student groups visiting the RSCJ community in St. Louis
Noelle, a student at Duchesne Academy in Omaha, with Eugenia Yasinska, NSCJ, at St. Madeleine Sophie’s Center.
Chicago
Another longstanding project in Chicago brought together a group of high school students and educators from across the network and SacredHeartDNA representatives from Mexico, Yannina González Samilpa and Itzel González. Participants had the opportunity to meet with and learn from a variety of individuals working within the juvenile justice system in Illinois. The goals of this project were to motivate participants to be engaged citizens, comprehend the value of social justice through Catholic Social Teaching, and embody an openness to new information and growth in critical thinking.
One evening, Suzanne “Sue” Rogers, RSCJ, hosted the group, prepared a home cooked meal as well as shared in prayer and reflection time with participants. Sister Rogers also participated in another project called “Committed to Creation,” which aimed to enhance students’ understanding of the significance of leaving a sustainable environmental footprint to ensure a greener future for all of God’s creation.
Spirit of Collaboration
Purposeful Pause
After providing 30 years of formative summer service experiences, the Network of Sacred Heart Schools decided this fall to take a purposeful pause to reevaluate its summer service project experience, reaffirming its commitment to educate students to a social awareness that impels action. This decision was made with an intention to assess how effectively these projects engage in purposeful learning that serves the common good.
The Network will gather insights from participants and coordinators, as well as put together a task force to examine the projects. The re-evaluation will focus on how well the projects educate students to analyze systems that perpetuate injustices in our world and to take actions rooted in integrity, fostering informed, active citizenship and civic responsibility.
Education, community building, and accompaniment are just some of the ways the RSCJ and Society mission partners help young people continue to grow in the mission of the Society of the Sacred Heart. The Society will continue to cultivate its important partnership with the Network of Sacred Heart Schools by engaging in experiences like these projects in the years to come.
“For me, being with RSCJ is always a huge breath of fresh air. Their presence and knowledge are invaluable. They have the gentleness, the experience and the affection to console us and advise us, but also the firmness, the power and the strength to wake us up and make things happen — all in just the right balance as is characteristic of the spirituality of the Sacred Heart.”
– Yannina González Samilpa, alumna of Colegio Sagrado Corazón, San Luis Potosí and SacredHeartDNA Core Team Member
This evaluation will ensure that future projects not only inspire action but also embody the core values of Sacred Heart education. It is not only a reflection on the past but a step toward developing in students a lifelong commitment to being people of integrity.
welcome
Candidate Gwen Malisani
This fall, the province welcomed Gwen Malisani as a candidate in the Society of the Sacred Heart. As a candidate, Gwen begins a one to twoyear formation and discernment period before entering the novitiate in the Society. The Mass of welcome was celebrated at Sacred Heart Greenwich, where Gwen currently works as an intern for campus ministry and student leadership. She lives in the Rebecca House community in White Plains, New York. Please join the Society in praying for Gwen in her vocation journey.
(pictured with Gwen top left to right) Provincial Suzanne Cooke, RSCJ; Paula Gruner, RSCJ; RSCJ Imma De Stefanis and Reyna González; Michael Baber, head of school at Sacred Heart Greenwich; RSCJ Jean Bartunek, Gail O’Donnell and Nancy Kehoe; Gwen Hoeffel, RSCJ; and Karen Malisani, Gwen’s mom.
By Erin Everson
Conectado Corazones
In early June, Sacred Heart educators and Religious of the Sacred Heart representing Mexico, Puerto Rico, the United States and Canada gathered for five days of conversation, collaboration and reflection in preparation to form a new province encompassing the Provinces of United States – Canada, Mexico and Antilles (Cuba, Haiti and Puerto Rico).
The gathering took place at Colegio Sagrado Corazón in Mexico City, and the conference theme was “Conectado Corazones” (Connecting Hearts).
The goals of the gathering were to reflect on and deepen understanding of the document Philosophy of Sacred Heart Education – Sophie’s Gift... Our Call to the Future and to provide spaces for sharing knowledge among participants and institutions from the three current provinces, with the intention of favoring, little by little, the construction of the new province.
Suzanne Cooke, RSCJ, Provincial of the United States –Canada Province, gave an in-depth presentation on the document, the latest publication from the Society of the Sacred Heart International Education Commission, which Sister Cooke chaired.
Clara Malo, RSCJ, Provincial of the Province of Mexico, shared with the conference that what is important about Sophie’s Gift is not that the ideas are new but that they are common. “This sentiment proved true throughout the conference,” said Hillary FeerickHillenbrand, head of school at Duchesne Academy of the Sacred Heart in Houston, Texas.
Concepción (Conny) Mateos, RSCJ, who currently works as coordinator of the Network of Sacred Heart Schools in Mexico, said “what stood out from the beginning of this meeting was the warmth of the relationships, which, even without knowing one another, made us feel like family.”
“Coming together from different cultures to learn about Sophie’s Gift helped us better understand the scope of Saint Madeleine Sophie’s vision to support global education,” said Meg Brudney, head of school at Duchesne Academy of the Sacred Heart in Omaha, Nebraska. Meg also shared that for her it was powerful to witness the Sacred Heart charism being lived out in Sacred Heart schools in Mexico; and though language may have been a barrier, she said “the commonality we felt around everything Sacred Heart connected us all.”
Hillary added that it became clear that no matter the school’s location or demographic, Sophie’s charism drives its work. “Our shared purpose is to help students realize that they are loved by God, and through that understanding, love others and transform the world.”
Sister Mateos explained one important takeaway was that they can share among institutions for mutual benefit: projects, learnings, staff, training, and resources. She also said the group recognized the need to know more about one another to be able to establish more links among the schools across the three existing provinces. Overall, the experience left her with the certainty that “we are one body and that our differences enrich our mission.”
(above) Educators visit with students.
(middle) Conference participants gathered in the chapel at Colegio Sagrado Corazón.
(below left to right) Lauriana M García Ríos of Puerto Rico gives a gift to Maria Eugenia Orvananos of Mexico. Participants learn about a student project. Sister Cooke presents on Sophie’s Gift
“I
see our spirituality lived in every one of these people, and it makes my heart so happy.”
– Sharon Karam, RSCJ
hearts rooted in change
By Erin Everson
The Network of Sacred Heart Schools hosted its first-ever learning and action conference this past fall entitled Sacred Heart Summit: Hearts Rooted in Change. This three-and-a-half-day conference brought together an international and intergenerational group of over 500 members of the Sacred Heart family to learn, build community, and commit to action. The Summit took place at McCormick Place in Chicago and was one of the main events to take place during the Network’s 50th anniversary year.
Participants engaged in purposeful learning, analysis, and contemplation throughout the conference. They heard from an outstanding lineup of inspiring keynote speakers: Suzanne Cooke, RSCJ, Provincial of the United States – Canada Province; Dr. Sheila Davis, chief executive officer at Partners In Health; Betty Ogiel, a transformational leadership and career coach, professional speaker, author, and Sacred Heart alumna; Alexandra Codina, a documentary filmmaker and Sacred Heart alumna; Rose Farah, an associate at CrossBoundary in Dubai and Sacred Heart alumna, along with her sister Rania Farah, current student and a Sacred Heart alumna; and Imma De Stefanis, RSCJ. Participants also had the opportunity to attend two sessions from eight featured speakers as well as five opportunities to choose from over 50 breakout presenter sessions.
The over 200 student participants had multiple opportunities to connect with students from Sacred
Heart schools throughout Mexico, Canada and the United States as well as with Religious of the Sacred Heart in “Kit’s Corner.” The space, named in honor Catherine “Kit” Collins, RSCJ, who was instrumental in the development of the Goals and Criteria for Sacred Heart Schools in the United States and Canada, provided opportunities to build community through conversation, crafts such as making friendship bracelets, games like Sacred Heart trivia offered by the United States – Canada province archives, and more.
In addition to all the sessions, participants were able to encounter and learn about current Society of the Sacred Heart ministries and organizations that are Society mission partners, that is, those whose missions align with the Society’s mission and who often work in partnership with RSCJ, Associates and other Society sponsored ministries.
In bringing them together as one community, this conference energized many members of the international Sacred Heart community, setting them forth on a common path of transformative action in pursuit of a world characterized by compassion, hope, justice, and solidarity.
See and hear more from the Summit, watch video highlights at rscj.org/shs24
“I will take home hope, and that there are so many other likeminded young people and adults who are truly committed to the mission of the Sacred Heart Network and committed to making change in our respective communities.”
— Am’Agyn, student, Duchesne Academy of the Sacred Heart, Omaha
“We’re not just celebrating the Network; we’re celebrating the global mission of the Network.”
— Sheila Hammond, RSCJ (left)
“The sisterhood that I experience at school has come to Chicago.”
— May May, student, Newton Country Day School of the Sacred Heart
“Watching the confidence and excitement in my students has been exciting, and I haven’t seen one phone out so far.”
— Meg Steele, head of school, Sacred Heart Schools (Sheridan Road)
PARTICIPANTS
100+ PRESENTERS
35 RSCJ
28 SACRED HEART SCHOOLS
218 STUDENTS
208 EDUCATORS 50+ ALUMNAE/I & PARTNERS IN MISSION
Because of Love
By Lisa Buscher, RSCJ
This past summer, a colleague of mine, Suzanne Jabro, a Sister of St. Joseph of Carondelet, and I went to visit the Religious of the Sacred Heart (RSCJ) at the Oakwood retirement community, to tell them about the border ministry she and I have been doing together at the United States-Mexico border. For the last two years, we have been partnering in a ministry called Border Compassion. This ministry is also part of a larger group of nine congregations of women religious (the Collaborative for Border Ministries) doing direct service with People on the Move in the California-Mexico border region. Suzanne is the founder of Border Compassion, an all-volunteer movement inviting, coordinating, and guiding faith communities to cross-over, moving beyond the borders of geography and heart to encounter one another. Through “encounter,” as Pope Francis calls it, to know and be transformed through the mutual meeting of one another, both are changed.
I began going to the border with Suzanne in October of 2022. My first experience of encounter happened the first day when I met a young boy from Honduras. We were celebrating the feast of Dia de Los Muertos (All Souls), and I was drawn to a table full of children coloring la calavera, the cultural skulls/skeletons crafted for festivities of the Day of the Dead. As this little table of kids colored together, a basket of candy was passed, and I was struck at how each child took only one sweet. A bit later the basket came by again, each child taking a second treat. My new friend, Jose, reached into his pocket, looked at his two pieces of candy and offered me one. I was amazed that this child having two pieces of candy would give one away to a stranger… José taught me many things that day, most especially how red licorice can be an act of communion when shared generously in threshold places with a stranger.
During retreat this past summer I spent some time reflecting on the experiences of the year and the many encounters God had blessed me with through the families I have come to know and love at the border. I was moved by a quote from one of the superiors general, Marie Thérèse de Lescure, superior general of the Society of the Sacred Heart from 1946 to 1958. In her letter to the Society, she used the phrase Propter amorem: “Because of love.” That phrase became a prayer and descriptor for the ministry I do as an RSCJ
living and loving God’s people in this border region. The accompaniment of families and children forced from their homelands because of unspeakable violence and unimaginable hostility and abuse has changed me. My geographic proximity to this human atrocity, impels me to “relieve the suffering and effect change in our world,” a call to all of us from the introduction of Artisans of Hope, the 2019 document from the Society’s international Justice Peace and Integrity of Creation (JPIC) Office.
“Because of love,” and the kindness and generosity of an eight-year-old boy, I continue to cross the humanmade borders of country, language and culture to bring others to share Gospel hope with all whom they encounter — to let the stories and presence of God’s humanity on the other side of the wall be witnessed, heard and healed. “Because of love” the Matthew 25 Gospel mandate invites each of us to go to the edges of our comfort and geographic boundaries, to accompany God’s humanity in their need (clothe the naked, feed the hungry, welcome the stranger, visit those in prison...). Two years ago, we began collaborating with ministries of direct service of People on the Move here in San Diego and reestablished a long-standing ministerial presence of accompaniment of migrants, refugees and asylum seekers in this border region. If you are interested in knowing more about this ministry of accompaniment or want to support this Society ministry of border outreach through time, talent or treasure, or through a cross-over of compassion and healing love to those in a moment of great need, then be in touch… the Society is here “Because of love.”
Watch a video for a closer look at Sister Buscher’s ministry at rscj.org/borderministry
To support border outreach ministry through a donation, visit rscj.org/donate
To inquire about border outreach and ways to get involved, email editor@rscj.org
Volunteering with SacredHeartDNA Tuning the Frequency to Love
By the SacredHeartDNA Core Team
This summer a small group of young adults along with Sister Diane Roche, RSCJ, traveled to Puerto Rico for a week of volunteering and connecting with Religious of the Sacred Heart. This volunteer opportunity was organized by SacredHeartDNA, a young adult ministry initiative of the United States – Canada Province, in partnership with Sister Madeline Ortiz, RSCJ, of Puerto Rico.
During their visit the group members lived in community with elder RSCJ in San Juan and spent their mornings in the RSCJ community, working in the community’s garden. Throughout the week they volunteered at a local organization that has partnered with the RSCJ for many years and was once run by the sisters, Centro Cultural y de Servicios de Cantera, a nonprofit organization that primarily serves pre-school through middle school-aged children as well as elders in the community.
The SacredHeartDNA group accompanied both elders and children each day, organizing activities for both age groups that included games, arts and crafts, music, dancing, and various outdoor activities. In
the afternoons the group also spent time delivering meals to elders in the community who were unable to commute to the community center.
Near the end of their week, the group travelled to Barranquitas, Puerto Rico, where they visited the Caritas ecological center, a part of the Monte Azul Foundation, an organization whose mission focuses on sustainable rural farming. The volunteers learned about the foundation’s mission and operations and were able to do some work on the farm.
Diane Roche, RSCJ | Washington, D.C.
It was such a delight to be back in Puerto Rico and to have a chance to support the young SacredHeartDNA volunteers during their visit. The RSCJ in the retirement community of Monteflores welcomed us with wide open hearts, and the Filipina Community next door provided prayerful reflection over dinner every night as well as hours of driving.
We learned about the history of the Society of the Sacred Heart’s educational mission from the staff at Centro Sofia on the campus of the Universidad del Sagrado Corazón and then had a chance to participate in several current projects that express that mission today, including working with the children and senior citizens at the Cantera cultural center and learning to harvest organic lettuce at the Caritas ecological center in Barranquitas. The hope is that this experience might serve as a pilot project for future volunteer programs engaging young adults from across the new province.
Alejandra | Age 24 | La Barca, Jalisco, Mexico
On a personal level, living this kind of experience allowed me to learn and get to know different realities: new communities, people, and organizations. It was a great opportunity to continue discovering myself and to make the most of my abilities. Volunteering in Puerto Rico strengthened my commitment to civic engagement, social inclusion, and solidarity. Additionally, it helped me develop skills such as leadership, teamwork, effective communication, a sense of belonging, solidarity, and empathy.
Sister Roche drawing with children.
Denisse | Age 28 | San Luis Potosí, Mexico
I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to build community with exceptional souls. Being part of this project was more than an experience; it was a spiritual journey that transformed my view of the world and of myself.
Each interaction was a door to a universe of emotions and learning. Shared laughter and joy enriched my soul and opened new dimensions in my heart. In every conversation, in every story shared, I found a reflection of my own humanity. Meeting people, listening to their stories, and understanding their viewpoints were invaluable gifts. I was immersed in a sea of different perspectives and experiences that expanded my horizons and enriched my being.
In the warm embrace of each encounter, in the authenticity of each connection, I discovered a truth: although we are separated by oceans and continents, our souls resonate on a common frequency with the same “DNA” of the Sacred Heart. This mission of love has been a reminder that, despite vast differences and geographical barriers, we are notes in the same symphony, united by a language of love.
Karla delivering meals.
Alejandra (left) and Denisse (right) helping harvest lettuce at the Caritas ecological center.
SacredHeartDNA volunteers with the RSCJ in San Juan.
Staff Q&A Getting to Know Julie Castellini
By Erin Everson and Julie Castellini
Julie Castellini began her role as advancement director for Illinois and Florida this past fall. A native Chicagoan, Julie is an alumna of Woodlands Academy of the Sacred Heart, in Lake Forest, Illinois. She holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology and a master’s degree in communications. Julie previously worked in admissions, marketing and advancement at Woodlands Academy. She currently resides in Chicago.
Where do you claim your roots?
For me, my roots are deeply entwined in a few key places and experiences that have shaped me. My family is at the heart of everything. I am one of four children, an aunt to seven, a godmother to three, and a granddaughter of the most formidable grandmother — a guiding and unyielding force in our family. With every passing year, I realize more and more that my family is at the core of who I am and who I aspire to be. They are my safe harbor, and the roots that keep me grounded in love, faith, and resilience.
Secondly, my education has played a pivotal role in shaping my identity. I spent 25 years in Catholic schools, experiences that instilled in me the values of perseverance and faith. As someone with dyslexia, learning was never easy for me. But I embraced the challenge, learning early on that hard work is essential. I discovered that the effort I put into something — be it a relationship, a job, or my studies — directly influences the outcome. The lesson that dedication yields rewards has become an anchor in my life, guiding me in every endeavor. It is my faith-informed education that taught me to value effort, patience, and integrity above all else.
Lastly, music is a profound aspect of my roots. I lived in New Orleans for six years where I developed a deep love for jazz — a genre that speaks to the soul and connects people across generations and cultures. The city’s vibrant music scene became a part of me; and even now, I feel the rhythm and energy of New Orleans whenever I hear jazz. I am also passionate about live performances and the unique connection they foster between artists and audiences. Whether I’m bonding with someone over a shared favorite Taylor Swift song or losing myself in the improvisational flow of a jazz performance, music has a way of bringing me closer to my faith, my community, and even myself. In essence, my roots are a blend of family, faith, education, and music. They are the constants in my life, grounding me in who I am and guiding me toward who I am becoming.
How did you meet the Society of the Sacred Heart and its mission? I first encountered the Society through my formative years at Woodlands Academy. I had attended a small Catholic grade school before; my transition to Woodlands was a significant step in my educational journey. There I learned the fundamentals upon which I have built the rest of my life. The four years I spent immersed in Sacred Heart education provided me with an exceptional setting to develop my strengths, particularly through leadership opportunities and diverse social experiences. Woodlands not only educated me academically but also allowed me to understand and navigate my personal challenges, preparing me for the complexities of today’s world. The experience I gained there uniquely equipped me for the
position I hold today, in which I work to continue the Society’s mission to reveal God’s love in the heart of the world.
Can you share about a person or experience that was important to your formation as a young person at Woodlands?
One of the most influential figures during my time at Woodlands was Coach Rosemary Briesch. A Sacred Heart educator through and through, she worked at the school for almost 50 years. I was fortunate to not only be her student but also to work alongside her later as a member of the Woodlands Academy admissions and marketing team. Coach Briesch is an institution in our small but mighty community. Everyone started on equal ground when they showed up to play for her. It wasn’t about where you came from but about the effort and heart you put into the experience. She taught you not just to be the best athlete but the best version of yourself — inside and out.
What are you most looking forward to in your role as advancement director?
I am most looking forward to two aspects of my role: the challenge it presents in raising significant funds for the medical care and wellbeing of the Religious of the Sacred Heart (RSCJ) as they age and the meaningful impact I have the privilege to make. Embracing the challenge excites me, as I see it as an opportunity to grow and innovate. However, even more important is my gratitude for the chance to work with the sole purpose of giving back to and improving the lives of the RSCJ — women who have had a profound impact on generations of Sacred Heart students and pupils, me included.
Having been shaped by monumental figures within the Sacred Heart community and inspired by my own grandmother, who is around the same age as many of the sisters, I am acutely aware of the healthcare needs of those over the age of 70. This personal connection makes my role in fundraising for their care profoundly important to me. I see it not only as a professional responsibility but also as a deeply personal mission to honor and support women who have dedicated their lives to serving others.
In this role, I am eager to ensure that these remarkable women receive the care and support they deserve, just as they have devoted their lives to nurturing the minds and hearts of so many. It’s a chance to give back to those who have given so much, and I am both humbled and honored to be a part of that mission.
To know more about The Giving Fund and how you can make a difference in the lives of the RSCJ by donating, visit rscj.org/donate
(below) Julie with her family.
(lower right) Julie with Coach Rosemary Briesch and a former Woodlands colleague.
(left page) Julie with her grandmother.
Giving with Gratitude
By Kay Manthey,
My support of the Religious of the Sacred Heart stems from my deep gratitude for the RSCJ who have been influential in my life. My Sacred Heart education provided me with the tools and support necessary for academic and professional success. It instilled in me the importance of using my gifts and giving back to the community. I see donating as a way to express my thanks to these devoted individuals.
The Society of the Sacred Heart’s mission encompasses various facets, including education, the promotion of justice and peace, and young adult ministry, to name a few. Education, in particular, resonates most with me. Sacred Heart education goes beyond the basics, focusing on the development of the whole person. It lays a foundation on which young people grow to become socially mindful, critically conscious, faith-filled, and compassionate persons.
When I consider the pioneering efforts of Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat and Saint Philippine Duchesne to educate women in the 1800s, I am struck by their foresight and courage. They championed a radical idea of their time: access to education for all, especially women. Their vision has been carried forward by generations of RSCJ who have continued this mission through dedicated service in education. I try to picture the multitudes of students who have passed through the literal and figurative “classrooms” of RSCJ and imagine the impact they have had and continue to have on so many young people as they fan out across the world.
In my professional work within a corporate setting, I witness the value of the diversity and perspectives that women bring to the workplace and the global stage. High-quality education is essential to prepare young women for leadership roles and equip them with the skills needed to succeed—not just in companies and boardrooms, but also in governments and communities.
My support of the Religious of the Sacred Heart is deeply rooted in admiration for their unwavering commitment to faith, academics, service, community and personal growth. The transformative impact of Sacred Heart education in my life inspires me to payforward the benefit of this holistic approach to learning. By donating, I honor the legacy of Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat and Saint Philippine Duchesne, and the countless RSCJ who have dedicated their lives to nurturing minds and hearts. I hope that through continued support, we can all empower more young women and men to become compassionate leaders and agents of change in our world.
“Let us respect childhood; let us honor the soul of that small creature of God who can already make choices of the best if we take the time to awaken her reason and make her use her judgment.”
— Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat
alumna of Academy of the Sacred Heart (The Rosary) in New Orleans, Louisiana
Kay and Lorraine Landry, RSCJ, in 2019.
Kay and both her sisters attended “The Rosary” from kindergarten through 12th grade. Their mother worked as director of publications and communication of the school for 20+ years and Kay’s sister Meg also worked as communications director.
Welcome New Heads of School
Academy of the Sacred Heart (The Rosary)
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA
The Academy community celebrated the Mass of the Holy Spirit at which the new head of school, Gretchen Zibilich Kane ‘74 (right) was installed. Bonnie Kearney, RSCJ; Maureen Little, RSCJ; Georgeann Parizek, RSCJ; Lorraine Landry, RSCJ; and Lynne Lieux, RSCJ (center), attended, as well as Nat Wilburn (left), head of the Conference of Sacred Heart Education; Sheila Haggas, executive director of the Network of Sacred Heart Schools; and Graham Ralston, the chair of the Academy board of trustees.
Photo courtesy of Academy of the Sacred Heart
Newton Country Day School of the Sacred Heart
NEWTON, MASSACHUSETTS
This past September, Newton Country Day School installed its 31st head of school, Jessica Hooper (center), during the celebration of the Mass of the Holy Spirit. His Eminence, Seán Cardinal O’Malley and Rev. Robert Kickham celebrated the Mass. Provincial Suzanne Cooke, RSCJ (left), and Maura Murphy (right), chair of the Newton Country Day board of trustees, joined the community in celebrating and welcoming Mrs. Hooper in her new role.
Princeton Academy of the Sacred Heart
PRINCETON, NEW JERSEY
This past October the Princeton Academy community welcomed Kathleen Humora (right) as interim head of school. Ann Jablonski, RSCJ, offered a blessing for Ms. Humora during the school’s celebration of the Mass of the Holy Spirit.
For almost two decades, hearts in nature graced the front cover of Heart magazine. To pay homage to this original concept, we share hearts photographed by members of our Sacred Heart family.
Submissions can be sent to editor@rscj.org.
Hearts With a Story JUANITA DÍAZ WRITES:
I was substituting at Carrollton and a child brought this heart to me. In a very gentle kind of shy and happy low voice, she told me “I found a heart.” I had never talked to her about hearts, nor had I spoken to an adult about the hearts around her. I haven’t sat and thought about that day…that moment. Today as I type this, I see that there’s such an opportunity for reflection or, perhaps, listening. I shared it with Sister Marianne Ruggeri, RSCJ, I remember, and she understood. Today, this memory is like a hug to my mind and my heart that squeezes out tears from my eyes.
STACY HENNING SHARES:
Our group (23 students; four faculty chaperones) stayed a few days in Grenoble and journeyed up the side of the mountain to the site of the former Visitation monastery where Rose Philippine Duchesne went to school and entered religious life, then called Sainte Marie d’En Haut, but now the Museé Dauphinois (a public museum in Grenoble). One part of the former convent that remains is the beautiful chapel.
We were stunned to see that part of the floor of the chapel was tiled with a heart pattern! It was awesome to imagine a young Philippine praying in that very chapel as a young woman. Praying about her vocation to religious life and her unaccepting family. Praying amidst the uncertainty and fear of the French Revolution. Praying about her desire to travel to become a missionary. And to think that someday she would meet Sophie and join her society that was focused on sharing the reality of a Loving God with the world. Stacy Henning is the director of academics and theology faculty at Villa Duchesne.
Credits from left to right: (left) Photo taken by Juanita Díaz, substitute teacher and parent of current students at Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart.
(middle left) Photo taken by Bernadette Settelmeyer, alumna of the former Convent of the Sacred Heart, Sault au Recollet, Eden Hall and Manhattanville College (’66).
(middle right) Photo of a piece of basalt volcanic stone from the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius at Pompeii taken by Carolyn Osiek, RSCJ.
(right) Photo taken in Kansas City, Missouri, by John Powell, upper school theology teacher at Villa Duchesne School of the Sacred Heart.
Suggested Reading
Arise and Witness: Poems by Anne Montgomery, RSCJ, About Faith, Prison, War Zones and Nonviolent Resistance
Edited by Arthur Laffin with Carole Sargent Anne Montgomery, RSCJ, was a nonviolent witness in war zones in the Holy Land and Iraq and endured years of imprisonment due to her involvement in Plowshares actions. Her poems are rooted in her love for accompanying the marginalized, born out of her love for Scripture and her experience of religious life and community. These poems provide unique and rich biblical insights into what it means to be human and a faithful follower of Jesus.
“This posthumous collection of poems by activist Anne Montgomery illuminates the heart of a woman who gave her every moment in service to impede ugliness, and to do God’s work... In death, this poet continues to give light.” ― Grace Cavalieri, Maryland Poet Laureate
Reseeding Religious Life through Global Sisterhood
Edited by Susan Rose Francois, CSJP, and Juliet Mousseau, RSCJ
The story of religious life over the centuries displays two enduring qualities: constancy and change, and each generation of religious is faced with reading the signs of the times to faithfully navigate the intersection of the two.
Reseeding Religious Life through the Global Sisterhood challenges all who dwell in faithfulness to God to a charismatic synodality: one that reveals the unfolding narrative of all our interconnections, calls us to nurture the conversations that will energize our distinct charisms, and inspires the flourishing of an emerging global sisterhood.
“Reseeding Religious Life through the Global Sisterhood is an insightful and beautiful representation of the real experiences of modern Catholic sisters.”
— Julia Walsh, Franciscan Sister of Perpetual Adoration, Messy Jesus Business podcast host and author of For Love of the Broken Body
Sophie
By Marie-France Carreel, RSCJ
During research for a doctorate in education, Marie-France Carreel, RSCJ, discovered the first plan of study of the Society of the Sacred Heart, formulated in 1804 in Amiens, France, where the first school was located. The book traces the development of Sacred Heart education, ending by showing that the Goals and Criteria are the latest expression of Saint Madeleine Sophie’s educational intuition.
Barat’s Educational Vision
Our hearts are filled with gratitude for Catherine “Kit” Collins, RSCJ, and all who re-visioned Sacred Heart education as articulated in the Goals and Criteria. For their wisdom, creativity and fidelity to Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat’s vision, we give thanks. Let us always remember Kit’s words:
“…In addition to being bound together by our past, we are also brought together by hope in the future. In a very real sense, it’s our past...our tradition that gives us both our collective memory and our collective vision.”
