Heart conversations

A process for gathering and dialogue

By Flávia Bader

After months of providing resources and reflections that paralleled the global challenges of our recent times – COVID-19, political unrests, systemic racism, food and housing insecurities, and unemployment – the Heart Response team of the United States – Canada Province, a diverse group within the Sacred Heart family with the responsibility of supporting spiritual growth during the first year of the pandemic, launched a pilot project in early 2021 named Heart Conversations.

Guided by the Gospel and the Society’s mission to discover and reveal the heart of God globally, locally and personally, Heart Conversations provided RSCJ, Associates, Province employees and a select group of Network of Sacred Heart school employees an opportunity to be present with one another for three one-hour long Zoom meetings. The framework offered an intentional space to connect and reflect from the heart on both the previous year and the emerging future.

Participants in this initial pilot program were divided into groups of 9 to 12 and guided by a pre-assigned facilitator/convener. All were invited to listen deeply to the experience of others, articulate their own journey and look ahead to see what is possible. They were asked to build bridges of relationship grounded in the desire to discover and reveal the heart of God.

An evaluation conducted at the end of this pilot Programs like this program showed that participants found their experience engaging and comforting, and over 80% of participants are needed now stated that if available to them, they were likely to attend a Heart Conversation again in the future and/or would more than ever… recommend it to a friend.

Some participants commented on the joy of meeting with likeminded people and the opportunity to share deeply. One participant stated: “I was amazed at the depth and vulnerability of each person in my group and found myself inspired and lifted after each session.” Another participant declared that “faith sharing is one of the most important things we can do so this was wonderful!”

The Province is currently refining the Heart Conversations model in the hope that more members of the wider Sacred Heart family will have a similar opportunity for dialogue and deepening conversations. As one participant stated, “Programs like this are needed now more than ever because people are not interacting with their faith groups/friends/families very much right now. It is a way to feel heard, and to listen to others and share their joys and concerns.”