The mission of the Society of the Sacred Heart is to discover and reveal God’s love in the heart of the world through the service of education.
From our Constitutions
Sharing Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat's vision and mission, we are convinced of the centrality of prayer and contemplation in our lives. We are committed to discovering and revealing God’s love in the heart of the world through the service of education. Conscious that what we do, we do together, and remembering a tradition marked by a love for young people and missionary spirit, we, Religious of the Sacred Heart (RSCJ), carry out this service of education: especially in the work of teaching and formation; in other activities for human development and the promotion of justice, peace and the integrity of creation; and in pastoral ministry and spiritual direction. (Adapted from the 1982 Constitutions of the Society of the Sacred Heart)
By our charism, we are consecrated to
GLORIFYING THE HEART OF JESUS:
we answer His call
to discover and reveal His love
letting ourselves be transformed by His Spirit
so as to live united and conformed to Him,
and through our love and service
to radiate the very love of His Heart
(1982 Constitutions)
Our constitutions is the document detailing the nature, mission, and structure of the Society of the Sacred Heart. It conveys both the charism of Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat and the spirit of the Society that she founded. The Constitutions of the Society were rewritten in 1982 to reflect an evolved understanding of religious life.
Sophie's vision of education
Over time and amid successes and failures as a founder and as an educator, Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat came to see that ultimate truth is encountered through relationships and in prayer. Wholly committed to the work of education, Sophie underscored the absolute need for silence and for contemplation. Her life illustrates how fully living in the Risen Christ allows one to see the world with new eyes, eyes of compassion and hope. It is from this experience of being loved and loving that Sophie recited and developed her vision of education.
Sophie considered the service of education as the primary means by which the Society would carry on its mission of communicating the Heart of Jesus. For her education was never the end. The end was to rebuild the fractured world around her in hope; the means was forming young people to intelligent faith, compassionate action and courageous hope. (Sacred Heart Educators: An Orientation to Mission)