News
Juneteenth 2020: A message from United States – Canada Province
Juneteenth is a day honored and celebrated in the United States, as it marks the final proclamation, in 1865 in Texas, that enslaved persons were free. One hundred and fifty-five years later, the residual effects of enslavement are present and visible throughout the United States. Black and brown persons, today, continue to endure and raise their…
A letter from the Superior General: Feast of the Sacred Heart 2020
Dear Sisters and Friends in the Family of the Sacred Heart, This year as we celebrate the Feast of the Sacred Heart in a time of darkness and uncertainty, we listen to the invitation of Jesus: Come, all you who are heavy burdened, take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek…
Statement concerning the U.S. Supreme Court ruling on DACA: June 18, 2020
Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients are thriving in the United States. They contribute to our society by working to support their families, by taking advantage of educational opportunities and by serving in the military. Approximately 62,000 health care workers in the United States, on the front lines of a global pandemic, are DACA-eligible….
I can’t breathe
By Sergio Vasquez, Associate, New Orleans, Associates Leadership Team “At the same physical place in the same chronological time.” I sat at Mass on the Feast of Pentecost and was struck by these words of the homilist, Fr. Greg Walthrop, SJ, unpacking the readings. The disciples had gathered in fear and yet something remarkable took…
Your example
By Lauren Brownlee, Associate, Washington, D.C. Among the most heartening expressions of solidarity that I have experienced in this painful period of following the murder of George Floyd were social media comments from the Stone Ridge community answering the call of the Society’s strong anti-racism statement. My former colleagues and students at Stone Ridge believe, as…
Provincial Leadership Team affirms statement by National Black Sisters’ Conference
The Society of the Sacred Heart, United States – Canada Province Leadership Team stands in support of the following powerful “Red Record Statement” issued by the National Black Sisters’ Conference on “21st Century Lynchings in America.” Sheila Hammond, RSCJ Donna Collins, RSCJ Maureen Glavin, RSCJ Mary Theresa Moser, RSCJ Diane Roche, RSCJ 21st Century…
Statement on Racism: May 29, 2020
The Society of the Sacred Heart in the United States and Canada strongly condemns the gross violation of human dignity that we, along with millions of others, witnessed in the video of George Floyd’s last minutes. We are outraged at yet another killing of an unarmed African-American man, and stand in solidarity with all people…
May crownings shared by Sacred Heart schools
During this unprecedented time in Sacred Heart education, all of our Network schools closed and offered virtual learning. The administration, faculty and staff found numerous and creative ways to share normal school activities with students at home. One example of an activity normally held in May at some of our schools is a “May crowning” celebration. Several schools…
Epidemics since Philippine’s time
By Lyn Osiek, RSCJ, Provincial Archivist for the Society of the Sacred Heart, United States – Canada Province In the world of the first Religious of the Sacred Heart (RSCJ) in the United States, but also in their former lives in Europe, there was constant threat of cholera, and in tropical climates, of yellow fever….
Associates go virtual
By Sergio Vasquez, Associate, New Orleans On a gloomy Sunday, three groups of Associates – Chicago, Halifax and St. Louis – used Zoom to meet with their groups virtually. A new way of being connected is forming across our province and Associates are embracing it! I had a dream of a Sacred Heart “intranet,” a…
God does not abandon us
A message of solidarity to the communities affected by the shootings in Nova Scotia Montreal, April 23, 2020 – On Sunday, April 19, Nova Scotia became the scene of the worst mass shooting of our country’s history, with a toll of 22 victims and their shooter. Religious communities in Canada and all consecrated persons, though currently in confinement, unite…
Shared humanity and a spacious heart
By Juliet Mousseau, RSCJ My vocation as a Religious of the Sacred Heart shapes how I interact with people. As a teacher, this means that I share the love of God primarily with my students, and I see teaching as a relationship that is based on respect and honor for the unique individual in front…
Be bread beyond borders
By Peggy Gorman and Lori Wilson, Co-chairs, Associates Leadership Team Coronavirus knows no boundaries nor does the charism to live out of the Heart of Jesus in our wounded world. Our boundaries may now simply be our place of residence, unless we envision a bigger picture of relationship with others. Even then, this pandemic has removed…
The Society of the Sacred Heart in the United States during the 1918 Spanish Influenza
By Michael Pera, Assistant Archivist Society of the Sacred Heart, United States – Canada Province In seeking to understand and grapple with the current outbreak of COVID-19, many have understandably reached for the worst pandemic of the 20th century, the 1918 Spanish Influenza. Given that interest, the Province Archives of the Society of the Sacred…
In the midst of uncertainty: A statement from the United States – Canada Province
Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat said it is the relationships we build that sustain us through moments of joy and moments of challenge. These uncertain times surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic have brought our province times of challenge, which we work through, each day, in order to meet the needs of our members, staff and Sacred Heart…
A Letter from the General Council: Holy Week
As we begin this holiest of weeks, let us pray together the Psalm for today’s liturgy. The Lord is my light and my salvation. The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom should I fear? The LORD is my life’s refuge; of whom should I be afraid? When evildoers come at me to devour…
A Letter from the Superior General
SOCIETÀ DEL SACRO CUORE CASA GENERALIZIA Rome, 23 March 2020 Greetings from Rome! We wanted to share with you that, faced with the magnitude of this pandemic and the possibility that travel to Italy would potentially become impossible, we decided to cut short our visits to Latin America and return to Rome. Daphne, Bodo, Marie-Jeanne…
RSCJ on the media: A reflection on Linda Ronstadt
By Sharon Karam, RSCJ I so look forward to the Kennedy Center Honors in December. They are awards to artists in many different areas, and I’m especially fond of the music awards. This year, I was geniunely touched by the award to Linda Ronstadt, who was honored for her lifetime of music, though she hasn’t…
Province welcomes Kim Lamberty as director of JPIC
Kim Lamberty has joined the staff of Society of the Sacred Heart, United States – Canada Province, as director of justice, peace and the integrity of creation (JPIC), as of March 16, 2020. In this position, Lamberty, in collaboration with other groups and networks, will focus on many aspects of social change and integrate the…
A border witness: The road. The river. The wall.
By Catherine Heaney, Associate, Chicago To shed and surrender The good Lord somehow has a great sense of humor when it comes to walking with me in my life. He has a way of following you, haunting you, making you move even when you are unsure of your path, not knowing where you are to…