The International Society of the Sacred Heart
The United States – Canada Province is one of 28 provinces in the international Society of the Sacred Heart. Religious of the Sacred Heart (RSCJ) consider themselves members of this one international community, and this unity is important. The words cor unum et anima una in Corde Jesu (one heart and one soul in the Heart of Jesus) appear on the cross each one wears. The Society has a presence in 41 countries around the world. You can find a map of these locations on the RSCJ international website.
International Origins
Just 18 years after its founding, the Society of the Sacred Heart became an international congregation when Saint Rose Philippine Duchesne, along with her companions: Eugénie Audé, Octavie Berthold, Catherine Lamarre and Marguerite Manteau, journeyed to New Orleans, Louisiana and, soon after, the wilds of Missouri. Internationality, so much a part of the Society of the Sacred Heart throughout its history, is one of our defining characteristics today, and will continue to be of in our future.
Philippine Duchesne Region
The USC Province is a part of the Philippine Duchesne Region, which encompasses nine provinces of the Society of the Sacred Heart throughout North, Central and South America. The region was formed in 2016 and includes the countries of:
Argentina
Brazil
Canada
Chile
Colombia
Cuba
Haiti
Mexico
Peru
Puerto Rico
The United States
Uruguay
Venezuela
This region was named after Saint Rose Philippine Duchesne because of her contributions in establishing international roots for the Society.
Sacred Heart at the UN
The international Society of the Sacred Heart has been present at the United Nations as a non-governmental organization (NGO) since 2003, when we became associated with the United Nations Department of Public Information (DPI).
In 2014, we were also granted consultative status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). This means that our presence at the United Nations has two principal aims: 1) to share information with our religious members, Associates, educators and the wider Sacred Heart community about critical world issues (DPI), and 2) to give our religious members the opportunity to contribute their experience, reflection and analysis to the international policy debate (ECOSOC).
The Society’s NGO Representative, Shelia Smith, RSCJ, is based in the United States – Canada Province in New York City, New York, and the Sacred Heart network she serves spans 41 countries.
The interests addressed by the Society of the Sacred Heart are wide-ranging and vary according to the multiplicity of contexts in which we serve. However, our mission is always to discover and reveal the love of God. We do that by seeking justice with the heart of an educator in whatever we do and wherever we are.
Four calls from our 2016 General Chapter help us to live our mission in the world today: to be and act as one Body, to live more humanly, to create silence, and to reach new frontiers. Gospel values motivate our mission and are compatible with the UN’s 2030 Agenda, known as the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals).
For more on the Society's UN-NGO, Facebook page and Twitter account help us to connect with the international network of the Society of the Sacred Heart on a regular basis, as significant events at the UN unfold.
RSCJ International
RSCJ International represents the Society of the Sacred Heart motherhouse in Rome, Italy, and the Society worldwide. You can learn more about the international Society on the RSCJ International website.