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Student Leader Training at Woldingham

July 10, 2025
Schools

On a very hot day at the beginning of July, the Head Girl teams from Sacred Heart in Fenham and Hammersmith joined their fellow students leaders from Woldingham School for two days of student leadership training. The conference, titled “ Leading from the Heart” gave them the opportunity to consider their leadership styles, their role within a team as well as important skills such as effective communication and using your initiative.

It was a delight to see how quickly the students bonded and enjoyed sharing their experiences of leading in a Sacred Heart school. In the evening, a poignant moment was had in Woldingham’s new vineyard as we learned more about the symbolism of the different parts of the vine and the importance of the vines to St Madeleine Sophie Barat.

Vineyard at Woldingham

Celebrations in Malta

July 2, 2025
News

Sister Katie Mifsud RSCJ writes:

This year’s celebration of the Feast of the Sacred Heart was unique, as we also celebrated the BIRTH of our NEW CEI PROVINCE. The Tal-Virtù community prepared for the feast by a Triduum of prayer in front of the Blessed Sacrament. On the feast day we met before lunch to receive the video message from our Superior General, Claire Castaing RSCJ and her Team. We were very moved by the message, and especially by the blessing at the end. In the evening Sisters Marie Scicluna and Juliette Vassallo from the Floriana community, as well as the Associates joined us for the Sacred Heart liturgy and the renewal of our vows. The Associates also renewed their commitment to the Mission of the Society. The evening ended with a simple but joyful get-together.

Feast of the Sacred Heart 2025

June 27, 2025
News

From his open Heart shall flow... a brand-new Province!

Introducing Sr Margaret Wilson RSCJ, Provincial of Central Europe & the Islands - comprising Austria, England, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Malta, Scotland and Wales - which officially began today, feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Please pray for us all, as we seek to find new ways of living our mission of making known the love of God's Heart, wherever we may be.

Wishing you all a very happy feast - may we all bring the light and love of Christ to everyone we meet!

Sr Margaret Wilson RSCJ, Provincial of Central Europe and the Isles

Celebrating 100 years since the Canonisation of St Madeleine Sophie Barat

June 10, 2025
Schools

The Society of the Sacred Heart around the world celebrated 100 years of St Madeleine Sophie Barat on May 24th. The schools and college in our province marked this very special occasion with liturgies and special assemblies, heart-shaped lollies and prayer cards. Students and staff also came together to watch a new film made by the Schools Network to tell the story of Sophie's life and share some of her most loved quotations, read by our RSCJ Sisters. You can watch the film here:

Habemus Papam!

May 8, 2025
News

With people throughout the world, we rejoice at the election of our new Pope, Leo XIV. And we were delighted, too, that to a world riven by war and hatred, his first words spoke of peace, and God's all-conquering, unconditional love...

"Peace be with all of you!

Dearest brothers and sisters, this is the first greeting of the Risen Christ, the good shepherd who gave his life for God's flock. I too would like this greeting of peace to enter your heart, to reach your families, to all people, wherever they are, to all peoples, to the whole earth. Peace be with you!

This is the peace of the Risen Christ, an unarmed and disarming peace, humble and persevering. It comes from God, God who loves us all unconditionally. We still have in our ears that weak but always courageous voice of Pope Francis who blessed Rome!

The pope who blessed Rome gave his blessing to the world, to the entire world, that Easter morning.

Allow me to follow up on that same blessing: God cares for us, God loves all of us, and evil will not prevail! We are all in God's hands. Therefore, without fear, united hand in hand with God and among ourselves, let us move forward.

We are disciples of Christ. Christ goes before us. The world needs His light. Humanity needs Him as the bridge to reach God and His love..."

We pray for Pope Leo, as he begins this new service in the Church and the world - for wisdom, discernment, humility and the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

(Image: OSV News photo/Guglielmo Mangiapane, Reuters)

Mourning the death of Pope Francis RIP

April 22, 2025
News

With deep sorrow, but also with gratitude for his extraordinary legacy, we pray for Pope Francis, as he enters the fullness of life. May he rest in God's eternal peace, and spend his heaven praying for us, and continuing the good he began here on earth.

Click here to read a tribute by our sister, Silvana Dallanegra RSCJ

We pray, too, for our Church, in this time of loss and eventual transition, and for the Cardinals responsible for electing Pope Francis' successor.

RIP Margaret (Mairead) Quigley RSCJ

February 20, 2025
News

In the early hours of Wednesday 19th February, God called our sister Margaret (Mairead) Quigley to the fullness of life, at the age of 89.

Known to many people as Mairead, our sister was christened Margaret, and requested that this name be used during her funeral. Margaret was how she was known to her family, friends and sisters in Ireland; its Irish equivalent, Mairead was the name she adopted after moving to Wales, and living in community with another Margaret. This obituary will use both names, according to how Margaret would have been known at that time.

Born on the Society's 135th birthday, 21st November 1935, Margaret recalled a happy childhood with her parents and brothers, and five happy years spent as a pupil at the Convent of the Sacred Heart in Roscrea. This was a formative time, in which Margaret began to feel drawn to religious life in the Society - but the pull towards studying medicine felt stronger. However, the moment she received her letter of acceptance from the Royal College of Surgeons, Margaret knew that a deeper invitation to become a sister was the right thing to do.

Margaret entered the Society at Mount Anville in Dublin on 8th September 1954, making her first vows on 8th March 1957. She then trained to become a bursar, and served in this capacity in Mount Anville, Roscrea and Leeson Street (Dublin). Bursaring in the Society included managing large properties and grounds, and fundraising for school building projects: thus, at a very young age Margaret learned to take on great responsibilities. After five years she went to Rome to prepare for her perpetual profession, made on 21st July 1962.

Back in Roscrea as bursar, Margaret also began working with the local Girl Guides, eventually becoming District Commissioner. Their guide companies were non-denominational, and she described this as a 'golden age' for her. She felt that in a small but real way she was making a contribution to peace, unity and ecumenism within the country. Then, in the mid 1960’s, Margaret studied at Mater Dei in Dublin for an MA in Religious Science. She became head of RE and taught English in Mercy College, Coolock. When she moved to Cara Park and lived in a community among the Travelling People she continued her work with Girl Guides. She then returned to Roscrea to teach English, RE and Commerce. But not for long; during this time her throat caused her problems, and the doctors suggested that she give up teaching.

In 1980 Margaret ‘met’ Llannerchwen, our retreat centre in Brecon, Wales. For three years, she returned to make her retreat and to work there in the summer. She loved this, and began a discernment on what God was calling her to, while living and working there full time for another three years. Finally, in May 1986 Margaret transferred from the Irish-Scottish Province to the English-Welsh Province, and continued her ministry at Llannerchwen. It was during this time that Margaret 'became' Mairead.

Apart from some time for study and training in the USA, Mairead remained at Llannerchwen until 2002, and was widely regarded as a very skilled and intuitive spiritual director and retreat giver. After a year at Joigny, the home of St Madeleine Sophie, her deliberations on ministry took her, at the age of 69, to Salisbury, England, to become an Ecumenical Chaplain at Sarum College. She was Pastoral Tutor to students on various MA programmes, played an active pastoral and professional role in training weekends for the Southern Theological Training Scheme for Ordinands, and was widely involved in spiritual direction and retreat work. The ecumenical work begun with the girl guides and continued with retreatants at Llannerchwen from other Christian denominations, found its fullest expression in Salisbury. These were among the happiest years in Mairead's life, and it was during this time that she celebrated the Golden Jubilee of her vows, with a truly ecumenical service in the Cathedral.

In 2015, as she approached her 80th birthday, Mairead was asked to move to London, to live in the community opposite Duchesne House. This was a huge wrench for her, and it took her a long time to settle and find her feet; finally, aged almost 83, she became a volunteer chaplain in Queen Mary’s Hospital in Roehampton. However, ill health meant she had to move to Duchesne in 2018. A year later she was diagnosed with breast cancer; in subsequent years she also had two lengthy stays in hospital. She was delighted to come home to Duchesne, where, as her health deteriorated, she truly came to appreciate the exceptional love, care and kindness of the staff.

Margaret once wrote that her parents taught her that 'real love comes in not-perfect packaging.' As she came to terms with her sadness at leaving Salisbury, and her illness, Margaret also came to a deep, God-given peace in herself, finally surrendering her not-perfect packaging to the real Love she had made known for more than seventy years.

St Madeleine Sophie Barat to dwell in the altar of Notre Dame Cathedral

November 28, 2024
News

Next week sees the reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, 5 years after the devastating fire that ripped through the beloved  landmark in April 2019. Dwelling within the new cathedral altar, will be relics of five Parisian saints including our founder, St Madeleine Sophie Barat. This is of particular significance for the Society of the Sacred Heart as we approach the centenary of Sophie's canonisation in May 2025.

You can read more about the restoration on the Cathedral's official website: https://www.notredamedeparis.fr/

image credit: RSCJ International

Sacred Heart Education Summit in Chicago

October 14, 2024
News

Chicago was awash with Hearts two week ago, as the first global Sacred Heart Summit took place, bringing together 520 students, educators, RSCJ, and partners in mission from 9 countries. The title of the summit was Hearts Rooted in Change and featured over 100 presenters and speakers who shared their insights on a wide range of social justice topics, from beekeeping to addressing polarization, and documentary filmmaking to rethinking attitudes to immigration.

Delegates were welcomed by Sacred Heart Chicago Schools Mascots!

Students and educators sat alongside one another sharing their thoughts and ideas on these wide-ranging issues and most crucially, how these new insights might be transformed into action in their schools.

Vicky Lorenzato, Schools and College Network Coordinator for the ENW province was  warmly welcomed by our American colleagues, and it was powerful to share the many similarities experienced in our communities.

Our host, Dr. Jennie Weiss Block, OP, introduces opening keynote speaker, Sr Suzanne Cooke RSCJ

A highlight was the closing keynote speech from Sr Imma De Stefanis RSCJ who invited delegates to consider how they will return to their regular lives and ensure that they take the spirit of the Summit with them. We were reminded that our lives are a series of journeys and that this shared time had been like an oasis in the journey.

Sr Imma concluded with these two powerful quotations:

“You have everything needed for the extravagant journey that is your life.” Carlos Castaneda

"Be strong when you are weak, be brave when you are scared, be humble when you are victorious.” Michelle Moschetti

HeartFest 6

October 11, 2024
Schools

75 students and staff from across all of our schools and college gathered at the end of September to celebrate HeartFest 6, our biennial student conference at the Emmaus Youth Village, County Durham.

For three days, students worked collaboratively on a range of tasks linked to all 5 Sacred Heart Goals of education, as we are celebrating this school year, the 50th birthday of the Goals which launched in the United States in 1975.

Despite the torrential rain, spirits were high as creative skills were used to express each of the Goals in workshops such as friendship bracelet making (for the Goal of Community) and re-imagining our ideal world in art (for the Goal of Social  Awareness)

HeartFest 6 concluded with a moving liturgy at Sacred Heart High School, Fenham where all those in attendance were commissioned as the first Sacred Heart Network Student Team, who will now take an active role in leading Goals based activities in our schools and college.

180th Anniversary Tree Planting as DSA Day returns to Digby Stuart College

May 24, 2024
News

On Saturday 18th May, over 100 former students and staff members from Digby Stuart College returned for the first Digby Stuart Association Day since 2019. The day began with the planting of a Mountain Ash tree as part of the 180thanniversary of the arrival of the Society of the Sacred Heart in England and Wales. Sr Cath Lloyd was joined by Bishop Philip Moger at the planting as well as RSCJ sisters who themselves were at Digby as students or staff.

Sr Margaret Byrnes, Sr Chris Edwards, Sr Fanny Martin, Sr Bernie Porter & Sr Cath Lloyd

Over a delicious lunch, a number of former Heads of College shared fond memories of their time at Digby and the day concluded with a wonderful celebration of Mass celebrated by Fr Martin Poulsom SDB.

Introducing our new Archivist

May 3, 2024
News

Our Archivist

We are pleased to welcome Our Provincial Archivist, Sheila Mercieca to Barat House. Sheila is a professional archivist, and records manager with a Master’s degree in Archives and Information Records Management from University College London, is an alumni of the University of Roehampton with an undergraduate degree in English Literature.

With a wide range of experience working in science archives, religious archives, and in information records management, Sheila is enthusiastic about all areas of her work. She has  strong interests in oral history, and in the design of interactive archive exhibitions.

Accessing the Provincial Archives

The archives hold records relating to the work, schools, and communities of the Society, primarily in England and Wales, also from earlier periods of the Society in other Provinces, including Ireland, Scotland, Malta,Uganda, Kenya, the USA and Australia.

The collections include:

  • papers relating to the administration of the England/Wales Province by the Provincial team as well as personal papers and correspondence of deceased     members of the Province, including Superiors Provincial and General.
  • records of Society communities, of Province works, and material relating to the overseas work of the Province.
  • records of students, staff, and governance of current and historic Society primary and secondary schools in Roehampton, Hammersmith, Tunbridge Wells,     Brighton, and Fenham (Newcastle), and tertiary teacher training colleges at Roehampton and Fenham.
  • a collection of books and journals including biographies of several sisters, as well as those works defined as being important for the post-Reformation history of Catholicism in Britain and/or the history and spirituality of the Society.

The archives are part of the Network of Archives &Libraries of the Catholic Church (NALCC) and as the material is catalogued it will be made available online through the Catholic Heritage project.

Contact

Please contact Sheila to arrange a visit.

Visiting hours: Monday to Wednesday 10.30-16.30


E:smercieca@societysacredheart.org


T: 0208 876 9880

A: Barat House,
    University of Roehampton

Tree Planting to celebrate 45 years at Llannerchwen

February 9, 2024
News

In the middle of January 2024, we marked the 45th anniversary of our beginnings at our spirituality centre, Llannerchwen in Brecon, Wales. It was also an opportunity to plant a ginko biloba tree, chosen by Grace one of our gardeners, to mark the 180th anniversary of the Society’s presence in England and Wales.

 

The ginko biloba, will produce glorious red, gold and yellow leaves each autumn, and we will be able to admire it from our kitchen window.

 

Clare prepared a short prayer of blessing, based partly on extracts from the section on Winter from the book called ‘The Circle of Life’, by Joyce Rupp and Macrina Wiederkehr, together with some words that were written by Joan Scott about her vision for Llannerchwen.   The authors of the book state that Winter is a ‘time of waiting’ and this felt appropriate as we wait to see what emerges from our ongoing reflections regarding future developments at Llannerchwen.  And the extracts came from a section called ‘Blessings of Winter’, as we wanted to acknowledge all the blessings that Llannerchwen has already brought to so many people.  Joan Scott’s words were a characteristic blend of her passion for contemplation, for silence, for solitude and fornature, expressed in her usual ‘down to earth’ words.   We then concluded our celebration by adjourning to the warmth of our sitting-room for tea and mince pies.

Remembering Anne

A tribute to Anne McCarthy RSCJ

November 23, 2023
News

On the 21st  November, the 223rd anniversary of the Society's foundation, God called our sister Anne RSCJ to the fullness of life with him. A Sacred Heart educator to her fingertips and to the end, for many years Anne was headteacher at Sacred Heart Primary School, Fenham. Then, in 'retirement' she was a spiritual guide at Minsteracres Retreat Centre, before ill health meant a move to Duchesne House, our carehome for sisters in Roehampton, where Anne died peacefully, with her beloved sister and niece at her side. 

Please pray with us, and especially for Anne's family, and everyone who will surely miss her. May she rest in God's everlasting peace. 

Details of Anne's funeral will follow - No flowers please (except family) but if you would like to give something in Anne's memory she was a great supporter of THE PEOPLE'S KITCHEN in Newcastle.  They give various ways on their website but please say In Memory of Sister Anne McCarthy. (www.peopleskitchen.co.uk)

 

Provincial Chapter

Keep the Province in your prayers

November 8, 2023
News

The Province of England-Wales of the Society of the Sacred Heart will be holding a Provincial Chapter in London from November 11th-14th, 2023.

At this meeting we will continue our preparations for the General Chapter of the whole Society, which takes place in 2024.

The delegates from England-Wales will be joined by RSCJ guests from the Provinces of Ireland-Scotland and Central Europe.

Please hold this important meeting in your prayers!!

Planting Commemorative Trees

Commemorative Tree Planting Continues Our Year of Celebration

October 20, 2023
News

As the Society continues to celebrate 180 years since the foundation of the England and Wales province, our schools have been delighted to celebrate this milestone with the planting of commemorative trees, gifted by the Provincial Team. Three of our schools planted their trees in the last weeks of September, and we are looking forward to three further plantings in the Spring.

On the morning of Friday 22ndSeptember, the children and staff of Sacred Heart Primary school, Fenham gathered with RSCJs from the local area for the planting of a hawthorn tree. Its location means that it will be seen by every child on their walk into school each morning.

In the afternoon, just next door, the same Sisters were joined by Goals Ambassadors from each year group at Sacred Heart High School and, together with a gathering of staff, another hawthorn tree was planted:

The following Monday, in glorious sunshine, a group of local Sisters, students and staff gathered at Sacred Heart High School in Hammersmith for the planting of a cherry tree:

At each planting, Sr Cath Lloyd, Provincial was assisted by a student as a sign of these trees representing the present and the future of Sacred Heart education in our province. In addition to prayers, Scripture and a blessing, the Ella Wheeler Wilcox poem ‘Go plant a tree’ was read, from which this quotation comes:

God, what a joy it is to plant a tree,
And from the sallow earth to watch it rise,
Lifting its emerald branches to the skies
In silent adoration; and to see
Its strength and glory waxing with each spring.
Yes, ’tis a goodly, and a gladsome thing
To plant a tree.

Celebrating 180 years in England-Wales

RSCJ and the wider Sacred Heart family gather for a momentous occasion…

June 17, 2023
News

On Saturday 17th June 2023 RSCJ gathered with friends, family, students past and present, co-workers, companions in mission, as well as professional advisors, RSCJ from other countries and former colleagues, for a momentous occasion: a thanksgiving Mass commemorating 180 years of mission in England and Wales. 

1842 Candle

This joyful celebration took place at Digby Stuart Chapel in Roehampton, serving as a sacred space for reflection and gratitude. This special event brought everyone together to acknowledge the province’s rich heritage and ongoing commitment to its mission. During the Mass, heartfelt remembrance was extended to those who had paved the way, laying the foundations upon which the province now stands. Gratitude was also expressed for the present stewards, RSCJ and partners in mission who carry forward the Society's charism and mission.

The Society’s educational legacy was especially represented by a choir and musicians drawn from the Sacred Heart primary and high schools in Fenham, Hammersmith and Roehampton. Despite only one rehearsal together, they led us very harmoniously in a Mass setting composed especially for this occasion by Lorraine Neckles, Head of Music at Sacred Heart High in Hammersmith.

 

During the Mass our Provincial, Cath Lloyd RSCJ reflected on the many changes of the past 180 years, and the changes which undoubtedly lie ahead. But she also reminded us of what has remained constant and unchanging…

 

What have we always done as RSCJ? Stay rooted through prayer and contemplation in the awareness of God’s constant presence and the beat of God’s Heart. That is central to our lives, as is being “bound to Jesus”. We will go on drawing others into the love of God’s Heart, reminding them and ourselves what today’s second reading from 1 John has recalled for us, that God loves us because of who God is not because of who we are or what we have done. We will go on doing all that whoever we are, wherever we are, whatever our age and through whatever we are doing.

We invite you to read a letter from our Superior General, Barbara Dawson, RSCJ. Click here to access the letter.

For more information and to follow year-long celebrations honouring this significant milestone in the Society's history click here.

Digby Stuart Chapel

Feast of the Sacred Heart

We wish everyone a Happy Feast of the Sacred Heart.

June 16, 2023
News

We wish everyone a Happy Feast of the Sacred Heart.

 

This weekend the Province of England - Wales gives thanks for 180 years of service to our mission of discovering and making known the love of the heart of Christ.

 

We recall with gratitude those on whose shoulders we stand, those who are the present stewards of the charism and all those whose lives have been touched and shaped by the Society’s mission in the British Isles.

 

Pray that we will walk into the future with courage and confidence.

Feast of St Madeleine Sophie Barat

Wishing everyone a very happy feast of St Madeleine Sophie Barat...

May 25, 2023
News

Wishing everyone a very happy feast of St Madeleine Sophie Barat, founder of the Society of the Sacred Heart! Please pray with and for us, as we celebrate her life, vision and legacy, and ask her blessing on us, and the entire Sacred Heart family, here and around the world.

 

St Madeleine Sophie Barat

St Madeleine Sophie was a woman of her times, captivated by the love of Christ and open to the calls of the world in which she lived; may she give to each one of us her spirit, her courage and her humility.

(From the Introduction of the 1982 Constitutions)

 

Supporting a new Sacred Heart School in Kenya

Schools come together to fundraise the building of a new school in Kenya...

March 24, 2023
News

Our Sacred Heart Schools and College have a focus this year on the Goal of Community. As part of this focus, schools are coming together to fundraise in support of the building of a new primary school in the Uganda/Kenya Province.

Sr Penina Wambale writes, “Thank you so much for opening up this communication network that links us to you and all our English Sacred Heart schools. It is fabulous to be connected. Kindly convey our gratitude to all teachers, students and even parents, for this great support they are willing to give us. The construction of the Sacred Heart primary School is in progress, substructure works is currently ongoing.”

Construction of the Sacred Heart Primary School in progress

On Friday 24th March, Sacred Heart High School, Hammersmith braved torrential rain and hail to complete a whole school sponsored walk, in aid of the Eldoret project:

Pupils brave the rain to complete sponsored walk

Our other schools have plans for fundraising events in the summer term and we are confident that collectively, our support will make a significant impact on this vitally important project.

Doorway into the Heart of God

A journey of love, from Ash Wednesday to the Sacred Heart

February 17, 2026
Reflections

Someone recently asked me for the date of the Feast of the Sacred Heart. I began to explain that it's a moveable feast, coming at the end of a whole series of moveable feasts, which begin with Pentecost... no, with Easter... no, Lent... Ash Wednesday... And as I heard myself describe this liturgical continuum, something within me broke into a gleeful little dance. Wow, I thought... Wow... from Ash Wednesday to the Sacred Heart, in one unbroken movement!

From the day when we turn to God with all our hearts, seeking grace and forgiveness and mercy... through Lent, when we yearn and learn to love, and Easter, that greatest of all feasts of Christ's love... and then Pentecost, the love of the Trinity, and of Corpus Christi... to the day when we celebrate the Heart of God, the fathomless source of all that tender, overflowing, compassionate and merciful love.

In a pastoral letter for Ash Wednesday, Cardinal Vincent Nichols once wrote that Ash Wednesday is the doorway into this season of renewal. And so it is... And it's also a doorway into God's wide-open Heart, a sure companion on our journey. And this is the hope and the assurance which strengthen me as I enter this time of growth and renewal, and this Lent which is, as always, filled with a promise which holds as much blessing as it does challenge.

Have a happy, grace-filled Lent, everyone!

Adapted from a reflection by Silvana Dallanegra RSCJ, which first appeared in All this Life and Heaven Too

Golden Jubilee reflection

August 3, 2025
Reflections

On Saturday 2nd August Sisters Mon McGreal RSCJ and Steph Romaine RSCJ quietly celebrated their Golden Jubilees of perpetual profession of vows, made in 1975.

Here, Steph, who is part of our community in Fenham, Newcastle, shares how she spent the day...

I began my Jubilee Day with Mass in the Cathedral, and to my surprise the first reading from Leviticus (25:1, 8-17) reminds us of the origin and meaning of Jubilee. God owns the land and for a whole year it was to remain uncultivated, unworked on, so that the land itself had a holiday! So, after coffee and a scone at the Oak and Iron Heritage Centre I went for a walk at nearby Gibside.

The first thing that showed itself to me was the beginning of a new leaf on a twig - it told me that this is the beginning of a new stage of my life. As I walked on it felt as though I was walking back through my life again, through the woods of my life:

Babies in buggies, young children playing….older children making dens. I remembered the woods of my childhood on Putney Heath; the woods at Woldingham when I was a novice – the Dark Night where I had an illegitimate cigarette or two; and the woods at the top of St Michael’s Mount when I was teaching in the school at Woldingham, taking a walk on a day off from the boarding school. On I walked in the Hollies near Leeds and Roundhay Park, on a Saturday with Vivien Bowman. On and on, until surrounded by woods and mountains at Llannerchwen. A few sedate walks around Bolam Lake and Wallington here in the North East, until today the woods at Gibside. I’ll come again now I’ve found the bus route!

Woods hold so much, speak with so much symbolism of my 80 years of life and now 50 years of Final Profession: so much variety, so much contrast, so many beginnings and endings, and handing’s over; so much darkness and light and dappled light and deep shade. There was deadness, dead leaves, dead trees, dead ends; and yet fresh greenness, new buds, new leaves, and fresh fruit, hollows and vistas... and always stillness with rustling leaves and silence, silence broken only by birdsong; clear paths and brambles with no way through and yet always The Way.

So much to be grateful for, so many companions on the way, and through it all, invisible and everlasting arms holding and guiding, picking up, comforting, never letting go and always loving:

‘The Good news of the Kingdom’ (my Probation Name)*

And my devise (motto)

‘I praise you, Father, because you have revealed these things to little ones
and hidden them from the wise and prudent.
You have put all these things in my hands.’
Lk:10:21

We send our congratulations and prayer to Steph and Mon, and to the other RSCJ around the world for whom this is a Jubilee year.

* 'Probation' is our preparation for final vows, a process done in an international group, lasting almost five months. At the end of this time, as per a long Society tradition, the Superior General will give the group a name and devise which give them a communal and individual new identity and call as professed RSCJ.

Student Leader Training at Woldingham

July 10, 2025
Schools

On a very hot day at the beginning of July, the Head Girl teams from Sacred Heart in Fenham and Hammersmith joined their fellow students leaders from Woldingham School for two days of student leadership training. The conference, titled “ Leading from the Heart” gave them the opportunity to consider their leadership styles, their role within a team as well as important skills such as effective communication and using your initiative.

It was a delight to see how quickly the students bonded and enjoyed sharing their experiences of leading in a Sacred Heart school. In the evening, a poignant moment was had in Woldingham’s new vineyard as we learned more about the symbolism of the different parts of the vine and the importance of the vines to St Madeleine Sophie Barat.

Vineyard at Woldingham

Celebrating 100 years since the Canonisation of St Madeleine Sophie Barat

June 10, 2025
Schools

The Society of the Sacred Heart around the world celebrated 100 years of St Madeleine Sophie Barat on May 24th. The schools and college in our province marked this very special occasion with liturgies and special assemblies, heart-shaped lollies and prayer cards. Students and staff also came together to watch a new film made by the Schools Network to tell the story of Sophie's life and share some of her most loved quotations, read by our RSCJ Sisters. You can watch the film here:

HeartFest 6

October 11, 2024
Schools

75 students and staff from across all of our schools and college gathered at the end of September to celebrate HeartFest 6, our biennial student conference at the Emmaus Youth Village, County Durham.

For three days, students worked collaboratively on a range of tasks linked to all 5 Sacred Heart Goals of education, as we are celebrating this school year, the 50th birthday of the Goals which launched in the United States in 1975.

Despite the torrential rain, spirits were high as creative skills were used to express each of the Goals in workshops such as friendship bracelet making (for the Goal of Community) and re-imagining our ideal world in art (for the Goal of Social  Awareness)

HeartFest 6 concluded with a moving liturgy at Sacred Heart High School, Fenham where all those in attendance were commissioned as the first Sacred Heart Network Student Team, who will now take an active role in leading Goals based activities in our schools and college.

Sacred Heart at the Paris Olympics & Paralympics

An athlete team sheet for the Paris Olympics and Paralympics from our global Sacred Heart family

July 26, 2024
Schools

 

UPDATED 29th JULY - We send our prayers and best wishes to the Alumnus of Sacred Heart Schools around the world who are competing in the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris this summer:

(clockwise from top left)

Tierna Davidson from Sacred Heart Schools, Atherton, California (Class of 2016) will compete in soccer for the USA

(photo credit: Wikipedia)

Lanihei Connolly from Baradene College of the Sacred Heart, Auckland, New Zealand (class of 2023) is competing in swimming (100m Breaststroke) for the Cook Islands.

(photo credit:www.birmingham2022.com)

Gaby Lopez from Collegio Sagrado Corazon, Mexico (class of 2012) will compete in Golf for Mexico

(photo credit: Wikipedia)

Mary (Daisy) Mazzio-Manson from Newton Country Day School of the Sacred Heart, Boston (class of 2016) will compete in Rowing fours for the USA

(photo: LinkedIn)

Georgia Bell from Sacred Heart High School, Hammersmith (class of 2010) will compete in Athletics (1500m) for Great Britain

(photo: Michael Steele / Getty images)

 

Isabella Russekoff from Sacred Heart Greenwich, Connecticut (class of 2018) will compete in Equestrian Showjumping for Israel.

(photo credit: @shgreenwich Instagram)

 

Katie Ledecky from Stone Ridge Sacred Heart, Bethesda, Maryland (class of 2015) will compete in Swimming (400m freestyle, 1500m freestyle, 4 x 200m freestyle relay, 800m freestyle) for the USA.

(photo credit: Gregory Shamus / Getty Images)

 

Carlota Ciganda from Sagrado Corazon, Pamplona, Spain (class of 2008) will compete in Golf for Spain

(photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

Erin Gemmell from Stone Ridge Sacred Heart, Bethesda, Maryland (class of 2023) will complete in Swimming (200m freestyle and 4 x 200m freestyle relay) for the USA

(photo credit: Jack Splitser / Splitser photography)

 

Phoebe Bacon from Stone Ridge Sacred Heart, Bethesda, Maryland (class of 2020) will complete in Swimming (200m backstroke) for the USA

(photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

Paige Greco from Sacre Coeur Glen Iris, Victoria (class of 2015) will compete in Paralympic Cycling for Australia

(photo credit: Paul Harris)

 

Mewen Tomac from Lycée Sacre Coeur, Amiens, France (class of 2020) will compete in Swimming (100m and 200m backstroke) for France

(Photo credit: Faugere / L’Equipe)

 

Annabelle Smith from Sacre Coeur Glen Iris, Victoria (class of 2010) will compete in Diving (3m synchronised) for Australia

(Photo credit: @annabellesmith Instagram)

 

Beth Yeagar from Sacred Heart Greenwich, Connecticut (class of 2021) will compete in Field Hockey for the USA

(Photo Credit:www.teamusa.com)

NEWLY ADDED (centre left)

Marie Simon from La Perverie, Nantes, France (class of 2018) will compete in Field Hockey for France.

(photo credit: www.ffhockey.org)

NEWLY ADDED (above centre)

Blanca Hervas from Sagrado Corazon, Rosales, Madrid (class of 2021) will compete in Athletics (4 x 400m relay) for Spain.

(photo credit: www.worldathletics.org)

NEWLY ADDED (centre)

Elizabeth Dekker from Duchesne College, University of Brisbane (class of 2022) competing in Swimming (200m butterfly) for Australia

(photo credit: Delly Carr)

NEWLY ADDED (centre right)

Noe Jouin from La Perverie, Nantes, France (class of 2020) will compete in Field Hockey for France.

(photo credit:www.ffhockey.org)

We send our congratulations also to Samantha McGill (former Head Girl from Kilgraston Sacred Heart, Scotland) who joins the Team GB support team for Tennis.

Please let us know if we have missed anyone on our Sacred Heart Team sheet  – and consider following our Schools Network Instagram account for schedule updates and results: heart_filled_year

Sacred Heart Schools' Network Fundraising Success

November 14, 2023
Schools

As part of our 1842 celebrations and in recognition of the Year of Community, schools across our Network raised a phenomenal £12,374.08 for the building of a new Sacred Heart Primary School in Eldoret, Kenya. Schools took part in a range of creative fundraising activities including sponsored walks, bake sales and singing competitions. Their collective efforts will make a huge difference to this exciting project which will provide an education for young children, many who are orphaned and living in poverty on the outskirts of the city of Eldoret. It is hoped that once the school opens, links can be made with primary schools in our network in order to set up some joint student projects.