Colegio Sagrado Corazón has been awarded the National Immigration and Coexistence Award for the project,  ′Pamplona, Open City ′ awarded by the Spanish Learning-Service Network. The aim of the project was to combat racist prejudices among adolescents and foster a climate of welcoming and inclusion in the migrant population arriving in their city, Pamplona.   To read more about this wonderful project click the photo, the link will  also lead you to the same article in Spanish and French. (We are still experiencing problems with our software. Apologies)

We have a new school in our Sacred Heart Network. We welcome Sacré Coeur Währing warmly and look forward to working closely with you!  Formerly a school of  the Barmherzige Schwestern, and following a programme of induction, they formally joined the Sacred Heart Network at a special ceremony which took place on October 19th 2020 in their school chapel.  A full article in English will be attached soon ( technical difficulties with our software- apologies). Meanwhile  if you click this photo you can reach the school website article and you can see more photos on our Home page. As well as the handover of a painting of St Madeleine Sophie,  a highlight on the day was the presentation of a Liebfrauenkleid , a traditional robe for the statue of Our Lady at Mariazell, which had been designed by a pupil in Year 4. This will be taken to Mariazell next spring as this year’s pilgrimage could not take place.  

On November 4th, 1920, 135 student girls embarked on their education at La Perverie. What was then only a large private property became, for the first time, a school, thanks to the determination of the sisters of the Sacred Heart who had acquired it in 1919. Since then, many pages of the long history of this Sacred Heart school have been written. We will leaf through this history during this 2020-2021 academic year, which we hope will be marked by our centenary celebrations. Check here for photos of the great highlights that will happily punctuate the year and also testimonies from former and current students whom we have asked to share “their Perverie” over these 100 years!  

On 7th August 2020 Mount St Catherine’s Primary school, Armagh, took delivery of this stunning stained glass window depicting Saint Madeleine Sophie and the Children of the World. The window had been created in memory of Florence Farrell rscj. It has recently been returned to the Society by Cavan Cathedral. The headteacher is grateful to, Sr. Carmel Flynn rscj, for organising its transfer to its new home at their school.  

In October 2019 another group of Sacred Heart Educators from all over Europe gathered at Sophie's home in Joigny to walk in her footsteps, listening and reflecting on her early life with her family. They saw the proximity of the revolution and understood in a new way her educational vision. 

Some photos from 2019

Une rencontre avec Madeleine Sophie, for European Sacred Heart Educators. 

Sadly we had to cancel the Joigny sessions scheduled for 2020 and 2021 because of the Covid-19 crisis. Our next session is scheduled for 5th-8th October 2022. Applications normally go through the Network Coordinators. 

More about Joigny...

La Fundación Educativa Sofía Barat, the newly created foundation for the Spanish Network, has highlighted the essential need to have a thorough and planned training programme for all its educators, teachers, leaders, administrators in order to achieve the fulfilment of its mission for the young people in their schools. The Foundation is providing programmes to promote the personal, institutional and Christian identity of educators. The network wide programmes compliment the development activities already taking place in the schools and will strengthen the sense of the network among the participants, promoting interpersonal, professional and centre to centre relationships and continually reminding them that we are together in a common project. Read more in Spanish and English  

The European Network wanted to reach out to our schools across the world at this time. We decided to invite all our contacts to share prayers for the Feast of Mater Admirabilis on 20th October. Knowing that everyone is under pressure at the moment, we are delighted that over 50 schools and institutions have taken part, even though some are still closed or only partially open. The participants have been opening their inboxes each day to find thoughtful and heartfelt prayers, often beautifully presented. Click here for a Google Map of our prayers.. the software does not allow the best presentation, but the words say it all, as students and their teachers write about their hopes and concerns for the world. We feel very close to our Sacred Heart Family at this moment of crisis. It has been a real blessing. Let us pray together on Tuesday.  

Four European schools have joined to implement this Erasmus+ project on European Identity and Values in Young People: Gymnasium Sacré Coeur Wien, Sagrado Corazón de Jesús, Placeres, Pontevedra, Tartu Descartes'i Kooli (Estonia) and La Perverie Sacré Cœur, Nantes.

It has generated a lot of interest among the teachers and a lot of students are taking part, getting really involved in its implementation. They meet regularly to prepare future meetings and debates on European values, in the process improving their knowledge and skills. Our schools are very open to international projects, it is part of our fundamental values: in our multicultural world we wish to prepare and inspire our students to be active, informed and responsible global citizens.

They first met in Nantes, but more recently in Estonia...  The young people have bonded really well and engaged in the activities with great enthusiasm...   Download the rest of the article here

As part of their preparation in leading the Goal of Social Awareness for 2019-2020, the Goals Coordinators and Chaplains of the English Network spent a day on Lindisfarne in June 2019. Hearing and reflecting on the stories of the saints who lived close to nature on this island, cut off twice a day from the mainland, and yet very much involved in the politics of Northumbria in the 7th Century. It was a perfect way in to our focus for next year: Care for our Common Home. The next day they considered the three joint projects proposed by the headteachers at their meeting in May: becoming single use plastic free, taking part in the Earth Hour project and looking at the fashion and textile industries.  Other schools across Europe are involved in similar projects around Care for our Common Home, such as #WeCoeur in Vienna setting themselves related challenges. One of theirs, during Lent 2019, was around use of plastic.

Après plus d’un an de travail, l’Institution Marmoutier accueillait vendredi 25 mais 2018 la 4ème édition d’AtoutCœur. Un groupe de pilotage d’une dizaine de personnes de plusieurs établissements du réseau se sont réunis à maintes reprises, ont multiplié les échanges téléphoniques et les courriels afin d’être au point en ce jour symbolique pour la Congrégation. Cet Atout-Cœur 2018 était placé sous le regard de Sainte Philippine Duchesne. Près de 300 jeunes auxquels se sont ajoutés les élèves de Marmoutier s’étaient déplacés en bus et en train pour se retrouver et vivre une journée conviviale. Download more information and photos

The second Faces of the Heart, an International Youth Assembly, took place in Nantes (France) between June 30 and July 13, 2018.  The group also visited Paris and Joigny. In Nantes they took part in several workshops and activities based in the theme of the Assembly, "Education for a Better World". Two students from Kilgraston School in Scotland summed up their experience, " What struck us the most from this trip was that no matter where in the world we all came from, we shared common values and aspirations for the future of education. It was comforting to see that the Sacred Heart Network unites its students in their passion for forming a better future for all. We are extremely thankful for this opportunity as it is truly a once in a life time experience that has taught us so much and we will never forget it. " Download a full account and more photos

Following on the commitment to Justice, Peace and the Integrity of Creation at their Chapter in 2016, the Society held an international meeting in the Philippines. RSCJ gathered from across the world to reflect on the emerging themes which show the priority for JPIC in their mission as Sacred Heart sisters. Prayer, sharing experiences, discussion in regional and international groups, beginning a new statement on JPIC for the Society and its partners in mission were some of the elements of the gathering.  Here is the initial report. All delegates were given the opportunity to visit projects in South East Asia before the conference.  Here is a presentation Hilary Thompson shared with the English Network on returning from the meeting which she attended as a member of the International Education Commission.

75 delegates have just returned home from the wonderful "Encuentro Europeo de Directores de Colegios de Sagrado Corazon" in Placeres, Spain from 5th - 8th October 2017. Most of the material used at the conference has now been uploaded. See the Placeres Papers  page.There will be emails to let you know when this is ready. Our hosts at Sagrado Corazón de Jesús, Placeres, Pontevedra welcomed us so warmly and generously. Many people were involved in looking after our every need. Thanks to them, their headteacher Ma Jose Martinez, the Spanish Network and Javier, who coordinated it all.  Pedro Landin, from the school, compiled this montage of photos. Take a look! Muchisimas gracias a todos!  

In 2017 the Spanish Network held a special session for teachers across their network to reflect on developing interiority in their schools. This year there have been further developments, focussing on schools. Their initiative is called, Desde Dentro 2. For more on Desde Dentro 2 look at our page  Provincial Projects

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All this is inspired by the Chapter Calls from 2016 and the words of St Madeleine Sophie below

"Hoy, más que nunca, los alumnos necesitan: hacerse interiores, aprender a ser autores de su propia vida, con un eje personal que los sostenga y los unifique como seres valiosos, únicos, irrepetibles, con unas metas claras y elevadas que los motiven y trasciendan, para llegar a ser lo que están llamados a ser”. “Nowadays, more than ever, students need to develop their capacity for prayer and reflection, to learn to be the authors of their own lives, with a personal guiding principle to sustain them and to be a focus which will channel their gifts, enabling them to be people who are courageous, unique, irreplaceable, and with goals that are both clear and ambitious. These can then motivate them and take them beyond what they thought to be their limits, enabling them to become what they are being called to become”.     Sta Magdalena Sofía Barat , 1830

Conference: European Sacred Heart Educators

Sadly we had to cancel the Joigny sessions scheduled for 2020 and 2021 because of the Covid-19 crisis. Our next session is scheduled for 5th-8th October 2022. 

Une rencontre avec Madeleine Sophie in Joigny

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Meeting of the European Coreteam

We are now meeting by Zoom, exploring opportunities for virtual links for our Sacred Heart schools 

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Conference: European Sacred Heart Headteachers Rome

This Conference has been postponed, perhaps until October 2023. We will keep you updated.

Istituto Sacro Cuore della Trinità dei Monti, Rome