Society of the Sacred Heart

The Stuart Center is sponsored by the United States – Canada Province of the Society of the Sacred Heart (RSCJ), which is part of the international Society of the Sacred Heart, a congregation of Catholic women. We live out our vocation today in a wide spectrum of ministries and settings according to certain priorities we have chosen.

Society Mission Statement

The Society of the Sacred Heart is an international community of women in the Catholic Church, founded in 1800 by St. Madeleine Sophie Barat. Sharing her vision and mission, we are convinced of the centrality of prayer and contemplation in our lives. We are committed to discovering and making God’s love visible in the heart of the world through the service of education. Conscious of what we do, we do together, and remembering a tradition marked by a love for young people and missionary spirit, the Religious of the Sacred Heart 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
• In pastoral work and guidance in the faith. (1982 Constitutions of the Society of the Sacred Heart, #13)          

St. Madeleine Sophie established ministry in four key areas:

1. Education in Sacred Heart Schools, universities and other educational settings
2. Educational works with the poor and marginalized
3. Spirituality, retreats, and spiritual ministry
4. Contact with people outside our communities.

Communication and economics are quickly making this a world without borders. Religious of the Sacred Heart have a long history of creating communion beyond boundaries that divide, such as those of country, age, culture, education, temperament. We continue our mission to work for justice and peace as educators and women of reconciliation. The reach of our commitment goes far beyond what we can see or even know, and we are constantly enriched and challenged by it. The living of that commitment manifests itself concretely in a variety of partnerships and in our relationship with other groups historically associated with the Society.