Associates of the Sacred Heart Identity Statement
Living the Transforming Love of God
Associates of the Sacred Heart are women and men who are attracted by and live the spirituality of the Society of the Sacred Heart. There is a profound sense of mutuality between Religious of the Sacred Heart (RSCJ) and Associates because our common mission is to discover and make known the love of the heart of Jesus. We give witness to the love of God expressed in Jesus, in humanity and in creation. This love calls us to collaborate in God’s transformation of our lives and the world around us.
As Associates, we commit to:
- faithfulness to personal prayer, with individual spiritual guidance and formation to discern God's call in our lives
- ongoing spiritual formation in the knowledge, understanding, and living of the call of the Society's charism: to be "wholly contemplative and wholly apostolic"
- regular attendance at group meetings that foster faith sharing and relationships among Associates and RSCJ
- attentiveness to the needs and suffering of the world and to living God's love in our daily lives.
Our vocation as Associates is in mutual relationship with each other and RSCJ. We grow from prayer, collaboration, support and encouragement of each other. Each local and virtual group of Associates constitutes a unique community. Each community will create an atmosphere of inclusion so that each Associate is supported on her or his spiritual journey and is encouraged to exercise leadership locally and nationally, with a group committing shared resources to support the participation of all.