Our name, Religious of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (RSCJ), is not just a name; it is a description of who we are. We are called to discover and reveal the love of God in our world. We are called to make God’s love visible to others through our words and deeds.
As Religious of the Sacred Heart, we make four vows. The first three are typical for religious: poverty, chastity and obedience. But the fourth is a vow of education, and it is precious to us. It is not a vow to teach. It is to do all that we do with the heart of an educator. In all that we do, we try to draw forth from those with whom we are in kinship – student, patient, client or friend – the gifts and talents that God has given them.
Community
Community is a core value to the Society of the Sacred Heart. Not only do Religious of the Sacred Heart (RSCJ) live in community, they seek to build community within their respective ministries and wider geographical communities. Associates of the Sacred Heart center around and grow together in community, whether in regional groups or virtually. The Network of Sacred Heart Schools member communities — educators and students — commit to the building of community as a Christian value, goal 3 of Sacred Heart Education.
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Education
Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat, the founder of the Society, considered the service of education as the primary means by which the Society would carry on its mission of communicating the love of the Heart of Jesus. For her, education was never the end. The end was to make God’s love known and to rebuild the fractured world in hope; the means was forming young people to intelligent faith, compassionate action and courageous hope.
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Justice
From our contemplation of the Pierced Heart of Jesus in the heart of wounded humanity flows the desire to commit ourselves with greater passion and compassion to justice, peace, and the integrity of creation. We take the responsibility to orient all our educative endeavors toward creating relationships of equality, inclusion, non-violence and harmony, believing that to have life and life in abundance is the deepest desire of God.
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Spirituality
Wholly contemplative and wholly apostolic, Sacred Heart spirituality is rooted in contemplation and prayer, which informs our ministry, our relationships and our everyday lives.
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Duchesne Fund for Ministry
RSCJ, Associates of the Sacred Heart and partners in the Society's mission serve under-resourced and marginalized communities in a variety of settings. In order to extend this service, the Duchesne Fund for Ministry was established to support organizations with whom we collaborate on projects that reflect Gospel values. Duchesne Fund for Ministry grants are awarded to projects serving under-resourced and marginalized communities within the United States.
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