2024 - 2025 Sacred Heart Spirituality Speaker Series
The Sacred Heart Spirituality Series is sponsored by the Mums of Alums at Villa Duchesne for the benefit of the entire Sacred Heart community. This series represents the Mums' effort to participate in the stewardship of the vision of Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat - a second sowing of the Sacred Heart mission by parents who gave to their children the gift of a Sacred Heart education, and who continue to cherish life at the Sacred Heart. All are most welcome!
About the theme
The timeless mission of the Society of Sacred Heart — to discover and to reveal the love of God through the Heart of Christ to the world — is rooted in Saint Madeleine Sophie’s foundational vision for the Society. It is through the lens of her Eucharistic vision that the service of education in the Church is revealed as the means by which the Religious of the Sacred Heart (RSCJ) live out their charism of glorifying the Heart of Jesus. “As I was praying before a tabernacle: we must dedicate ourselves to the education of youth, renew in souls…a living faith in the Blessed Sacrament…to the ends of the earth.” (Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat)
From Madeleine Sophie’s inspired vision for the Society flows the RSCJ apostolate: “Consecrated as we are to education, ours is an apostolic institute whose life has its source in intimate Union with Christ and serves ‘Christ Himself in His members.’ Love of the Incarnate Word must inspire it, not only in our life, but in its structure, and these should be oriented to our service in the Apostolate.’” (Society of the Sacred Heart, Special Chapter of 1967)
Entrusted to the Society and its lay partners-in-mission, this mission has been lived for almost 225 years, articulated in the timely expressions of the Society’s Constitutions, Society General and Special Chapter documents, documents from Society commissions and committees, and in the Goals and Criteria of Sacred Heart schools. This series will explore the apostolates expressing the mission of the Society of the Sacred Heart through new RSCJ ministries and initiatives in response of Vatican II, expanding the Society’s historic work of education, retreats, and response to community needs and through the Goals and Criteria of Sacred Heart schools.
Presentation Dates
The first two presentations will be given in-person at the Villa Duchesne Lenke Center, and streamed on Zoom. The final presentation will take place via Zoom with an in-person gathering to watch the stream at the Lenke Center.
Friday, November 1, 2024, 9 AM CT: "An Evolving Mission: What Remains, What Sustains" by Lynne Lieux, RSCJ
Friday, February 7, 2025, 10 AM CT: "Unchanging Charism: Stories from the Past, Lessons for the Present" by Diane Roche, RSCJ & Bonnie Kearney, RSCJ
Friday, March 7, 2025, 10 AM CT : "Saint Madeleine Sophie and the Sacred Heart Commission on Goals" by Ann Taylor, RSCJ
Click here to access the presentation via Zoom.
The same Zoom link will be used all three presentations and available 30 minutes ahead of the start time. Recordings of each sister’s presentation will be posted to this page by the second Friday of the month when the presentation is given.
An Evolving Mission: What Remains, What Sustains
On November 1, Lynne Lieux, RSCJ, will launch the series with a reflection on the roots and evolution of the Society of the Sacred Heart Mission. For almost 225 years, the vision and charism of Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat has guided members of the Sacred Heart family as each has tried to discover and to reveal the love of God through addressing the needs of the current times. "Times change and so must we" (Madeleine Sophie Barat), but the mission continues to remain and sustain. Sister. Lieux will share the evolution of the articulation of the mission and provide some thoughts on the Society's Apostolic Priorities (Education, Spirituality, JPIC, and Formation).
Sister Lieux, attended the Academy of the Sacred Heart in Grand Coteau as a boarder. After receiving her bachelor's degree in mathematics from Maryville University in St. Louis, she spent her first year in the Society at Villa Duchesne School of the Sacred Heart in St. Louis teaching math and physics. She received her master’s degree in physics from Washington University in St. Louis and her doctorate in educational administration from the University of New Orleans.
She has spent most of her time in ministry working in the Network of Sacred Heart Schools as a teacher, dean of students, upper school head, and head of school. She has also served as an adjunct professor in the graduate education program at the University of New Orleans and has worked with the Jacobs Institute on Innovation in Education at the University of San Diego. She is currently a trustee of the Academy of the Sacred Heart in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, the Academy of the Sacred Heart in New Orleans, the Regis School of the Sacred Heart in Houston and Maryville University. She has served on the provincial team of the United States – Canada Province since 2021.
Past Series
Spirituality Series 2023-24 (Click here)
