<strong>Heart</strong> spotlights Spirit of Mater Award recipients: Sr. Irene Cullen (SHP ’56), Melissa Pritchard (SHP ’66), and Jonny Dorsey (SJSH ’99, SHP ’03) in the lobby of the Campbell Center for the Performing Arts. The artwork on display behind them is borrowed from the Anderson Collection. 10 H e a r t o f t h e M a t t e r Wi n t e r 2 0 0 8
Spirit of Mater Awards I n October, <strong>Sacred</strong> <strong>Heart</strong> alumni were invited back to campus to celebrate a special Feast of Mater. The theme of the day incorporated the <strong>Sacred</strong> <strong>Heart</strong> idea that each of us can make a difference in the lives of others, one person at a time. The special day included a Mass, alumni lectures and a luncheon. Three alumni were chosen by the Alumni Board to receive special awards that were conferred based on their exemplary work benefitting the lives of others. The three awardees were Melissa Pritchard (SHP ’66), Jonny Dorsey (SJSH ’99, SHP ’03), and Sr. Irene Cullen (SHP ’57). After attending Mass together in the chapel, the awardees each spoke to the audience of alumni, parents, RSCJ and faculty about their charities. The keynote speaker, Melissa Pritchard, gave a very moving speech about her work for the Daywalka Foundation and how the experience has changed her life in profound ways. Jonny Dorsey gave an emotionally charged speech about his FACE AIDS organization and his work in Africa with refugees. He spoke about his belief that “if every life is truly equal in God’s eyes, then we should really be doing more to help children in African nations ravaged by AIDS, wars and poverty.” Many were touched by his sincerity and by his very personal first-hand stories of the people that he has met in local hospitals and refugee camps in Africa. Sr. Irene Cullen explained the 150 year history of the RSCJ African mission work and her current work at a school in the Kenya/Uganda Province. Her position as the U.S. Director for the Society helps the school with its mission to educate over 500 female students who would be without an education otherwise and therefore marginalized by society. Through Irene’s efforts, <strong>Sacred</strong> <strong>Heart</strong> <strong>Schools</strong> in the U.S. and their alumnae/i are making a difference at our sister school by helping build dormitories, water systems and providing student scholarships. All three speeches inspired everyone and had the whole room talking about how each of us is called to reach out to those less fortunate and to make a difference in our world. As God worked through [Mater] Mary’s life, we are called to follow that example and be the hands and feet of God’s love through our lives. Below are excerpts from the Feast of Mater keynote speech delivered by Melissa Pritchard (SHP ’66): “Today’s Feast of Mater is dedicated to the idea of making a difference, one person at a time, and to the miracle of one person’s actions inspiring and waking up the holy spirit of selflessness in others. One of the first lessons the world tried to teach me was that of humility. As an adolescent, I was extremely shy, and famous persons fascinated me, particularly great artists, saints and those whom history called heroes. What made certain individuals stand out, be called great, whether by talent or by deed Ability, yes, discipline, to be sure, a bit of luck or destiny perhaps, but there were other qualities common to the men and women I most deeply admired. Humility, visionary courage, and an active surrender to something greater than themselves, be it called Yahweh, Christ, Atman, Allah, Buddha, Gaia, Isis, Creation or Great Mystery, some As God worked through [Mater] Mary’s life, we are called to follow that example and be the hands and feet of God’s love through our lives. fiery faith that gave these individuals the courage to act beyond the smaller circumference of their individual lives, the will to listen to the greater voice within them rather than the cautionary voices of those around them. Above all, the humility to know that whatever genius or uncommon goodness might issue from them, arose from what Reverend Mother deLescure called the “Invisible and Essential In All.” Genius, saintliness, heroism – are gifts, in essence, from God. The <strong>Sacred</strong> <strong>Heart</strong> nuns and other faculty who were here at the same time as I, a gawky, bookish, uncourageous but dreamy child, fostered and embodied humility. Within the classrooms and gardens, the chapel, alcoves and library of what was then called the Convent, I not only found my religious faith, I was given room to secretly cherish my ideals and dreams. My spirit, respected and nurtured, stayed alive and questing for truth. I am honored to return today, decades Wi n t e r 2 0 0 8 H e a r t o f t h e M a t t e r 11
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