Winter 2008 - Sacred Heart Schools

Spirit of Mater Awards
I
n October, Sacred Heart alumni were invited back to
campus to celebrate a special Feast of Mater. The theme of
the day incorporated the Sacred Heart 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, Sacred
Heart Schools 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 Sacred Heart 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