Winter 2008 - Sacred Heart Schools
Winter 2008 - Sacred Heart Schools Winter 2008 - Sacred Heart Schools
Faculty and staff follow in the footsteps of St. Madeleine Sophie by Connie Solari, SHP Faculty Almost three years ago, seventeen Sacred Heart educators gathered in a classroom in the SHS Main Building for an ad-hoc protest rally. Our concern: the proposed rewording, at the national level, of the criteria portion of the Goals and Criteria of Sacred Heart Education. It was the kind of moment that spawns exhausted clichés like “every cloud has a silver lining” or “it’s always darkest before the dawn.” But in truth, that moment-- when many of us felt that the language guaranteeing our ability to deliver an authentic Sacred Heart education was in danger of slipping away--gave birth to a group that now numbers almost 130 adults on our campus. This group is the ESCJs, or Educators of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, a spin on the term RSCJ, Religieuse du Sacre Coeur de Jesus. The RSCJ are the society of religious who founded our schools over 200 years ago in France, under the charismatic leadership of St. Madeleine Sophie Barat. “In fact, the future of Sacred Heart education rests with the adults connected with its schools.” It took only one email to attract seventeen people to the first meeting. And at the end of that meeting, we realized that something rather magical had happened: a collective recognition of the depth and strength of each person’s personal commitment to the philosophy of Sacred Heart education. The following week, we met at Oakwood with other faculty and staff members, the Director of Schools, and several RSCJs who were interested in “the movement.” By the end of the year, our concerns about the modifications to the Goals and Criteria—echoed by others in the Network—were heard, and the wording was readjusted to safeguard the mission. Since then, the ESCJ group has grown to include teachers and staff from every school and department on campus. Our mission statement is “to affirm our school As part of their trip, the ESCJs visited St. Thibault Church in Joigny, St. Madeleine Sophie’s parish church and where she was baptized. community in its adherence to the mission of Sacred Heart education, and to help us to learn more about the charism and heritage of the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.” From the very beginning, we have worked closely with RSCJs locally, nationally, and internationally to enhance our understanding of the spiritual and historical foundations of a Sacred Heart education. Several RSCJs have come to Atherton to speak to us on Sacred Heart spirituality. ESCJs participated in an RSCJ-led retreat in May of 2006. Seventeen ESCJs traveled to Joigny, France (the birthplace of St. Madeleine Sophie) for a retreat during Easter Week of 2007; participants also traveled to Amiens, site of the first school, and Paris, where vestiges of our history remain. Members receive periodic distributions of prayers, poems, letters, speeches, and other readings designed to enhance their understanding and provoke reflection and meditation. Small groups have traveled to Stanford, Burlingame, and San Francisco for programs connected to RSCJ spirituality. RSCJs and ESCJs have gathered during Advent and Lent for informal soup suppers marking these liturgical seasons. ESCJs have been key organizers of the last three January Faculty and Staff Retreats, and they provide monthly seminars on various topics of interest to the nuns at Oakwood. 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
Even in her lifetime, St. Madeleine Sophie recognized the need to adjust with the times in order to keep the Society and its schools alive. She had a remarkable ability to adapt and to withstand social revolutions in France, power struggles within the Catholic church, and the exponential expansion of Sacred Heart schools over the course of her 65-year leadership. Dwindling numbers of Religious in the schools today means that we must adapt once again. In fact, the future of Sacred Heart education rests with the adults connected with its schools. The Network of Sacred Heart Schools in the United States has responded to this situation with the recent creation of the Network Formation to Mission Committee, a small group of adults (lay and religious) from all over the U.S. who are working in every Sacred Heart school to catalogue and make accessible resources, share best “Sacred Heart” practice, and gather adults together in ways that will ensure the Schools’ future. As a member of this Board, it has been my great pleasure to witness what happened (and what contines to happen!) on our campus. For more information about the group, visit the ESCJ website at www.shschools.org. One stop on the April 2007 trip was to St. Madeleine Sophie’s house which is located in Joigny, France. Connecting with Other Generations The 3rd Annual Sacred Heart Schools Grandparents/Special Person Day was held on Conway Court on September 23, 2007. Over 260 family members spanning over three generations attended, many of whom are SHS alums. Many family members participated in the celebration of the Mass in the Campbell Center for the Performing Arts including Laura Pitchford (SJSH ’73, SHP ’77) and her son Rooney (SHP ’11), as well as the Hinson family: Louis and Daisy Pang, Laurie Lamb (SJSH ’75, SHP ’79), and Mary (SJSH ’72, SHP ’76) Jim, Ally (SJSH ’11), and Nicholas Hinson (SJSH ’13), who read the Petitions. The Offertory gifts were presented by Anne and Bernie Cotter, Greg Cattermole (SJSH ’70) and his son Mikey (SHP ’09). A buffet brunch was served on Conway Court after Mass. This event is a great opportunity for the students to share their school and our beautiful campus with their grandparents and special guests, many of whom are from out of town. Next year’s Grandparents’ Day will be during Thanksgiving week: Monday, November 24, 2008 for students at St. Joseph’s and Tuesday, November 25, 2008 for students at Sacred Heart Prep so be sure to mark your calendar! Claire Duesdieker (SJSH ’07, SHP ’11) enjoying brunch with her grandmother Barbara Braunreiter (Lone Mountain ’49). Hunter Horsley (SHP ’09) is pictured with his grandparents Paul and Fornia Horsley. Mary Pang Hinson (SJSH ’72, SHP ’76) with three generations of her Sacred Heart family: (left to right) Louis Pang, Mary with her son Nick (SJSH 2013) and daughter Allyson (SJSH 2011), Daisy Pang, and Laurie Lamb (SJSH ’75) with her baby daughter Malia. w 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
- Page 1 and 2: Published for alumni, families and
- Page 3 and 4: Contents Heart of the Matter Winter
- Page 5: Seniors Inducted into the Sacred He
- Page 9 and 10: attended a diversity conference wit
- Page 11 and 12: g r a d u a t e s o n l y t w o sen
- Page 13 and 14: Spirit of Mater Awards I n October,
- Page 15 and 16: had no idea how to begin. One eveni
- Page 17 and 18: Sacred Heart college girls relaxing
- Page 19 and 20: “Because we had many of the same
- Page 21 and 22: Seniors Jade Fields, Shannon Hamilt
- Page 23 and 24: Class of 1977 reunion photo. 1970s
- Page 25 and 26: The Changing Face of the Alumni Boa
- Page 27 and 28: Sean Day (SHP ’97) is currently a
- Page 29 and 30: Karla Gurley (SHP ’00) in South A
- Page 31 and 32: Dan Brady (SHP ’04) will graduate
- Page 33 and 34: 1 2 3 1 4 5 6 Young Alums gather ov
- Page 35 and 36: Stella Dyer is remembered for her l
Even in her lifetime, St. Madeleine<br />
Sophie recognized the need to adjust<br />
with the times in order to keep the<br />
Society and its schools alive. She had<br />
a remarkable ability to adapt and to<br />
withstand social revolutions in France,<br />
power struggles within the Catholic<br />
church, and the exponential expansion<br />
of <strong>Sacred</strong> <strong>Heart</strong> schools over the course<br />
of her 65-year leadership.<br />
Dwindling numbers of Religious in<br />
the schools today means that we must<br />
adapt once again. In fact, the future<br />
of <strong>Sacred</strong> <strong>Heart</strong> education rests with<br />
the adults connected with its schools.<br />
The Network of <strong>Sacred</strong> <strong>Heart</strong> <strong>Schools</strong><br />
in the United States has responded to<br />
this situation with the recent creation<br />
of the Network Formation to Mission<br />
Committee, a small group of adults<br />
(lay and religious) from all over the<br />
U.S. who are working in every <strong>Sacred</strong><br />
<strong>Heart</strong> school to catalogue and make<br />
accessible resources, share best “<strong>Sacred</strong><br />
<strong>Heart</strong>” practice, and gather adults<br />
together in ways that will ensure the<br />
<strong>Schools</strong>’ future.<br />
As a member of this Board, it has<br />
been my great pleasure to witness<br />
what happened (and what contines to<br />
happen!) on our campus.<br />
For more information about the group, visit<br />
the ESCJ website at www.shschools.org.<br />
One stop on the April 2007 trip was to St.<br />
Madeleine Sophie’s house which is located<br />
in Joigny, France.<br />
Connecting with<br />
Other Generations<br />
The 3rd Annual <strong>Sacred</strong> <strong>Heart</strong> <strong>Schools</strong><br />
Grandparents/Special Person Day was<br />
held on Conway Court on September<br />
23, 2007. Over 260 family members<br />
spanning over three generations attended,<br />
many of whom are SHS alums. Many<br />
family members participated in the<br />
celebration of the Mass in the Campbell Center for the<br />
Performing Arts including Laura Pitchford (SJSH ’73,<br />
SHP ’77) and her son Rooney (SHP ’11), as well as the<br />
Hinson family: Louis and Daisy Pang, Laurie Lamb<br />
(SJSH ’75, SHP ’79), and Mary (SJSH ’72, SHP ’76)<br />
Jim, Ally (SJSH ’11), and Nicholas Hinson (SJSH ’13),<br />
who read the Petitions. The Offertory gifts were presented<br />
by Anne and Bernie Cotter, Greg Cattermole (SJSH ’70)<br />
and his son Mikey (SHP ’09). A buffet brunch was served<br />
on Conway Court after Mass.<br />
This event is a great opportunity for the students to<br />
share their school and our beautiful campus with their<br />
grandparents and special guests, many of whom are<br />
from out of town. Next year’s Grandparents’ Day will<br />
be during Thanksgiving week: Monday, November 24,<br />
<strong>2008</strong> for students at St. Joseph’s and Tuesday, November<br />
25, <strong>2008</strong> for students at <strong>Sacred</strong> <strong>Heart</strong> Prep so be sure to<br />
mark your calendar!<br />
Claire Duesdieker (SJSH ’07, SHP ’11)<br />
enjoying brunch with her grandmother<br />
Barbara Braunreiter (Lone<br />
Mountain ’49).<br />
Hunter Horsley (SHP ’09) is pictured with his<br />
grandparents Paul and Fornia Horsley.<br />
Mary Pang Hinson (SJSH ’72, SHP ’76) with three generations of her<br />
<strong>Sacred</strong> <strong>Heart</strong> family: (left to right) Louis Pang, Mary with her son Nick<br />
(SJSH 2013) and daughter Allyson (SJSH 2011), Daisy Pang, and Laurie<br />
Lamb (SJSH ’75) with her baby daughter Malia.<br />
w<br />
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
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