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Margaret Williams, rscj summarizes this period as one of confirmation. She writes:
"Confirmation"
is a more vibrant word than "Consolidation"; it implies testing, then
placing a seal of authenticity. . . .The years from 1895 to 1914. . .
.were charged with dynamism [for the Society]. Standing firm on the
foundation laid, changing nothing, they aimed with Saint Paul, "to grow
in all ways."
The
times were disturbing after the preceding complacency. Small wars broke
out in the Antilles, in South Africa, in the Near East and in the North
Pacific where Asia had entered the international scene. Then came the
first world war, while the Hague Peace Conference strove for other ways
of righting the world's wrongs. Science was drawing the earth closer
together: the global age was beginning.
.
. . .Freemasonry, with Communism looking over its shoulder confronted
the Church, while the Church confronted Modernism within herself.
Evolution was challenging Revelation.
In
the Society all the traditional structures remained, but when these
felt the shock of a literal displacement during the expulsions from
France a current of new vitality passed through them. Society
statistics remained almost constant, in contrast to the spectacular
increases in the preceding period. . . .3
During
this time the Society became recognized for its strong tradition and
its commitment to and excellence in education particularly under the
leadership of Janet Stuart, rscj, (1857-1914). In the United States, it
was an era of a "big boom" in business as well as the growth of the
first Federations of Labor. Houses were opened in Menlo Park,
California and Seattle, Washington while houses in Chicago and New York
moved because of changes in urban population.
3. Williams,
M. (1978). The Society of the Sacred Heart: History of a
Spirit--1800-1975. London, Darton, Longman & Todd, pp. 141-142 .
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Mission Statement of the Society of the
Sacred Heart of Jesus,
United States Province
The
Society of the Sacred Heart of Jesus is an international community of
women in the Catholic Church, founded in 1800 by St. Madeleine Sophie
Barat. Sharing her vision and mission, we are convinced of the
centrality of prayer and contemplation in our lives. We are committed
to discover, live and announce God’s love through the service of
education for transformation, in diverse ministries, particularly
addressing the needs of children, young people, women and those in
society who are marginalized.
What the Mission Entails
The love of Christ impels us:
- to work for justice and reconciliation, especially in the face of racism, sexism and violence of every kind;
- to join the struggle of the poor for the resources and conditions essential for human well-being;
- to build community;
- to be challenged and broadened by other cultures;
- to live in interdependence with others and with all of creation.
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