Term begins in August 2005

Kathleen Conan rscj

Kathleen Conan rscj, has been named provincial of the United States Province, succeeding Kathleen Hughes rscj, who has served as provincial since 1999.

Sister Conan, presently of Chicago, was appointed by the General Council of the Society of the Sacred Heart in Rome, based on extensive consultation with members of the U.S. Province.

She will assume her new position in August, 2005, and serve a three-year term, renewable for a second term.

Sister Conan said, “I look forward to continuing the direction taken by Sister Hughes and the current provincial team and to calling on the gifts and vision of all the members of the province, as well as those of our lay colleagues, as we go forward in carrying out our mission of bringing God's love to the very challenging world of the 21st century.”

Since 1991, Sister Conan has served the U.S. Province in a variety of roles related to formation for new members. She served on the Society's international formation team in Rome from 1996 to 2001. On her return to the United States, she was appointed director of formation for the U.S. Province, the position she presently holds.

Previously, she served for ten years as headmistress of Convent of the Sacred Heart, a school founded by the Society in Greenwich, Connecticut.

Sister Conan has chaired the Society's elder care task force since 2004. She has served on several provincial committees and was a delegate to the Society's General Chapter in 2000.

Sister Hughes said Sister Conan is well-qualified to serve as provincial. “She brings an extraordinary background to the ministry of provincial government in the Society and to the particular challenges she will face.” In several key areas, she will carry out work begun during the present administration, Sister Hughes said, including “making difficult decisions about retirement and care for elderly sisters, continuing efforts to bring financial stability to the province, and strengthening a recently-begun mission advancement effort, which includes the work of vocations and development.

“In addition, she will continue a province-wide planning effort begun more than two years ago to strengthen the Society's mission and ministries in the United States.

“She will also be dealing with the challenges that face most other religious orders in the western world: declining numbers, the need to attract new candidates, and attention to formation to mission for lay colleagues and collaborators who share our desire to keep the Society's mission alive.”

The U.S. Province has about 430 members. Internationally, the Society has approximately 3,500 members in 45 countries.