Sister Kathleen Conan
Sister Kathleen Conan CNS photo/Jerry Naunheim Jr.

Society of the Sacred Heart unifies Canadian, U.S. provinces

By  Catholic News Service
  • July 12, 2013

ST. LOUIS - The Society of the Sacred Heart, an international congregation of women religious, has unified its provinces in Canada and the United States to form the Province of the United States-Canada.
Its headquarters will be based in St. Louis. The change became effective July 8.

After three years of evaluation and planning, members of the two provinces decided that coming together was the best decision for the future of the congregation and will allow for more efficient use of resources for the sisters' mission. The plan for the creation and governance of the new province was approved by the sisters' general council in April. A transition period will last until 2015.

There are currently 330 members — 308 in the United States and 22 in Canada — in the newly formed province.

"A province does not 'become' a province only on the day it officially begins," Sr. Kathleen Conan, superior general, said in a statement. "We look forward to how we grow into that reality, live the vision, adapt it where needed and continue to let it be created by the Spirit and by the hearts and hopes of those on the journey."

Sr. Barbara Dawson, who has been provincial for the Society of the Sacred Heart's U.S. province since August, will continue in that role in the new province. The leadership team includes Srs. Margaret Causey, Sheila Hammond, Diana Wall and Anne-Marie Conn, who lives in Canada and will be the liaison between the provincial council and Canadian sisters.

Conan said, "My hope for our new province would be to become 'one branch on the vine,' born from the risk that St. Rose Philippine Duchesne took when she sailed for North America. I look forward to living creative new ways of revealing the love of the heart of Christ in our two countries."

The Sacred Heart Schools in Canada — one in Halifax and one in Montreal — will become part of the Network of Sacred Heart Schools. In recent years, Canadian and U.S. novices have shared the same formation experience.

The Society of the Sacred Heart was founded in France in 1800 by St. Madeleine Sophie Barat and brought to the United States by St. Rose Philippine Duchesne in 1818. St. Rose first settled in St. Louis and St. Charles, where she founded the Academy of the Sacred Heart. There currently are 28 sisters in the St. Louis area, many of whom serve in provincial administration.

Worldwide, there are nearly 2,300 professed members in 41 countries. Members 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.

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