What a marvelous celebration of St. Madeleine Sophie Barat we have had this week!
On Tuesday and Wednesday, her story was theatrically retold by our Sixth Class students to our Third through Eighth Class students. This morning we continued to celebrate our dear St. Madeleine Sophie in Eucharist, prayer and song.
In the Sixth Class’ touching and endearing dramatic presentation, we were reminded that Sophie:
· was born and brought up in a rural wine-growing area of France during the time of the French Revolution
· was a loving and intelligent little girl
· was given the gift of an extraordinary education because of her older brother Louis
· had a deep attraction to God
· moved to Paris to continue to grow in her life of study and prayer
· eventually used her education, her intellect and her deep inner life with God to form and shape, as foundation stone and First Superior General, the Society of the Sacred Heart
After 65 years of stewarding the growth of the Society of the Sacred Heart (which during her life grew to 3,539 religious in 99 communities in Europe, the Americas and Africa), she passed from life into Eternal Life, fully embraced by Love’s Very Self in 1865. Her holy life was recognized by the Church to be so exemplary that she was canonized as an official Saint in 1925.
We honor her today in our all-school liturgy, but we also honor her in our Mission Day efforts. As the children raise money for those in need, this holy woman, who spent her life trying to address the needs of her day, is being remembered by example.
Saint Madeleine Sophie, we hope and pray that through our lives, through our attention to our study, through our attention to our inner lives and through our courageous act of goodness and kindness in our relationships, may we always try to be like you who always tried to reflect the Mind and Heart of Christ. Amen!
In union in our collective efforts to raise the hearts and minds of our children to God,
—Maureen Glavin, rscj
