Without inner peace it is impossible to have world peace.
There must be peace in the heart.
Doc Childe
An International Congregation
Founded by
St Madeleine Sophie Barat
Madeleine Sophie Barat - a woman of courage, vision, passion for God and for justice...
Born in France on the eve of the Revolution, Madeleine Sophie Barat founded the Society of the Sacred Heart in 1800. This community of women developed an educational project which was rooted in France and soon spread internationally. Sophie Barat led this rapidly expanding congregation of women for sixty-three years; by the time of her death the Society numbered 3,359 members.
"Sophie Barat's spiritual insight was born in the midst of years of turmoil and violence, unleashed by the French Revolution. Her initiative was in direct response to the devastation she experienced all around her, particularly in Paris, and from 1800 she committed herself to the restoration and renewal of her broken world. The spiritual energy for such a vast project came from Sophie's insight into the love of God revealed in the Heart of Christ wounded on Calvary. The ultimate range of her vision was the transformation of her world, into a multitude of adorers, in spirit and in truth."
Extract from: Madeleine Sophie Barat - A Life, Phil Kilroy, RSCJ
for further reading: http://www.madeleinesophiebarat.com
The foundation of the Australia-New Zealand Province
Women of Our Past
For Madeleine Sophie Barat, the Society of the Sacred Heart had been born in an inner world and nourished from an inner place. For her the Society was a centre of prayer and inner spiritual work, in a sense quite hidden and veiled, effective in ways not readily perceived. This aspect and dimension would inform and nourish all the Society would do in the wide field of education.
St Madeleine Sophie Barat St Philippine Duchesne Mater Admirabilis Mother Janet Stuart