On May 24, 1925, Pope Pius XI declared Madeleine Sophie Barat a saint of the Roman Catholic Church. To commemorate the hundred-year anniversary of her canonization, RSCJ around the Society are planning conferences, celebrations, and more. Information about events as well as resources regarding centennial celebrations will be posted here as they become available.
Celebrations around the Society
Argentina
On Sunday, May 25 at 12:00 pm ART (Argentina Time), a Eucharistic celebration was held at the Instituto Sagrado Corazón in Almagro, Buenos Aires, Argentina, followed by the 20th anniversary of the Sacred Heart Choir and the reopening of the chapel organ and bell tower.
Australia and New Zealand
In Australia and New Zealand, a Mass was held on May 24 at 2 pm (AEST – Australian Eastern Standard Time) at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart in Randwick, New South Wales, Australia.
Belgium, France, Netherlands, and Egypt
- On March 25 at 1 pm CET (Rome time), an international conference on “Madeleine Sophie Barat, inspiring us to meet the challenges of our time” was held online for sisters, friends and mission partners from around the world, with translation into English, Spanish, French, Arabic, Italian and Polish. To learn more, click here (in French): March 25 Conference.
- From May 17-25, BFN held an online prayer Novena for the Feast of Saint Madeleine Sophie. More information is available in this flyer: Online Prayer Novena
- As of May 23, 2025, the Network of Establishments of the Sacred Heart of Jesus became the Sophie Barat Education Network, an updated and redesigned educational project to better serve the comprehensive education and development of each young person. More information
- On Saturday, May 24 at 3:30 pm CET, a Eucharistic celebration was held at the church of St. Thibault in Joigny, followed by a shared meal at the Sophie Barat Center. More information (in French)
- On Saturday, May 24 at 3:30 pm CET, a conference was held, followed by a Eucharistic celebration at the Trinità dei Monti in Rome, Italy. More information
- On Sunday, May 25 at 12 pm CET, a Eucharistic celebration was held in the Chapel of the Villa Lante in Rome. See the photo gallery
- To prepare for the Feast of the Sacred Heart on June 27th, a Novena to the Sacred Heart with Madeleine Sophie was held from June 19-27. More information
- On June 27 at 6:45 pm, the Feast of the Sacred Heart was celebrated with a Mass in the Church of Saint François Xavier in Paris, France. Download the program
- International webinar on Saturday, October 18th, 2025: Julien Béchard, archivist and professor/researcher, presented a conference on the spirituality of the Sacred Heart of Madeleine Sophie. It was followed by testimonies from two sisters of the Sacred Heart in Spain and Asia on how they live out the spirituality of the Sacred Heart inherited from Madeleine Sophie in their missions. Watch the video
- On December 12 at 11 am EET (Egyptian Standard Time), a Eucharistic celebration will be held in Cairo, Egypt to commemorate the closing of the centenary year.
Democratic Republic of Congo and Chad
The Province of RDC-TCH celebrated the centenary of Madeleine Sophie’s canonization and commemorated the jubilees of six sisters in the province.the Province of RDC-TCH celebrated the centenary of Madeleine Sophie’s canonization and commemorated the jubilees of six sisters in the province on July 5, 2025.
India
A three-day program and two-day outing was held for the ongoing formation of nineteen RSCJ in Torpa, India, from May 14 – 18, 2025.
Pragnalaya, an elder care community in the Province of India, celebrated the centenary with the communities (priests and sisters) on and near the campus, about forty from seven communities.
Italy
ITA held a series of online meetings (in Italian) during the month of May so that people could learn more about Madeleine Sophie Barat:
- Friday, May 9 from 4:30 pm to 6:00 pm – Madeleine Sophie: Woman, mystic, educator, prophet
Download the program and link - Friday, May 16 from 4:30 pm to 6:00 pm – Madeleine Sophie and women today
Download the program and link - Friday, May 23 from 4:30 pm to 6:00 pm – Sophie’s educational charism today
Download the program and link - Friday, May 30 from 4:30 pm to 6:00 pm – Madeleine Sophie, the Heart of Christ and the Church
Download the program
On November 22, 2025, the Province presented: Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat (1779-1865): “Beyond the Walls,” Women in the Church at the Dawn of the 19th Century at the Villa Lante. Learn more
Japan
The Japan Province held a Eucharistic celebration at 1:00 pm and a tea party at 2:30 pm JST (Japan Standard Time) on Sunday, May 25, 2025, at the Sacred Heart Shibuya Campus Chapel, College Cafeteria B. Participants included RSCJs, students from sister schools, JASH representatives, and others.
KOC
KOC Province held a preparatory prayer journey by providing a prayer dedicated to Sophie. The goal is to invite us to “grow closer to Madeleine Sophie and to live the call for conversion and transformation in order to carry out our mission of responding to the needs of our time.” From March to June, prayer materials and reflection questions were shared with KOC members for praying together on monthly recollection day.
In addition, the province offered special lectures on “Madeleine Sophie Barat / A Life ” and “The Gift of Sophie” in May and June. And on Sunday, May 25, 2025, they invited associates and mission partners to a Mass celebration and refreshments.
Malta
On February 12, the Area of Malta communities and associates began one hundred days of prayer, to prepare for the celebration that was held on Friday, May 23, 2025. The intentions of these days of prayer were for the General Council, the eight new provinces, the novices, the probanists, and vocations.
Philippines
The District of the Philippines held a Eucharistic celebration in Montalban on May 25, 2025, the Feast of St. Madeleine Sophie Barat, to celebrate the centennial of her canonization.
Poland
The Province of Poland has been celebrating the 100th anniversary of the canonization of St. Madeleine Sophie Barat both virtually (with dedicated posts on their social media channels) and by holding events in their communities.
- On May 18 at 12:30 p.m. in St. Sophie Barat parish in Warsaw, there was a Eucharistic celebration with the solemn consecration of the parish to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, followed by a picnic.
- Every Friday (March 21-May 16) at 6:30 p.m. in St. Sophie Barat parish in Warsaw, there was a Novena led by RSCJ, the adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, and reflections from Pope Francis’s encyclical “Dilexit Nos”.
In addition, there have been solemn Masses and lectures on St. Madeleine Sophie in the cities of Gdynia, Poznan, Marki, Tarnow, and Zakopane.
United States and Canada
On May 1-25, USC published Celebrating Sophie: 100 years of Sainthood, a series of short videos with reflections from community members (RSCJ, associates, educators, students, alumnae, staff).
Vietnam
On May 30, 2025, the Vietnam Community celebrated with the Bishop of Ho Chi Minh Diocese and other priests.
Resources
Resources from around the Society can be downloaded below. Additional resources will be published here as they become available.
USC Archives’ Virtual Exhibit
There are many items from Madeleine Sophie’s canonization held in the Society of the Sacred Heart United States–Canada Province archives, which they have shared online.
Reflection Guide from UGK
Reflection Video from KOC
India
- Mudita Sodder has written a reflection about Madeleine Sophie and her legacy. Read the reflection
- Mary Varghese rscj of the Province of India has written a booklet, With Sophie in Patna Bihar: Celebrating Sophie’s 100 Years of Canonisation, presenting the work of the Sophie Centre for Continuing Education, which helps underprivileged children in Patna, State of Bihar, North India.
Generalate / Mother House
To commemorate the centennial of the canonization of Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat, our Superior General, Claire Castaing, has prepared this video message for the entire Society.
- Claire Castaing, our Superior General, has written this letter for the feast of Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat on May 25 and the centenary of her canonization on May 24, 1925. Read the letter
- RSCJ International has published an interactive timeline on the different phases of Madeleine Sophie’s life, on the early history of the Society, and on Madeleine Sophie’s enduring legacy. The timeline was created with the help of Phil Kilroy rscj and the General Archives. It is available in the three languages and features links to many other resources.
The Mother House and General Archives have produced a graphic novel to commemorate the canonization of Madeleine Sophie: Sophie, the Child of Fire. You can see a short video about it here, in Italian with captions in English, French and Spanish.
Resources from BFN (in French)
Universal Prayer
Prayer
Flyer
Booklet on the life of Madeleine Sophie Barat
Book published in Argentina (in Spanish)
Mary Kubli rscj has just published a book, Sofía Barat en imágenes (Sophie Barat in images), to commemorate the centennial of Madeleine Sophie Barat’s canonization.
Section |International News|Society Celebrations: Centennial of the Canonisation of Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat
Province |Argentina/Uruguay|Australia/New Zealand|Belgium/France/Netherlands|Egypt|India|Italy|Japan|Korea/Chinese|Malta|Mother House|Philippines|Poland|Uganda/Kenya|United States and Canada|Vietnam
Tags |Madeleine Sophie Barat
