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
Australia and New Zealand
In Australia and New Zealand, a Mass will be 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” will be 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 and take part in the conference, click here (in French): March 25 Conference.
- From May 17-25, BFN will hold an online prayer Novena for the Feast of Saint Madeleine Sophie. Register for the novena at https://hozana.org/community/12509-neuvaine-a-sainte-madeleine-sophie-barat
More information is available in this flyer: Online Prayer Novena - On Saturday, May 24 at 3:30 pm CET, a Eucharistic celebration will be 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 will be held, followed by a Eucharistic celebration at the Trinità dei Monti in Rome, Italy. Download the program
- On Sunday, May 25 at 12 pm CET, a Eucharistic celebration will be held in the Chapel of the Villa Lante in Rome. Download the program
- On June 27 at 6:45 pm, the Feast of the Sacred Heart will be celebrated with a Mass in the Church of Saint François Xavier in Paris, France. Download the program
- 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.
India
A three-day program and two-day outing will be held for the ongoing formation of nineteen RSCJ in Torpa, India, from May 14 – 18, 2025.
Italy
ITA will hold a series of online meetings (in Italian) during the month of May so that people can learn more about Madeleine Sophie Barat:
- Saturday, May 9 from 4:30 pm to 6:00 pm – Madeleine Sophie: Woman, mystic, educator, prophet
Download the program and link - Saturday, May 16 from 4:30 pm to 6:00 pm – Madeleine Sophie and women today
Download the program and link - Saturday, May 23 from 4:30 pm to 6:00 pm – Sophie’s educational charism today
Download the program and link - Saturday, May 30 from 4:30 pm to 6:00 pm – Madeleine Sophie, the Heart of Christ and the Church
Download the program
Japan
The Japan Province will hold 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 will include RSCJs, students from sister schools, JASH representatives, and others.
KOC
KOC Province has begun 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.” To this end, from March to June, prayer materials and reflection questions will be shared with KOC members for praying together on monthly recollection day.
In addition, the province will offer special lectures on “Madeleine Sophie Barat / A Life ” and “The Gift of Sophie” in May and June. And on Sunday, May 25, 2025, they will invite 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 will be held on Friday, May 23, 2025. The intentions of these days of prayer are for the General Council, the eight new provinces, the novices, the probanists, and vocations.
Philippines
The District of the Philippines will hold 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 is 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 will be 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 will be a Novena led by RSCJ, the adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, and reflections from Pope Francis’s encyclical “Dilexit Nos”.
In addition, there will be solemn Masses and lectures on St. Madeleine Sophie in the cities of Gdynia, Poznan, Marki, Tarnow, and Zakopane.
United States and Canada
For May 1-25, USC has 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 will celebrate 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.
Reflection Guide from UGK
Reflection Video from KOC
Booklet from India
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.
Resources from BFN (in French)
Universal Prayer
Prayer
Flyer
Booklet on the life of Madeleine Sophie Barat
Section |International News|Society Celebrations: Centennial of the Canonisation of Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat
Province |Australia/New Zealand|Belgium/France/Netherlands|Egypt|Italy|Japan|Korea/Chinese|Malta|Mother House|Philippines|United States and Canada
Tags |Madeleine Sophie Barat
