Translated and republished with permission from RSCJ Spain: https://www.rscj.es/educacion-en-el-sagrado-corazon-noellina-namusisi-rscj/
General Councilor Noellina Namusisi rscj talks about the Sacred Heart educational mission and what makes it unique.
When we speak of Sacred Heart education, our point of reference is Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat. Her well-known quote: “For the sake of a single girl, I would have founded the Society,” highlights her deep commitment to the dignity and formation of each person, which remains at the heart of Sacred Heart education.
We recognize that her goal was to form the person in an intelligent faith, compassionate action, and courageous hope that spring from the Heart of Jesus.
The educational mission must be seen as something deeply rooted in tradition and, at the same time, constantly evolving to respond to today’s global challenges. At its core, it continues to reflect the vision of Madeleine Sophie Barat: she emphasized a holistic education centered on love, the formation of the whole person(mind, will, and spirit), and intellectual development. Her approach, centered on the education of the heart, prioritized gentle guidance, respect for the child, and the union of virtue with learning.
Education is not simply about imparting knowledge, but about “forming hearts” and preparing people to act in the world with “intelligence and charity.” Sofía emphasized this as follows: “Your example, even more than your words, will be an eloquent lesson for the world.”
This reflects her conviction that education is not limited to instruction, but consists of living out values and inspiring others through one’s own actions.
As educators of the Sacred Heart, we recognize ourselves as heirs to an educational legacy—a vision and a spirit that have been strengthened and evolved over time—motivating us to fulfill our mission of educating, with the goal of contributing to a more just, reconciled, and peaceful world.
What kind of education do we want? Today we want an education that values the dignity of the person, that seeks to awaken their relational, intellectual, and critical thinking abilities. One that promotes a sense of justice and human-Christian values, and that fosters responsibility, hard work, and commitment to collaborate in transforming reality.
This means that our education starts from reality in order to respond to it. In every context, we must be aware of what needs to be “repaired.” What fundamental values are we losing? What has been broken? On what foundations can we rebuild? It stems from the experience of a God who is not only love, but also an incarnate God—a God who is present and whom we can touch, whom we recognize in daily life, and whose presence we acknowledge and discern in events.
We are called to focus on transmitting values that are profoundly human and Christian in both their identity and practice. Our institutions must have the capacity to discern values, to evaluate and accept or reject what current reality imposes on us.We need to collaborate with teams of educators capable of revitalizing values and offering an alternative to individualism, competitiveness, lack of solidarity, and materialism. And we must do so by teaching people to think and to listen to their own conscience.
Education is inherent in the process of humanization and, therefore, lies at the heart of our mission to discover and reveal the love of the Heart of Jesus.
It is the process of seeking truth and understanding humanity. By fostering learning through experience, encouragement, and mutual discovery, we engage all members of the community in processes that are intrinsically relational, dynamic, dialogical, and reciprocal. Ultimately, every person who receives our education is led to growth, confidence, and hope.
Finally, I echo the words of Pope Leo, who urges all educational institutions to usher in a new era that touches the hearts of the younger generations, bringing together knowledge and meaning, competence and responsibility, faith and life. In essence, education empowers and unleashes human potential. When we educate with intention, empathy, and vision, we transform lives. And that is a responsibility worth striving for every day.
Section |International News
Province |Mother House|Province of Africa|Spain|Uganda/Kenya
