Sister Lyn Osiek, RSCJ, returns to discuss Southward Ho! The Society of the Sacred Heart Enters "Lands of the Spanish Seas" by Sister Marie Louise Martinez, RSCJ, with the collaboration of many other RSCJ. The account of the growth and expansion of the Society and Sacred Heart education into Cuba and the Caribbean, this is the story of Mothers Anna du Rousier, Aloysia Hardey, Maria Stanislas Tommasini, and others who "received the fire from Philippine and with it enkindled the hearts of many."

Sister Osiek, RSCJ, is the Archivist of the Society of the Sacred Heart, United States Province. In addition, at present, she is a member of the Boards of Trustees at Duchesne Academy (Houston), The Academy of the Sacred Heart (Saint Charles), and the University of San Diego.

Sister Osiek recently retired as the Charles Fischer Catholic Professor of New Testament at Brite Divinity School at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas. Previously, she served for 26 years as Professor of New Testament at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, Illinois. She holds a doctorate in New Testament and Christian Origins from Harvard University and is a past president of the Catholic Biblical Association and the Society of Biblical Literature. She is author or editor of twelve books on New Testament and Early Church topics.

She attended elementary and high school at the Academy of the Sacred Heart in Saint Charles and entered the Society in 1962. She has taught at the Sacred Heart Schools at Grand Coteau, Louisiana, Newton Academy (Boston), and Villa Duchesne. In addition, Sister Osiek has served on the board of trustees at the Sacred Heart Schools at Sheridan Road (Chicago), the Josephinum (Chicago), Barat College (Lake Forest, Illinois), and Maryville University, and she has visited and lectured at Sacred Heart Schools in Taipei, Seoul, Sidney, Brisbane, and Melbourne. In the summer of 2008, she was an elected delegate to the General Chapter of the Society of the Sacred Heart in Lima, Peru.  

Copies of her book will be available for purchase at the talk.

Friday, March 2, 2012: Saint John Francis Regis, SJ

Jane Cannon presents on Saint John Francis Regis (1597-1640). He was a French Jesuit of great missionary zeal, devotion to the poor, and evangelical renown. Because he had been so recently canonized (1737) at the time of Saint Philippine's early life, and because the stories of his ceaseless efforts on behalf of the poor were so fresh in the minds of people near her home, Saint Philippine was inspired by and devoted to John Francis Regis as the patron of her own missionary aspirations. Sacred Heart alumna, past parent, and writer, Jane Cannon is the Director of Alumni at the Academy of the Sacred Heart in Saint Charles where she has served in a variety of positions for the last 39 years.

The Sacred Heart Spirituality Speakers Series is sponsored by the Mums of Alums at Villa Duchesne and Oak Hill School for the benefit of the entire Sacred Heart family. This series represents the Mums' effort to participate in the stewardship of the vision of Saint Madeleine Sophie - a second sowing of the Sacred Heart mission by parents who gave to their children the gift of Sacred Heart education and who continue to cherish Life at the Sacred Heart. All are most cordially invited to attend.

For information, please contact Cathie Ott at 314.727.3342 or at cathieott365@att.net.