Mission
Educational Philosophy
Education Awakens Human Dignity
The philosophy of Sacred Heart education is framed by the assumption that education is transformational because students and educators are engaged in learning for the purpose of coming to self-understanding as those loved by God. Such self-understanding is not possible without intentional formation in critical thinking. Committed to educating to a deep respect for intellectual values, Schools of the Sacred Heart develop curricular and student life programs based on educational research and on-going evaluation. The intention is to inspire students both with a life-time long love of learning and a sense of hope.
International Meeting of Heads of Sacred Heart Schools, October 2015
In October, 2015 heads of Sacred Heart schools from across the world explained that education has three essential dimensions:
- the mystical dimension that leads us to seek the depths of the mystery and interiority, to give depth and meaning to life;
- the ethical dimension that leads us to recognize the sacredness in others and seek to be the face of God's mercy in the world;
- and the ecological dimension that leads us to recognize the sanctity of the earth and the fostering of living simply.
V International Heads of School Conference, Mexico, 2015
"We want to encourage them in their path forward towards humanization. We hope to create cultures in our institutions in which interiority may be developed simultaneously with critical thinking, compassion and faith. We are committed to educating to astonishment so that young people may encounter Mystery. In this moment and experience, we sense that the young will come to see themselves as God does-fully alive imbued with Christ’s Spirit. We know young people are endowed by grace. We have complete confidence in their capacity to be inspired agents of transformation."
Related Links
Schools of the Sacred Heart share in the educational mission of the Society of the Sacred Heart as articulated in the Goals and Criteria. The structure supporting Sacred Heart education in Canada and the United States includes the Conference of Sacred Heart Education and the Network of Sacred Heart Schools. Together they provide services and programs to ensure vitality of mission for the member schools sponsored by the Society of the Sacred Heart.