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Press Kit To learn more about the Society of the Holy Child Jesus, download our press kit or review the questions below. You can also download information on:
What is the Society of the Holy Child Jesus? The Society of the Holy Child Jesus (SHCJ) is an international community of Roman Catholic Sisters founded by Cornelia Connelly. The Society is composed of three provinces (American, African, European). In addition to the United States, the American Province includes Chile and the Dominican Republic. What is the Society’s mission? As Sisters of the Holy Child, we strive to “help others to believe that God lives and acts in them and in our world, and to rejoice in God’s presence.” Who was Cornelia Connelly? Cornelia Connelly was a wife and mother who transformed unimaginable personal heartache into an unwavering mission to establish a religious congregation that could “meet the wants of the age.” Cornelia’s calling and steadfast faith inspired this Philadelphia native to found the Society of the Holy Child Jesus in England. Her focus from the outset involved educating young girls. She later ran boarding schools and began a teacher training college. For more information on the Society’s Foundress, click here. Why is Cornelia Connelly’s work still relevant to the Sisters of the Holy Child today? The Holy Child Sisters continue Cornelia’s legacy, while seeking to help people find a better life through education, social work, health care, legal work, pastoral care and administration, and spiritual direction. Cornelia’s philosophy of “meeting the wants of the age” through “actions not words” is widely praised for its vision. It is because of Cornelia’s successful early foundations that the SHCJ is able to commemorate her 200th birthday—and the achievements of the Society during its more than 160-year history—as part of a yearlong Bicentennial Celebration. What events are planned during the Society’s Bicentennial? The yearlong celebration began with an Opening Mass on October 12 at St. Agatha–St. James Church in Philadelphia, followed by a reception at the Hall of Flags on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania. An Opening Mass followed in Rome on October 27. A variety of service projects will be ongoing throughout the year. An October 11, 2009 prayer service will cap the festivities. See Bicentennial Events for a complete events listing or click here. What do the Sisters of the Holy Child do? Since the Society’s founding in 1846, education has been at the heart of its mission. Today, the Sisters of the Holy Child Jesus continue to serve as educators in the broadest sense of the word through their ministries in teaching, spiritual direction, social work, legal work, health care, parish administration, and pastoral care. Throughout the world, the Sisters of the Holy Child can be found serving in schools, colleges and universities, parishes, health care organizations, social service and legal centers, and more. The Society also sponsors 14 schools, a college, and several social service programs. For more information on the Holy Child schools, see Educational Ministries. How many people are served annually through SHCJ ministries? The Society of the Holy Child provides outreach to more than 8,500 individuals through education, as well as sponsored and collaborative ministries at various social service organizations, many of which they have founded. For more information on these programs, see Sponsored Ministries. How many Holy Child Sisters are currently serving? There are nearly 400 Holy Child Sisters ministering throughout the world. Approximately 196 Holy Child Sisters serve in the American Province, 85 of whom are in Southeastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Where do the Holy Child Sisters live and serve? The Holy Child Sisters serve on four continents and in 15 states. In the American Province, Holy Child Sisters minister in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, as well as in Washington, D.C., Chile, and the Dominican Republic. How many women are pursuing a religious vocation within the Society? In the Society’s three provinces (American, African, European), there are approximately 10 women pursuing a religious vocation. In 2006, the Society opened Casa Caritas, a house of welcome, prayer, and discernment, located in Philadelphia. Weekly evenings of prayer are held. All are welcome to attend. Those pursuing a religious vocation sometimes live in the house to get a better sense of the Society and community life. How else is the Society’s mission continuing? The Sisters of the Holy Child have long-valued partnering with the laity, or those who are not members of the clergy, to continue their mission. Throughout the world, zealous members of the laity carry on the Holy Child mission—serving with us in our schools and ministries and on our boards. Together, we all carry on the Holy Child spirit. In addition, many people have also become Associates in the Society of the Holy Child. Associates are men and women who have been inspired by the spirit of Cornelia Connelly and the Society and grow closer through faith-sharing and spiritual development with the Sisters of the Holy Child. Currently, there are close to 150 Associates in the Society’s American Province. |
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