Goals and Criteria
[FOR THE NETWORK OF SCHOOLS OF THE RELIGIOUS OF THE SACRED HEART OF MARY]

The Institute of the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary (RSHM) was founded in Béziers, France, in 1849, by Ven. Père Pierre Jean Antoine Gailhac and Mère St. Jean Cure Pelissier. From its very foundation, the first religious community was drawn to the educational apostolate.
Since that time, the Sisters have been engaged in the ministry of education in sixteen countries on four continents. In the late nineteenth century, the first schools were established in the United States.
While the education of the whole person is the general aim of all schools, Sacred Heart of Mary schools are committed to the attainment of this goal through a deep believe in God who calls each person to fullness of life.
The mission of the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary has been articulated as:

"To know and love God.
To make God known and loved.
To proclaim that Jesus Christ has come in order
that all may have life."
RSHM Constitutions #7)

This mission finds expression in the following Goals and Criteria by which an educational institution is identified as belonging to the RSHM network. These goals are implemented within a school community which is composed of Board of Trustees, Board of Regents, Administrators, Faculty, Staff, Parents, Students, Graduates, and Former Students.
The human family is awakening to an urgent call to justice and preservation of life on planet earth. The history and spirit of the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary resonate with this call.
Trusting in God’s abundant love we will hold fast to our faith vision:

THAT ALL MAY HAVE LIFE AND HAVE IT TO THE FULL.

Internationality is a gift from our origins…Today, Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary are located in

BRAZILMOZAMBIQUE
ENGLANDPORTUGAL
FRANCESCOTLAND
IRELANDUNITED STATES OF AMERICA
ITALYWALES
MALIZAMBIA
MEXICOZIMBABWE
We, the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary, an international apostolic institute of women religious, are called to share in the life-giving missions of Jesus Christ.
The challenge of the gospel and the spirit of faith and zeal which marked our founders, Jean Gailhac and Mère St. Jean, and our founding sisters, urge us to respond to the needs of our time and to work with others in action for evangelical justice. Sent to promote the life and dignity of all our sisters and brothers, at this time we place ourselves and our resources at the service of those who are most in need of justice, enabling the powerless, the deprived, the marginalized, the voiceless to work effectively for their own development and liberation.
We are called to be community, to know and celebrate God’s love for us and to make that love known to others. As we become more deeply inserted in the realities of the Church and the world, we use our individual and corporate talents to work creatively in diverse ministries for the promotion of justice.
Mary is our model as we seek to be open to the Spirit, to center our lives in Jesus Christ, to be women of prayer and compassion, and to give authentic and joyful witness to the values of the gospel wherever we are.

(Ratified by the General Chapter, Rome, 1990)
A RSHM School is a community that commits itself:
Criteria
As a school community:

1. We make God known and loved through Christian living rooted in Gospel values.
2. We welcome and respect the diverse religions of the world.
3. We empower each individual to understand, live and bear witness to her or his faith, in a respectful awareness of others’ beliefs.
4. We promote personal and communal prayer and reflection through liturgies, multi-faith services and retreats.
5. We encourage sacramental preparation and active participation in worship.
6. We explore in our religious education program the relationship of humanity to God, through the study of Scriptures, history, traditions, spirituality, and ethical systems.
7. We participate in the life of the local Catholic church and pursue positive relationships with the wider community.
Criteria
As a school community:

1. We create an atmosphere of respect; forgiveness, openness and joy.
2. We cherish each of our members and are sensitive to the diverse talents, abilities and needs of each one.
3. We nurture positive and co-operative working relationships among and between students, parents, administration, faculty and staff.
4. We celebrate and share our diverse cultures and national traditions to enhance international understanding.
5. We foster an appreciation for the culture and customs of the country in which we live.
6. We maintain positive relationships with other schools and educational organizations.
Criteria
As a school community:

1. We provide an educational program of the highest standard that recognizes and develops each individual’s potential in a stimulating environment.
2. We ensure balanced intellectual growth through an integrated curriculum.
3. We educate our students to communicate clearly, live co-operatively and function effectively in a global and technological society.
4. We develop an informed awareness of beauty in the universe.
5. We enable students to study and research independently, to think critically, to reflect wisely and to have informed opinions.
6. We maintain a high level of professional development.
Criteria
As a school community:

1. We are dedicated to the harmonious growth of the whole person through each individual’s physical, emotional, intellectual, social, moral and spiritual development.
2. We conduct our relationships according to the principles of honesty, compassion, truthfulness and mutual respect.
3. We promote a high standard of self-discipline and instill a deep sense of personal responsibility.
4. We provide opportunities to develop skills for effective decision making and leadership.
5. We cultivate growth in self-knowledge and self-esteem.
6. We encourage appropriate independent action and effective participation in the community.
7. We promote a positive and responsible attitude toward physical and mental well-being.
Criteria
As a school community:

1. We respect the sacredness of life and recognize the kinship of all people as God’s children.
2. We integrate social justice and human rights issues into the curriculum.
3. We actively and compassionately respond to the needs of others especially the powerless, the deprived and the marginalized.
4. We are committed to an active social service program.
5. We promote awareness of the interdependence and unity of all life.
Criteria
As a school community:

1. We share the spirituality, history, and traditions of the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary and their Founders.
2. We are attentive to living the distinctive spirit of the RSHM mission, "That all may have life".
3. We foster and sustain the RSHM spirit through programs in the formation of others for partnership and leadership within the school, a Catholic school, in a multi-faith setting.
4. We continue our partnership with the RSHM ministries in Africa, and support other needs identified by the General Chapter of the Institute.
5. We participate in the network of RSHM schools throughout the world.

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