A perfect woman – who can find her? She is far beyond the price of pearls. …
She is always busy with wool and with flax; she does her work with eager hands …
She holds out her hand to the poor, she opens her arms to the needy.
She is clothed in strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.
When she opens her mouth, she does so wisely;
On her tongue is kindly instruction
(Proverbs 31, 10-26)

And so I prayed, and understanding was given me;
I entreated and the spirit of wisdom came to me. …
In her company all good things came to me, 
and at her hands incalculable wealth. …
What I learned diligently, I shall pass on liberally,
I shall not conceal how rich she is. …
For she is to human beings an inexhaustible treasure,
and those who acquire this, win God’s friendship. …
(Wisdom, 7, 7-14)

The international Day of Prayer and Awareness against Human Trafficking will be celebrated all over the world on 8 February 2016, the Feast Day of Josephine Bakhita, a Sudanese slave, freed, who became a Canossian nun, and was declared a Saint in 2000. The initiative is promoted by the Pontifical Council of Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People, the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace and the International Union of Superiors General.

pdf Novena to Saint Bakhita

pdf The Good Egg Guide for a #traffikfree Easter (3.67 MB)

On the 26th January 2016 Sr Tess Ward was named in the Australia Day Honours List for 2016.

Tess has received an Order of Australia (OAM) in the General Division, for her Service to Indigenous Communities in the Northern Territory, particularly as linguist and educator.

I know in whom I have believed,
and I am confident that he is able to safeguard until that Day
all that I have entrusted to him. (2 Tim. 1:12)

When peaceful silence lay over all,
And night had run the half of her swift course,
Down from the heavens, from the royal throne,
Leapt your all-powerful Word. Wisdom 18, 14-15

Overcome Indifference and win Peace will be the title of the Message for the 49th World Day of Peace, the third of the papacy of Pope Francis. Indifference in regard to the scourges of our time is one of the fundamental causes of the lack of peace. Today, indifference is often linked to various forms of individualism which cause isolation, ignorance, selfishness and, therefore, lack of interest and commitment. Increase of information does not mean per se an increase of attention to the problems, if it is not accompanied by solidarity-based openness of conscience. To this end, it is essential the contribution that can provide–besides the family–educators, teachers, people of culture, media practitioners, intellectuals and artists. Indifference can be won only responding together to this challenge.

Our first Superior General, Mother Marie Louise Hartzer, was born in Alsace, France in 1837 and died in Thuin, Belgium in 1908.  She first married, had two sons, and later as a 45 year-old widow, joined the young congregation of the Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart.  Her two sons became Missionaries of the Sacred Heart.  For 26 years (1882-1908), she led our congregation, faithfully passing on the founder’s charism and spirituality to the sisters.  She saw the congregation expand from Europe to the Pacific, becoming a truly international congregation.

“As Father Chevalier, by the exercise of his spiritual paternity, has given life to the Congregation, so Marie Louise Hartzer by the grace of spiritual maternity bestowed up her for the purpose of fostering that life, may be called and is its venerated Mother.” (Mary Venard, fdnsc, The Designs of His Heart)

And For twenty-six years, until her death in 1908, Marie Louise wisely guided our Congregation.

2015-12-08 Vatican Radio - (Vatican Radio) - Pope Francis on Tuesday opened the Holy Door in St. Peter’s Basilica, inaugurating the Jubilee of Mercy. The ceremony took place after he celebrated Mass for the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception in St. Peter’s Square. The rain did not keep the people away: Over 50 thousand arrived, including the President and Prime Minister of Italy, Sergio Mattarella and Matteo Renzi; as well as King Albert II of Belgium with Queen Paola.

Pope Francis, during his homily, highlighted the primacy of grace.

“Were sin the only thing that mattered, we would be the most desperate of creatures,” Pope Francis said. “But the promised triumph of Christ’s love enfolds everything in the Father’s mercy… The Immaculate Virgin stands before us as a privileged witness of this promise and its fulfilment.”