Under this inspiration, the Congregation since 1843 has worked for the education of girls and young women, especially those living in rural areas, with the concern of meeting the needs of people from every background. In spite of very modest beginnings, the Congregation quickly founded other schools and boarding schools in Beloeil (1846), Saint-Timothée (1848) and Saint-Lin (1848). It extended its reach beyond the borders of Quebec to reach the United States (Oregon, California, Florida, etc.), Ontario, Manitoba, Lesotho, Japan, Haiti, Peru and Brazil. SNJMs are still working on three continents today. The SNJM Sisters whose reflections are featured in this journal sought to notice and respond to the needs of people outside the doors of their Holy Names schools, reigniting the charism in new communities over the last fifty years. Moved by a Spirit fueled by compassion, intellectual awareness, and prayer, these sisters tell about their call to these mission experiences and how they responded. Their stories validate the importance of relationships, one of the big ideas in the SNJM curriculum. Some overarching questions their stories and reflections address are: •
What is the story of the community of people in need or experiencing injustice?
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How have Sisters pursued justice and responded to needs through relationship-building?
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How does relationship-building contribute to the empowerment of a group of people?
Arise! May you continue to carry out the Sisters’ mission by seeing, understanding and responding to the needs of others, and may their example be a guide to you. e
Introduction|Dedication to Women & Children
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