Our Faith

The School provides many opportunities throughout the year for involvement in liturgical and sacramental life, engagement in prayer, participation in Reflection Days and social justice awareness raising and action.

Liturgical and Sacramental life

Students are offered a range of opportunities to express their faith in formal Eucharistic liturgies. These opportunities include whole school celebrations (eg Opening of the School Year Liturgy and Sacred Heart Day Liturgy) and regular Senior School or Joigny Liturgies and Special Event liturgies.

At Joigny, we offer students preparation and first celebration of the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Communion. Students are prepared for the reception of the Sacrament of Confirmation but are expected to partake in the Sacrament at their local parish.

Prayer

Prayer permeates all aspect of school life, beginning each day, with a prayer which includes students offering their special prayer intentions for the day.

There are a number of special formal prayer services conducted throughout the year, including service surrounding the liturgical year (eg Ash Wednesday, Easter), services commemorating our Sacred Heart saints (eg St Madeleine Sophie Barat and St Phillipine Duchesne) and an Ecumenical Service involving senior students from Sacré Cœur.

In the week of the Feast Day of St Madeleine Sophie Barat, the School participates in a week of pray where students are offered a wide variety of special opportunities to prayer and reflect and share their faith.

A highlight of the prayer life of the school is the Annual Festival of Scripture Readings and Carols (commonly and affectionately known as Carols) which is celebrated at the end of end year at St Patrick’s Cathedral.

Reflection Days and Retreats

The Reflection Day program involves Secondary School students venturing off campus to spend a day reflecting upon a particular aspect of their faith and sharing their insights with their peers. Senior students engage in a three-day overnight retreat.

Here are some of the comments from our students about Reflection Day:

“We found that each of us gained something special. Whether it was something we were told, something we experienced or something we thought about. We all succeeded in delving into our inner selves.”

“Today I learnt that it’s okay to be different and have your own ‘voice’ and be proud of it. We should also appreciate who we are and thank God for our voices”.

Social Justice

A cornerstone of both the Catholic Christian tradition and our own Sacred Heart tradition is a keen awareness of social justice issues within our local community and the national and global communities. At Sacré Cœur we are committed to approaching social justice issues, involving both awareness raising and action.