Mrs. Kenny September 2012 Religion 9 THE HISTORY OF THE BUFFALO ACADEMY OF THE SACRED HEART

The Basics Buffalo Academy of the Sacred Heart was founded in __________ SHA was founded by the Sisters of St. Francis of Penance and Christian Charity. Rejecting the common practice of limiting a girl’s schooling to domestic skills, the Sisters sought to educate young women in the humanities, arts and sciences, while providing religious instruction and developing strong moral character in their students. From the beginning, the Sisters set a standard of excellence, continually making groundbreaking innovations to meet the educational needs of their students.

The Sisters of St. Francis The Order of the Sisters of St. Francis of Penance and Christian Charity was founded in the Netherlands in 1835 by Mother Magdalen Damen Mother Magdalen Damen was a woman inspired by the lives of St. Francis of Assisi and his close follower, St. Clare of Assisi. P of Handbook

Incidentally, Daemen College is named after Mother Magdalen Damen!

From Holland to America In 1874, four missionary Sisters arrived in the United States at the request of Jesuit priests serving the City of Buffalo, New York’s German parishioners. They established their first American motherhouse and novitiate in the Diocese of Buffalo, moving to Stella Niagara in the Town of Lewiston, New York in 1908.

The Original School The Sisters began teaching high school classes to 15 students in their convent on Washington Street in downtown Buffalo. The State Education Department of New York officially recognized the high school for young women in 1889, and issued a permanent charter of education in In 1898, Sacred Heart Academy opened a new school building on Washington Street, but within 30 years it had outgrown these quarters.

The Sisters of St. Francis purchased five acres of land in Eggertsville, New York and began construction of a new campus. On May 11, 1930, 230 students and 14 faculty members moved into the new Sacred Heart Academy. Today, over ________ students attend the Academy and are served by more than 75 full and part-time faculty and staff members. OUR CURRENT LOCATION

Beautiful Features that Make Our School Unique From the beginning on Washington Street, the Sisters of St. Francis make their private chapel available for student prayer and reflection. When the Eggertsville campus opens in 1930, it features a beautifully designed chapel to which students may retreat for private prayer and meditation throughout the day. The statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus enjoys a prominent place in the main foyer, greeting all who enter through the front doors.

Peace Pole A Peace Pole is a monument that displays the message "May Peace Prevail on Earth” in the language of the country where it has been placed, and usually 3 to 5 additional translations. The message is referred to as a peace prayer. Ours is in the bushes at the bottom of the front steps, and was installed on May 10, The languages on our peace pole are: English, Spanish, German, and Swahili.

SHA celebrates the Feast of Christ the King each November. Seniors design this special event that encourages all students to strengthen their commitment to Jesus as the center of their lives. The SHA community gathers for monthly celebrations of the Eucharist (a.k.a. “______”), with different classes and groups planning the liturgies. Prayer services occur throughout the year, offering students the opportunity to deepen their spiritual lives. Students participate in yearly class retreats for self-reflection and personal growth. OUR SPIRITUAL CELEBRATIONS

The Indicia: Christus Super Omnia… “Christ Above All” As it did at SHA’s founding, the school’s motto: Christus Super Omnia — ____________________— continues to inspire the Academy community to live as Jesus would.

Your Religion Curriculum at SHA In the course of your four years here, you will study: Scripture, Sacraments, Christology, Morality, World Religions, Social Justice, Christian Life Choices, and Spirituality of Womanhood. Highlights from the lives of Jesus, Saint Francis and Saint Clare, as well as Franciscan values, are prominent themes throughout religious studies.

Timeline of SHA 1835 – Mother Magdalene Damen founds the Sisters of St. Francis of Penance and Christian Charity 1877 – SHA founded 1892 – Alumnae Association formed 1895 – NYS Dept. of Education issues a charter for SHA 1899 – NYS Dept. of Ed. issues a permanent charter

Timeline of SHA 1921 – Statue of Jesus is purchased Year Golden Jubilee celebrated 1929 – groundbreaking of Main Street school and first uniforms worn 1930 – Main Street school opened 1934 – Mothers’ Association formed (future Parents Guild) 1937 – Alumnae donated grotto in backyard 1945 – 1 st Yearbook 1948 – last 8 th grade graduates st Student Council

Timeline of SHA 1959 – received 1 st Middle States Accreditation 1977 – 100 year Anniversary 2000 – Clare Music Hall dedicated 2002 – 125 th Anniversary – 1977 Time Capsule opened and resealed with 2002 capsule 2005 – May 10 th – Peace Pole dedicated 2012 – 135 th Anniversary – Mr. Liberti and Sr. Mara conduct huge archive project of school pictures, documents, etc.