"Acceptance Address by incoming World President Olga Rome
2002-2006"

AMASC XII World Congress
19 April, 2002

Thank you Trish, and thank all of you for the confidence and trust that you have placed in us. We will be honored to serve and promise to perform the duties of our offices to the best of our abilities; to uphold the values set forth in the Constitution and By-laws of the World Association of the Alumnae and Alumni of the Sacred Heart. With God's grace, through the intercession of our patroness, Mater Admirabilis, with your support, we will continue to strive to make this world a better place.

We are sincerely grateful to Trish Burns whose dynamic leadership has moved AMASC into the future. Through her journeys to so many countries, she has touched the hands and hearts of many alumnae and alumni who may never have the opportunity to attend an AMASC Congress. Your efforts are sincerely appreciated, dear Trish; I shall do my best to follow your example!

It has been a tremendous privilege to work with your Administration. On behalf of our newly elected Team, I would like to thank St. Mary Brennan, Vickie, Tricia, Maryanne, Alex and Anne for facilitating a smooth transition. We would also like to add our words of appreciation to Kumiko, Maria, Charlotte, Ana Elena, Dominique and Camille for the tremendous jobs that you have done! Thank you, Maria Franca, for preserving our precious records as our Archivist. Thank you, Sue, for your tremendous efforts in producing the Hospitality Handbook. The book has served and continues to serve as an invaluable tool in communicating with our international family.

The past week has been a magnificent experience for us all. The Australian and New Zealand Alumnae and alumni gave our retiring Board a preview of the Congress at the Planing Committee Meeting in Sydney, in May 2000. Vickie Greig and her committee are to be congratulated for the superb job they did in implementing those plans. We thank them from the bottom our hearts!

We'd like to express our appreciation to Sisters Clare Pratt, Joan Pender, Helen MacLoughlin, all the Religious of the Sacred Heart and the members of our AMASC extended family for making this Congress such a memorable experience.

Having the Heads of Schools meet concurrently with us had added a new dimension to our Congress. It has given us a wonderful feeling of unity and solidarity to have you join us. We hope that a precedent has been set for future Congresses.

We enjoyed being at Kincoppal-Rose Bay and experiencing the atmosphere of another wonderfully unique Sacred Heart School.
We would be remiss if we did not express our gratitude to our "Interpreters" or, as Trish would say, "Translators"/ In this beautiful tapestry of love, you are the threads that weave us together!

Sixteen years ago, I attended my first AMASC Congress in Tokyo. The theme was "Intercultural Communication". The title was wonderfully appropriate, for we soon learned that even though our alumnae and alumni spoke many different languages, the universal language was that of the heart. Mother Duchesne taught us that many years ago, when she communicated her love to the Potawatomi Indians. My commitment to AMASC was made in Japan and strengthened with each ensuing Congress in San Jose, Costa Rica; Genoa, Italy; San Luis Potosi, Mexico and now in Sydney, Australia. The memories of all that we shared and the friendships that have flourished through the years will be with me, always.

It gives me great pleasure to introduce my United States of America Presidential Team and Board Members:
Vice-President - Maryliz de Vito Lincoln, is recuperating from emergency orthopedic surgery. Although we miss her terribly we are happy to report that Maryliz is recovering nicely and send her love to her AMASC family. Maryliz was Secretary-General during Miriam Gray's term of office as President of AMASC. She is also the Immediate Past-President of the Associated Alumnae and Alumni of the Sacred Heart in the United States of America.
Secretary-General - Ellen Gambel Simon, served as President of the Rosary Sacred Heart Alumnae in New Orleans, Louisiana. Ellen was the coordinator of the Study Plan on Reconciliation for the Associations in North America.
Treasurer-General - Irene Ernst Mackenroth, served as Treasurer of the AASH and of the Rosary Sacred Heart Alumnae. Irene and Ellen have given invaluable assistance to me for the last sixteen years as members of our AMASC New Orleans Crescent City Cabinet.
Representing the Society of the Sacred Heart is Sister Shirley Miller. Sister entered the Society in 1965 and made her final profession in the Society in 1974 in Tokyo, Japan. Sister is presently the Headmistress of the Rosary, Academy of the Sacred Heart, in New Orleans and Vice-President of the Independent Schools of the Southwest. Sister Miller is truly "a woman who prays always" and she is noted for her beautiful and inspirational prayers.
Archivist - Jacqueline Klomp Verhoeven from the Netherlands, has done a magnificent job of revising the Constitution and By-Laws of AMASC. She will provide invaluable legal assistance to our team.

Our very talented Board Members are:
• Ana Drisaldi, Argentina
• Penelope (Penny) Sturrock, Australia
• Kathleen Dor, Belgium
• Beatrice Raffoul, Canada
• Noemi Pina de Diaz Montoro, Cuba in Exile
• Kimiko Hotta, Japan
• Joanne Lee, Korea
• Claudia Taylor-East, Malta and
• Carmen de Villalobos, Spain
The United States Provincial, Sister Kathleen Hughes, will be our liaison to the Central Team of the Society. Many of you are familiar with this deeply spiritual, gifted and enthusiastic RSCJ. Sister is not only a dynamic and inspirational leader, but also, a very accomplished author.

It gives me great pleasure to announce that Corinne Clairborne "Lindy" Boggs has accepted our invitation to be my Presidential Advisor. Lindy, the first woman Ambassador from the United States to the Vatican si now retired and living in New Orleans. Lindy is the mother of noted journalists Cokie Roberts and Barbara Sigmund who were both alumnae of the Sacred Heart. Barbara, who is deceased, was a classmate of St. Clare Pratt's at Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart in Washington, D.C.

All of these women bring a variety of gifts and talents to the table; what tremendous unity and strength we will be able to achieve through our diversity!

We look forward to welcoming and working with them in New Orleans, Louisiana, at the Congress Planning Meeting in 2004.
Our United States Team is thrilled to be hosting the XIII AMASC Congress in 2006. The theme of the Congress will be "Collaboration for a Transformed World". (Thank you, Sr. Claire Pratt, for your input here!) Please plan to join us for five days of praying, working and sharing beautiful Sacred Heart experiences! Our Congress Chair, Wendy Delery Hills, did a wonderful job when she chaired the AASH Conference in New Orleans. Wendy served as President of the Rosary Sacred Heart Alumnae and as Treasurer of the AASH. We are delighted that she has accepted another great challenge!

At the Presidents' Meeting held prior to the opening of our Congress, I was asked to articulate my vision for AMASC for the 2002-2006 term of office. I prefaced my remarks by saying that I would like "my" vision to be "our" vision. Much of what I have to say will reinforce the "Directional Statements" that we received, today.

Among our priorities will be to develop a deeper and closer relationship with our alumnae and alumni throughout the world through education and communication. The theme of the recent Children of Mary Retreat at the Rosary was "Understanding Religions of the World". It was emphasized that there will never be peace in the world until we develop an understanding of one another's beliefs, cultures and customs. To this end, we realized that we must further educate ourselves and our constituents.
In addition to this, we will do all that we can to keep the lines of communication open, through our Website, email, and other means of communication. We want to hear from you, to get your input, address your concerns and just to keep in touch! We promise to respond to you in a timely manner.

Among our top priorities will be to strengthen the bonds of communication between the Religious of the Sacred Heart and the alumnae and alumni. We will continue to be partners in education in our schools and in our communities. Great emphasis will be placed on social justice issues and we will further champion women and children's causes. we will always be open to any projects in which the RSCJ seek our collaboration. In addition, particularly in the light of this AMASC Meeting and the desperate needs of our world today, we will try to promote reconciliation and communion in every way possible. (Thank you, Sr. Kathleen Hughes, for embellishing this statement).

We are going to make a conscientious effort to involve our young alumnae and alumni in AMASC. This is a goal that warrants much consideration and planning. We would love to have your suggestions as to its implementation.

Great emphasis will be placed on making our voices heard on important issues through the Organizations to which AMASC belongs, such as: WUCWO (the World Union of Catholic Women's Organizations) and OMAEC (an organization comprised of former pupils of Catholic education). In our new status as an NGO (non-governmental organization), we can partner with the RSCJ and make a tremendous impact on this troubled world. We can then be a voice for the voiceless and bring hope to those who feel the world has forgotten them.

Since our world was shaken eight months ago by yet another act of terrorism, we have all felt righteous indignation for this violation of our basic moral principles.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted and proclaimed by the General Assembly of the United Nations, states that "all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood. Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person".

Through the horrific global assault of September the eleventh, the world was shocked into the realization of how vulnerable we all are and how fragile life really is. Our focus became sharpened and our mission well defined. We know that, other than our Faith, life is, indeed, God's greatest gift. We must respect and cherish it while encouraging others to do so, as well; if the terrorists respected life, there would have been no suicide bombings - then, and they would not be continuing- now!

We all have our ideals and values and we should never compromise them. However, we must listen to one another with open minds, never being critical or judgmental, but being kind and compassionate. We must always be aware that there are different opinions, different ways of thinking and always pray that "our" ways are "God's ways"! Let us work through our problems and eradicate cruelty and insensitivity; let us celebrate our likenesses and respect our differences!

The Declaration also states that "everyone has a right to a standard of living adequate to the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing, medical care and necessary social services...". No one should be hungry or homeless. In other words, we are our brothers'keepers!

According to the Declaration, "everyone has the right to education...education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. It shall promote understanding, tolerance and friendships among all nations, races and religious groups and shall further the activities of the United Nations for the maintenance of peace."

If we are to embrace a new era of unity and solidarity in this greedy, immoral and iniquitous world, we must address terrorism in a responsible and effective way. All nations must respond to vicious assaults on their countries and their allies by retaliating in fairness, with consideration and compassion for the innocent victims. We must be cognizant of the fact that an entire nation cannot be held responsible for the heinous acts of a few unconscionable people! We must continue to seek equality and justice for all; for no nation will be free until all nations are free!
Much is expected of those to whom much has been given. We who are so blessed are challenged and compelled to action!

As children of the Sacred Heart, we are the products of some of the greatest educators in the world. Let us join hands with the Religious of the Sacred Heart, in a spirit of collaboration and lo as we pursue our common mission in the names of Saints Madeleine Sophie Barat and Rose Philippine Duchese: for the sake of a single child - for the sake of every person.

THANK YOU

As we close the XII AMASC World Congress, we offer our prayerful wishes for your safe journeys home. Our closing prayer is comprised of excerpts from the prayers of various religions of the world. We offer this prayer that there may be peace in our hearts, peace in our nations and peace in this troubled world. Sister Shirley Miller will lead us in prayer.

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