I have arrived home in Sydney after six incredible weeks visiting with the alumnae, the Religious of the Sacred Heart, the staff and the students of our schools, colleges and universities in the Americas - Buenos Aires (Argentina), Montevideo (Uruguay), Curitiba and Rio (Brazil), Santiago (Chile), Lima and Trujilo (Peru), Bogota and Medellin (Colombia), Caracas (Venezuela), San Juan and Ponce (Puerto Rico), Halifax, Montreal and Vancouver (Canada), and Chicago and Seattle (USA). Vickie Greig, AMASC Vice-President, was able to accompany me in Chile, Peru, Colombia and Venezuela. We wish to thank our hosts and hostesses for receiving us with such warmth and enthusiasm; for arranging such interesting and full programmes so we were able to meet so many alumnae, students and religious and witness the incredible social works being undertaken by many associations; and for gracious and wonderful hospitality.

What an amazing experience ... the love, the interest, the commitment, the friendships, the care and the living of our Sacre Coeur values by the hundreds and hundreds I met during this whirlwind six weeks has left me so much wiser, so deeply proud of our heritage and with a deeper commitment on my own part to be even more aware of the opportunities in my own country to help build a more just and loving society ... one in which we can all share and live lives to the fullest.

During these weeks, we met alumnae who are so committed to the value of 'social awareness which compels to action' that they have built and are running retirement homes and programmes for the aged; others have established child care and kindergarten facilities of the highest standards for disadvantaged communities; others have established mobile health clinics; others are tutoring children who are having difficulties with their studies; others are selling clothes to provide funds for programmes for the indigenous; others have established a refuge for street kids; and many have obviously made long term personal financial commitments to support such programmes and scholarships. To list these activities is one thing but to have seen those bright little faces experiencing the care, the love, the fun, the interest that they were receiving in the Colombian kindergartens is another .. as it was in Argentina, Chile and Colombia with the elderly ... in Uruguay at the health clinics ... in Peru meeting the carers and the children and youth for whom they cared who had previously lived on the streets - being shown their bedrooms and their desks where they do their homework now that they are going to school. Thank you for the marvelous work you are doing to give others’ opportunities to improve their lives. AMASC is so proud of you.

It was wonderful to see schools supporting schools; students supporting students. In Curitiba, the more traditional Sacre Coeur school assists a small community school nearby; in Ponce in Puerto Rico members of the Honour Club tutor children in less advantaged situations; in San Juan the Sacred Heart University is incorporating practical experience as an integral part of their degree courses and obtaining government contracts for students to develop community programmes. We loved meeting the senior students in our schools, the young alumnae and undergraduates in the universities ... they were impressive - focussed, articulate and idealistic. They were setting out on life’s journey imbued with the values they gained from their Sacre Coeur education. They are making a difference in their worlds.

The Religious of the Sacred Heart were involved in some marvelous programmes as well. Programmes for the indigenous in Argentina; health clinics and child support in Uruguay; schools and community programmes in Brazil; large schools in Peru, Chile, Argentina, Brazil, Puerto Rico, Halifax & Montreal (Canada), Chicago & Seattle (USA) where I visited; universities and teacher training colleges in Puerto Rico and Peru.

I spent a day in a Senior School in Chicago where rscJs are providing a first class education in a safe, secure and loving environment for minorities ... enabling their students to gain tertiary entrance to the finest universities and colleges and so take their place among professional women in their country. Some of these students became parents during the course of their school lives, but with the support of their extended families and their school, they have continued their education and will be able to share the opportunities this will bring them, their families and their communities. I also want to acknowledge the generosity of the people of the United States in their incredible support of such schools. There is a tradition of incredible personal giving in the United States for supporting minorities which must be recognised.

Wherever there is a social need, there are Sacre Coeur religious, students and alumnae working for the betterment of others. I am in awe of the commitment to everything you all do. Thank you for all you are doing and will continue to do.

One of our delights was visiting the communities of elderly Religious to acknowledge their contribution to us all and to their communities. They were such happy meetings and their interest in AMASC was enormous. They wanted to know about our study plans on Reconciliation, about Sydney 2002, about alumnae activities all over the world ... and they promised to support us with prayer. Both the Bishop of Chiapas (Mexico) and the Bishop of Dili (East Timor) said to me that we must never underestimate the power of prayer ... and this has had a deep impact on me; so I feel so confident of the success of our study plan and the coming 2002 conference knowing we have the powerful prayer support of so many of our retired religious all over the world. They have such love of all alumnae and all that we do.

Wherever I visited there were also celebrations - many of which were the end of the academic year. I shared the Puerto Rican celebrations for the Feast of St Madeleine Sophie where four alumnae were recognised for outstanding social service to their communities; and then joined the Canadian alumnae, religious and students in Halifax for the 150th Anniversary of the Society in Canada. What a wonderful weekend celebration that was! And I was able to continue the Canadian celebration as I journeyed through Montreal and Vancouver en route home to Sydney.

My journey was a whirlwind .. 18 cities in six weeks .. so I could not see everything but I met many hundreds of people and had the opportunity for many personal conversations. There was such a spirit of openness and sharing. Now that I am back in my own bed, I quietly reflect when I wake in the mornings and remember so many little things, so many conversations, so many shared ideas and ideals. I was so privileged to have shared so much with so many.

We have the most wonderful World Association of which you are all part. We are a world family so deeply linked by the values which St Madeleine Sophie espoused. There was such interest everywhere I visited to come to Sydney in 2002 for our world conference. I am so looking forward to welcoming you here where once again we can celebrate our internationality and share our hopes, dreams and ideas for building a better world - for all - through reconciliation.

May we always be open to learning from one another,

With much love,

Trish Burns