Within my four years at Cor Jesu, I have learned a lot about my faith life and truly understand the charism of the Sacred Heart. When we started, I worked with my grandpa to create my representation of the image of the Sacred Heart. He helped me cut out and stain a wooden cross which I now have hanging in my room and reminds me of him every time I see it and how we bonded over making it even though he isn’t with us anymore. Sophomore year we created a mission statement for ourselves. We really dug deeper into the true meaning of the mission and vision statement of Cor Jesu and learned what the sisters and the school valued. As we reflected on this, we made our own mission statements that helped us discover what was important to us. We learned the importance of justice and doing what is right and treating others with respect and remembering the dignity of all people through the Activist for Justice letter. We reminded different organizations of the importance of respecting all people and considering the dignity of all and how they can improve their organization to be more inclusive or help others. Finally the LASTing project helped us to go out and truly serve and make a difference and be God to others in the community. The one thing that I will take away from my experience at CJ is seeing the heart of Christ to others and sharing the love of the heart of Christ. I learned how to better share the love of the heart of Christ through the Charism of CJ. I recently received the “Heart of the Lyons Award” from the St. Louis Women’s Ultimate Coalition. This shows how CJ has helped me grow in integrity and being compassionate to others because it is given to the player who is most hardworking, respects and shows integrity to her opponents, exemplifies the spirit of the game, and supports her teammates on and off the field. My time at Cor Jesu has helped me to grow more confident and stronger and the Charism has truly prepared me to go out, set big goals for myself, and reach for the shores of my new dawn. 

 

Our core beliefs are excellence in Education, Catholic faith-based community, caring community, personal integrity, and service together. In our alma mater, these are reflected in certain lines. For excellence in education we say, “Desired knowledge through paths of light and truth.” And we see caring community in the line of “The warmth of friendships, pearls of hopes and dreams.” Both the statements and the alma mater highlight the importance of service, “CJ student transforms the world through the impassioned service.” One thing I will take away from Cor Jesu is how to handle lots of work and time management. 

It is very easy for me to say that I can find the charism in the activities at Cor Jesu. The charism is significantly shown through our Lasting Projects, Gospel Projects, mission statements, Sacred Heart projects, or activist for justice letter. I was able to experience the love of the sacred heart most through my lasting project. I had done service before but the reflections I had to do for the lasting project has rounded my view of service. The charism taught me that service was not about changing myself, but helping and changing others. The charism is seen in every person and action at Cor Jesu. Each woman, including myself, has been shaped by the love of the sacred heart. I can walk down the halls of Cor Jesu and see the smiling faces and know that these girls will care for me no matter what. When I walk into the class room, I know the teachers want me to learn and understand the concepts so that I can use them to better the world around me. Cor Jesu has not only provided me with string education but they have given me a loving and caring nature. I know that I will leave Cor Jesu and carry the charism and love of the Heart of Jesus with me and share it with all those I meet. Cor Jesu has truly paved a path of greatness for me. The have set me up with many opportunities so that I may become successful in my career and faith.

Over the last four years, I have participated in multiple Charism activities. During freshman year, we made our own gospel. We created a modern take on the story of Jesus Christ that we could personally relate to. Sophomore year we learned about theology of the body. Junior year and senior year I did my lasting project in Biloxi, Mississippi which kind of tied all the values of the charism I have learned together and put them into action. Our core beliefs fit into the vision and the mission statement because they focus on getting an excellent education and growing as a person so that we can go out into the world and make it a better place. Both of the mission statements involve using our faith-based community in order to grow in faith so that we can go out into the world and share the love of the heart of Christ. The themes of reparation, compassion, and service are seen within both statements and the alma mater by talking about what we learn hear at Cor Jesu and taking out into the world. The most important thing that I will take away from my experience at Cor Jesu is that each person has something important to offer the world, and each person has their own gifts and talents that make them special. I have most enjoyed getting to know people that I never would have talked to without Cor Jesu. The charism at Cor Jesu is defined by the people. The community at Cor Jesu is what makes the charism prominent. It is the way we interact with each other and the way we interact with all people. I am a women of the Heart of Jesus because I have learned many things from Cor Jesu over the years, but the most important thing is how to appreciate everyone and be a part of a community that is so much bigger than myself. 

Over the last four years, I have gotten to experience the Charism of Cor Jesu in many different ways. Freshman year it began with the Sacred Heart and Gospel projects, sophomore year I  created my own mission statement and junior and senior year I got to actually go out and do by participating in the LASTing project. Cor Jesu’s Core Beliefs are a Catholic-Faith-based community, Excellence in Education, Personal Integrity, Caring Community, and Service to Others. The vision statement, alma mater, and mission statement are inspired by the core beliefs, and what Cor Jesu strives for. The theme of reparation is present in these statements because it tells of caring students who will always look out for the interest of others. Compassion and Service are way more present compared to reparation because those are some core beliefs of the school. One important thing I will take away from Cor Jesu is the service I have experienced. I would love to continue to do service after I graduate and even get to experience different mission trips in different parts of the world. The Charism of the school to me is simple. I honestly believe it is just to love others as you would want to be loved. I am a woman of the heart of Jesus because I always try to give to others and see the good in everyone. 

I would like to think I know what a Charism is. If I am being honest, I am not sure that I do, but from what I have experienced at Cor Jesu, I think I can explain it. My freshman year of high school consisted of a lot of uncertainty. My relationship with God was always on a surface level.  The first time I was able to understand God in a different way was looking at him through the lens of the Sacred Heart. Being able to do my own interpretation of the Sacred Heart allowed me to decide what God’s love meant to me. My sophomore year, I was able to look at myself through the lens of a perfect creation of God. Once we accept that we are made in in the image of God, we are able to love our selves. I was taught what it means to stand firmly in faith and fight for what is right my junior year. And for my last year at Cor Jesu, I was able to affirm my belief in God with the scientific backing. A charism is the embodiment of passion and determination of a community. Here at Cor Jesu, the passion for sharing the Love of the Heart of Christ is apparent in every aspect of education young women. The faulty and staff are passionate about inspiring minds and being examples of good faith. The students treat each other with respect and promote the well-being of every one. If I have learned anything in my four years, it is that the love of Christ impels us. It impels us to be better every single day. Better individuals that learn actively and fight with passion. The Heart of Christ impels us to love one another and change the world. 

Charism is the greatest value that Cor Jesu Academy upholds. Over the years, my classmates and I have participated in charism activities including Gospel Projects, mission statements, Lasting Projects, and Kairos. For our charism activities, we got to learn a lot about the importance in participating in charism activities and learning about our love for Christ, and his love for us. In the Alma Mater, we say the words “beneath the shelter of the sacred heart,” which relates to our Core Beliefs because we have a strong belief in the important of the Sacred Heart. Reparation, compassion, and service are also within both statements and the alma mater. In our statements, we say “sharing the love of Christ” which means that we are offering one another compassion and love. The most important thing that I will take away from Cor Jesu is the endless joy and charism spread throughout the school. Our activity in service, compassion, and kindness makes me proud to have gone to Cor Jesu for 4 years. Our charism is visible, and we are dedicated to spreading that love everywhere. I am a woman of the Heart of Jesus because I carry his love and charism in my own heart. As a woman in the Heart of Jesus, I am able to share my charism that Cor Jesu has given me and spread it to everyone. 

Throughout my time at Cor Jesu, I have done many charism activities such as the charism scavenger hunt (freshman), penny queen (sophomore), adopting a family (Junior), and applying our charism through college related tasks (senior). Our core beliefs fit into our statements and the alma mater because all state that we are intelligent young women that have the power to make an impact professionally and socially through our careers and service. We do not know where our lives will lead but Cor Jesu prepared us for it. I see themes of compassion in both statements and the alma mater because it calls us to be caring and loving people who are inspired by God to love one another. The most important thing that I will take away from Cor Jesu is the since of friendship and unity. We must go into the world to find open-mindedness and compassion for those with differences. My experiences here have allowed me to think past my “Catholic Bubble” and allow me to branch out into a world of realistic diversity that our world represents. I define charism as a spirit alive in the environment. I define it at this school as the caring and motivated sense of spirit alive in the students and sisters of this high school. I am a woman of the heart of Jesus because I try to live out the life of service and compassion that God calls us to. I relate to our Charism because I also feel called to accept everyone and understand the call to be an educated woman who is ready to serve others when called to do so. 

The Charism of Cor Jesu Academy is central in what we learn, what we do, and who we are. Throughout my four years, I have experienced our Charism daily, but also in big ways, such as learning about what it means in Freshman Theology, writing my own mission statement in Sophomore Theology, doing the LASTing Project the summer after Junior year, and going on Kairos Senior year. Within these experiences I have felt the strength of the CJ community, the love of my classmates, the beauty of service, and the integrity we, as the CJ family, embody. I have also experienced the Charism strongly through the Core Values. At a nationally recognized, college-preparatory school, I have been taught more than I knew was possible, gaining "desired knowledge" and "wisdom to guide" me. At a Catholic school run by the ASCJ, I have experienced "the Sacred Heart, our love's bright flame". At a school that is committed to the students and their wellbeing, I have experienced "the warmth of friendships, pearls of hopes and dreams". At a school that embraces personal dignity and integrity, I have been encouraged to "reach the shores of my new dawn" with constant support and attention. At a school that encourages me to serve as a member of the global community and be passionate for service, I have been inspired to "fill my part in life" just like I have been prepared to do. These ideas, in particular the themes of reparation, compassion, and service are highlighted in the call to develop fully as a person of dignity, faith, and integrity, in the call to serve others throughout the world, in the formation of a loving and caring community, and in the focus of the Sacred Heart. With all of this in mind, the most important thing that I will take away from my CJ experience, is that with a community, faith, and my own ability, I truly am capable of great things. This is how I have been able to apply the Charism to my own life, interpreting it as a guideline for a happy, successful, and full life. Through living it, I have become a woman of the Heart of Jesus, embracing what I have learned about love, community, and faith, and applying it to friendships, service, how I live, and how I will go on in the future. This is how I have adopted the Charism, using it to help me become the person I am today, and establishing the values and ideals that will lead me to living a full, happy, and successful life in the future. 

Thinking back on my past four years at CJ, I do not know if I can adequately sum up the entirety of my experiences here. I have had good times and not-so-good times, times that were stressful and insane and times that were full of friendship and genuine kindness. While some times were rough, I can truly say that I’ve learned so much and become who I am today through all that I have gone through here. A recurring main theme at CJ is the mysterious “charism.” Freshmen year, after going through the whole Charism unit in class, I thought I knew what it meant. I thought knowing the kindness of Sister Kathleen Mary and the openness of my new classmates showed me the Charism of Cor Jesu – living with an open mind and heart. Then throughout high school, as friend groups changed and evolved, I learned that things change sometimes in life and that is okay, and I realized that Charism can mean more – being willing to change but to always stay true to your beliefs. This last year, I have learned probably more than any other year of my life. The Lasting Project showed me how the Nicaraguan people are truly faith-filled and joyful, and sharing that joy is so important. My trip abroad on a medical mission trip to El Salvador in the fall showed me how giving your time and energy can be difficult, even draining, sometimes, but it can be so, so meaningful to someone else. And finally, looking forward to my next adventure in life has taught me so much already. I have to be ready to say goodbye in 2 days, and I know that I am ready but not ready. I don’t know the words to say or what to feel. Truthfully, I am very excited and have never felt more ready for college, but I will miss my amazing friends that I have gotten to know so well, and I will always look back at Cor Jesu as a second home. Through this nervousness, I have realized that while I may be anxious, I am prepared through all of these things that I have learned over these years. I know that I am strong, and I believe in myself and my convictions. So, to answer how I define the Charism at Cor Jesu after these 4 incredible, roller-coaster years, I would not have a single definition to give. But trying my hardest to put all I feel into words, I believe that the Charism is learning to love through life, even through difficult times. It is giving of yourself when you feel there is nothing left to give because someone else could use even just a smile. It is taking the time to say hello in the halls to make someone feel warm and loved, or getting coffee with a friend just to talk for hours. I know I will take Cor Jesu with me when I leave. And I know, when I go to “reach the shores of my new dawn,” I will be ready to learn to love through life. 

While attending Cor Jesu Academy the past four years, the power of Charism has been fulfilled in each and every one of us. Every morning, class, meal, and end of the day we reflect back and thank God for each and every one of our blessings. Realizing it or not, the charism that we experience here at Cor Jesu changes us forever for the better. 

I am a woman of the Heart of Jesus in many ways. Through the ways that we have served others at our time at Cor Jesu is only part of the reason. Through Penny Queen Week, Our Junior Service Projects, Service Saturday, Junior Christmas Families, and more has each shaped us to act as the Heart of Jesus. 

I am attached to the charism at Cor Jesu through my gained morals and traits that I have learned here. I have learned to be more generous, accepting, loving, and sacrificial. I had mixed feeling about Cor Jesu Academy my first two years but because of the Charism and morals I have learned attending Cor Jesu has been the best decision I have made. The lifetime lessons, traits, and morals that are all contained in our community is truly the charism that no one can be taught about, it’s an experience you have to accept yourself. 

The charism at Cor Jesu is incomparable to any other community.  The reason I chose to come to Cor Jesu was because of the overwhelming happiness the people are CJ shared together.  I knew that coming to this school would not only help me grow closer to Jesus but also the people around me.  Over my past four years here I have felt the love of the heart of Christ in so many ways; through the friends I have made, the teacher and staff, and the larger community of CJ alums.  This place I have grown to love is filled with love, respect, and spirit.  This love does not just stay in the walls here at CJ though we have learned to spread the love of the heart of Christ to all the people in our community by doing service.  I have done this through countless things during my time here whether it be by serving the people on freshman and sophomore service day or senior year doing my lasting project at Cornerstone, I have shared the love of Christ with many people.  Cor Jesu has shown me the importance of serving others and this is something I hope to carry on when I go to college and for the rest of my life.  The charism of CJ is something I will cherish for years to come.  CJ has become my home and I hope to have my children one day get to experience a place with people filled with so much love and enthusiasm towards helping others.