Part I: What is a Catholic Education?
(PK4 in their class shirts during Catholic Schools Week 2022)
Can I go to Sacred Heart if I'm not Catholic?
We are glad you asked, and the answer is Yes. Think of Catholic schools as faith communities. Sacred Heart Catholic School (SHS) embodies the Christian faith by encouraging students to foster a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. We value diversity and respect for all faiths, and our student body represents a multitude of religious affiliations:
- 61% Catholic
- 39% Non-Catholic
SHS was voted Best Private School in the Pine Belt for five consecutive years. However, SHS is really a parochial school. That means SHS was founded in 1900 as a ministry of Sacred Heart Catholic Church and is still a mission of all Catholic churches in the Hattiesburg area. We will celebrate our 125th anniversary in two years!! Principals, Karyn Charles and Vicki Flanagan, have continued the tradition of teaching Christ's principles, forming strong moral characters in its students, graduating academically talented students, and fostering a heart that serves others.
Sacred Heart celebrates the academic and faith experiences students receive when attending school at The Heart. Both campuses place a significant role on service and volunteering. At the elementary campus, students and teachers host drives throughout the year to raise money or items for community partners like St. Vincent de Paul's food bank, diaper drives, animal shelters and more. High School students are required to complete service hours each quarter in efforts to build a foundation of servanthood. Administrators, staff and faculty want Sacred Heart students to graduate and become productive citizens in the world. It is important to carry out Jesus' teachings from Matthew 5:3-11 (the Beatitudes).
Every year, Sacred Heart Catholic Schools celebrates Catholic Education -- Catholic Schools Week (CSW). This week is filled with fun! SHS kicks off CSW with a Mardi Gras Celebration & Drawdown. It's a chance for the Sader Family to fellowship and raise money for school needs. During the week, students at the high school and elementary celebrate the Hattiesburg community, students, United States and military, and SHS faculty/staff. Last year, SHS partnered with a local family, The Hoods, and collected old SHS uniforms. High School students sorted, packed and loaded an entire truck to be sent to Honduras!
Coming Soon | SHS highlights a few Catholic practices in the daily life of its students and explains the structure of its school system.