“Hearts United in Peace”
VSN Common Theme 2026-2027
By Olivia Wills Kane
Interim Director, Visitation Salesian Network (VSN)
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you… Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.” – John 14:27
Each year, the Visitation Salesian Network (VSN) engages a common theme that unites our schools in a shared spiritual focus. While each school lives out the Visitation charism in its own unique way, this tradition reminds us that we are formed by the same Salesian vision: to educate the mind and heart in the spirit of the Visitation Sisters.
For the 2026–2027 school year, the VSN invites our communities to embrace the theme, “Hearts United in Peace.” This theme emerges from a deep awareness of a present moment where peace can feel fragile and elusive. We live in a world marked not only by visible conflict but also by the quieter unrest of anxious hearts and the harm caused by words that divide rather than heal. And yet, it is precisely here that our Salesian tradition speaks with clarity and hope.
Each of our Visitation schools are situated in communities that have, in recent years, experienced moments of unrest and division. These realities are not distant from our classrooms; they shape the lives and questions of our students, who are growing up as global learners in an interconnected world that carries both promise and tension. And yet, rather than turning away from this reality, our Salesian tradition invites us to meet it with a particular kind of response: not one of force or fear, but of presence, relationship, and an enduring commitment to peace.
Peace, in the Salesian vision, is not simply the absence of conflict, but an active, life-giving presence formed interiorly, practiced relationally, and extended outward into the world. St. Francis de Sales, who lived amid political and religious turmoil, showed that this peace is cultivated through patient dialogue, gentle strength, deep listening, and a steady confidence in God’s presence. “Since the heart is the source of all our actions,” he writes, “as the heart is, so are they.” In this way, the work of peace begins within and flows outward through the way we encounter others.
In the quiet of the present moment, we are invited to cultivate an interior peace rooted in trust. This is a hallmark of Salesian spirituality, which rests in God’s providence rather than excessive anxiety about the past or the future. This confidence allows us to experience a deeper freedom – a “liberty of spirit” – that receives life as it comes without agitation or fear. St. Jane de Chantal modeled this attentiveness to God in the midst of daily responsibilities, showing how peace is nurtured through faithful awareness of God’s presence.
We come to recognize that this interior peace is not something we create on our own, but a gift from God that gradually takes root within us, strengthened through prayer, sustained by trust, and deepened in the ordinary moments of daily life. It allows us to remain steady in the midst of difficulty and to “live peacefully in all things,” as St. Francis counsels, holding both joy and struggle in the quiet confidence that God is present and at work – shaping the way we move through each day.
In our relationships, this peace becomes visible in the way we speak, listen, and respond to one another. In a culture where words can easily wound, we are called to a distinctly gentle Visitation voice that reflects the dignity of each person and seeks understanding over division. St. Francis de Sales’ counsel to “do all by love and nothing by force” names this daily choice to practice patience, forgiveness, and respect in our interactions. These Little Virtues, so central to our Salesian tradition, are the quiet, steady ways we build relationships rooted in peace and care for one another.
In our world, we are called to be peacemakers. Our Visitation schools are uniquely placed to be communities of healing and hope, rooted in the Gospel and guided by Catholic Social Teaching. The Visitation commitment that “Justice Shall Flourish” reminds us that peace is inseparable from justice, calling us to attentiveness to the needs of others, especially the poor and vulnerable, and to respond with prayer, compassion, and action.
The Church continues to echo this call. In his first words to the world, Pope Leo offered a simple yet profound greeting: “Peace be with you.” He reminds us that true peace is not imposed by force or achieved through dominance, but grows through dialogue, encounter, and a shared search for truth rooted in love.
Grounded in this vision, the VSN invites our school communities this year to live the theme in concrete ways. Through prayer, teaching, and daily life, we will seek to:
- Cultivate interior peace through trust in God’s presence and Providence
- Practice gentleness in our words, choices, and relationships
- Foster communities marked by respect, compassion, and reconciliation
- Act as peacemakers, working for justice and unity in our local and global communities
In unity, there is strength. As members of the Visitation family, we are entrusted with a powerful mission: to form hearts that reflect the peace of Christ and to carry that peace into the world. Together, may our Visitation schools become places where hearts are truly united – rooted in God, formed in gentleness, and sent forth as instruments of His peace.