Sr. Patricia Culhane, RSCJ and Sr. Marie D’Huart, RSCJ were two long-serving, much-loved members of the ISSH community in the 1970s. Both were members of the Society of the Sacred Heart who came to Japan in order to support ISSH’s mission of educating young women to grow up into courageous and confident global citizens with a deep respect for its Goals and Criteria. Serving as Headmistress and French teacher, respectively, they dedicated not only their time and energy, but also their love to helping ISSH grow and supporting students in their educational journeys. 

Today, these two meaningful figures in ISSH’s history are honored through scholarship funds generously created by members of the community. In alignment with Goals 3 and 4, these scholarships support students each year for whom paying full tuition would be prohibitive. 

Please give today in honor of Sr. Culhane and Sr. D’Huart.

Memories of Sr. Culhane
Sr. Culhane served as Headmistress from 1969 to 1973, and is remembered as a strong, principled woman who cared deeply about the school and about each student as an individual. She was known for her love of dogs, and kept two pet cocker spaniels who followed her around the school. Often seen in her full religious habit, she has been described as “gliding through the hallways with her dogs bounding behind her.” 

Petrina Angus ’80 remembers Sister Culhane very fondly. “She was such a strong, powerful, incredibly caring woman,” she recollects. Petrina, who moved to Tokyo for her father’s work at 7 years old after growing up in Australia and Denmark, was intimidated on her first day as a new student at Sacred Heart, but when she walked in the front door, she was met by Sr. Culhane and her two spaniels. “I got to play with her dogs, and that put me at ease immediately,” she recalls fondly. “After that, Sr. Culhane had a soft spot for me. She even let me use the spiral staircase, which was only for Grade 12 students back then!” 

Sr. Culhane remains one of Petrina’s fondest memories from her time in Tokyo: “People were intimidated by her, but I thought she was amazing. She was really forward-thinking. She and all the other European nuns moved all the way to Tokyo to serve the school—I just thought they were such strong, amazing women.” 

Are you interested in sharing a fond memory of Sr. Culhane or Sr. D’Huart? Please reach out to our Communications and Fundraising Manager, Michi Yano, at donate@issh.ac.jp. She would love to hear your stories!