Sister Margaret Williams wrote about the origin and traditions of the Society of the Sacred Heart, offering insight into the natures of the religious life, the true aims of Christian education, and the growth which comes from the interaction between a religious order, and the social and cultural circumstances in which it finds itself. The book falls into three parts: 1) Roots: places the Society within the framework of the Church at work in human history ; 2) Growth: traces the development of the Society over the last hundred years ; 3) Life-sap: looks at the spiritual force that alone assures continued identity to a living organism-- the Society's life of prayer.--Back cover.