Contemplative Sisters of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd mark 200 years of prayer and service
The Contemplative Sisters of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd are concluding their 200th anniversary celebrations with a spirit of gratitude and renewal. The year-long bicentenary will officially close with a Eucharistic celebration in Rome on November 11, 2025, presided over by Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization.
Throughout the past year, the congregation has reflected deeply on its spiritual journey through webinars, community gatherings, and moments of prayer. More than 100 sisters and lay partners joined Pope Leo XIV in St. Peter’s Square on November 5 for a special General Audience. The Pope’s reflection on the Resurrection of Jesus Christ resonated strongly with the sisters’ contemplative mission, which is rooted in hope, renewal, and compassion.
“In the face of our fragile humanity, the resurrection of Christ becomes care and healing, nurturing hope amid the challenges that life presents to us each day,” Pope Leo told the gathered community. His message, focusing on the theme of new creation, captured the essence of the congregation’s mission to bring light into a world often marked by suffering and division.
The Contemplative Sisters trace their origins to 1825, when St. Mary Euphrasia Pelletier founded the congregation in response to women seeking a deeper life of prayer and spiritual presence. Over two centuries, their charism has remained constant: to live a contemplative life dedicated to reconciliation, healing, and the dignity of every person.
Sr. Shirely Tomala, a member of the Bicentenary Committee, described the anniversary as both a celebration and a call to continue forward with faith. “We are called not to lose hope in the face of today’s challenges, but to walk into the future with a heart that welcomes, heals, and dignifies,” she said.
The sisters’ contemplative vocation complements the apostolic branch of the Congregation of the Good Shepherd, whose members serve in over 70 countries. Together, they embody the mercy and compassion of Jesus the Good Shepherd through ministries that empower girls, women, and families affected by poverty, exploitation, and injustice.
As the bicentennial year concludes, Sr. Joan Marie Lopez, RGS Congregational Leader, expressed her hope that this milestone would inspire a deeper sense of unity and spiritual renewal. “May we be shaped and made radiant by grace,” she said, “so that the fire of God’s love may warm and illumine the world through our lives.”
The celebration of 200 years is not only a remembrance of the past but a renewed commitment to prayer, service, and reconciliation, a mission that continues to guide the sisters as they step into a new century of faith.
