Those Who Lit the Way

St. John Eudes, a French priest, missionary, and founder, is regarded as the spiritual father of the Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd. Moved by God's compassionate love and the dignity of every human person, he founded the Order of Our Lady of Charity in 1641 to provide refuge, healing, and hope for women seeking a new beginning in life.

His spirituality, deeply rooted in the Hearts of Jesus and Mary, emphasized mercy, reconciliation, and a personal encounter with the love of God. This vision profoundly influenced Saint Mary Euphrasia Pelletier, who later expanded the mission through the foundation of the Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd in 1835.

Today, the Good Shepherd Sisters continue to draw inspiration from St. John Eudes' zeal and compassion, carrying forward his legacy by witnessing to God's merciful love and serving those who are vulnerable, wounded, and on the margins of society.

St. Mary Euphrasia Pelletier, born Rose Virginie Pelletier in 1796 in Noirmoutier, France, grew up in the aftermath of the French Revolution and was known from an early age for her sensitivity to suffering and deep faith. As a teenager, she felt drawn to religious life and to serving God through care for those in need.

She entered the Sisters of Our Lady of Charity, founded by St. John Eudes, whose spirituality of the compassionate Hearts of Jesus and Mary shaped her understanding of mercy and mission. While serving in Angers, she discerned the need for a broader response to women and girls living in poverty, exploitation, and abandonment. In 1835, she founded the Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd, expanding the original mission with a wider global vision.

Known in religious life as Mary Euphrasia, she devoted her life to this mission of reconciliation and compassion. Her conviction that “one person is of more value than a whole world” continues to inspire the Good Shepherd Sisters today in their service of mercy, dignity, and hope.

Blessed Maria Droste zu Vischering was a German Good Shepherd Sister known for her deep love for the Heart of Jesus and her life of hidden holiness. Born in 1863 into a noble family, she entered the Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd at a young age, responding generously to God’s call to religious life.

Living a life marked by simplicity, prayer, and trust in God, she became especially known for her devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Her quiet witness of love, sacrifice, and fidelity reflected the spirit of the Good Shepherd mission in a profound way.

Her life had a significant spiritual influence on the Church through her encouragement of devotion to the Sacred Heart, and she is remembered today as a model of contemplative depth and wholehearted surrender to God’s love. She was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1975.

In her hidden yet powerful witness, Blessed Maria Droste continues to inspire the Good Shepherd Sisters to live a life of prayer, compassion, and faithful love in service of God’s people.

Blessed Aguchita was a Good Shepherd Sister born in Peru in 1920. She is remembered for her simple life, deep faith, and generous service to Indigenous communities, especially women and children in vulnerable situations.

She lived a life of closeness to the poor, witnessing God’s love through education, care, and daily acts of compassion. She was martyred in 1990 and beatified in 2022. Today, she continues to inspire the Good Shepherd mission through her joyful witness of service, courage, and love for the marginalized.