Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd

The Sisters of the Good Shepherd Congregation Latin Filiarum BMV a caritate Boni pastoris, religious symbol RGS ( rare ULFGH ) are an international congregation founded in France in 1835, which currently comprises over 5,000 sisters in operations in about 65 countries on all five continents. The community is particularly committed to work for disadvantaged women and girls. She has a non-governmental organization (NGO) in consultative status since 1996 (special consultative status) with the United Nations Economic and Social Council ( ECOSOC). Currently (November 2007 ) there have 3,051 organizations in consultative status.

In the province of Austria - Switzerland - Czech Republic there are eleven branches of the Congregation, in which a total of 85 sisters live. In Germany, the Order has today 25 convents, in the dioceses of Erfurt, Cologne, Limburg, Munich - Freising, Münster, Paderborn, Regensburg, Trier and Würzburg. In addition, especially lay associates work in Europe, where the community has sister deficiency, together with the Order.

The symbol of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd is a cross with behind -drawn heart; Long before the wood of the cross is a crosier.

Order development

The Congregation of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd goes to the Order of Our Lady of Charity (1651 canonically recognized ), who under the St. John Eudes ( 1601-1680 ) in Caen, France (Normandy) in 1641 as an auxiliary device for prostitutes to give up their profession was wanted, was launched. The fast-growing religious expanded its work to include other services for girls and women.

1829 founded the later canonized Sister Mary Euphrasia Pelletier and Superior General ( 1796-1868 ) with five other sisters a branch in a dilapidated calico factory in Angers, France ( on the Loire ), who called them home from the Good Shepherd. Pelletier organized the evolving community with a General House in Angers ( later moved to Rome) to crosslink the Good Shepherd, the newly founded houses at several locations. On January 9, 1835 Pelletier was recognized as Superior General of the Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd of Angers and the Decree seven days later by Pope Gregory XVI. approved.

1838 the first house was built abroad, in Rome; 1840, the sisters came to Germany and founded the House of the Good Shepherd in Munich. 1864 included the eight " provinces " structured community, 92 houses with 1868 nurses and 349 novices. In addition to the socially engaged houses founded Pelletier also a contemplative religious branch of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd, who supported the work of the other houses through prayer.

In the following years the Order grew rapidly. There is now mainly in Europe but Sister deficiency. Several houses (eg in Trier and Schwandorf (1996)) have been abandoned in recent years, also increasing cooperation with " lay associates " sought.

Superiors General

  • Mary Euphrasia Pelletier (1835-1868)
  • Maria Pierre de Coudenhove (1868-1892)
  • Maria Marine Verger (1892-1905)
  • Maria Domitille Larose (1905-1928)
  • Mary Jean de la Croix Balzer (1928-1940)
  • Mary Ursule Jung (1940-1960)
  • Maria Thomas d'Aquin Lee (1960-1973)
  • Maria Bernadette Fox (1973-1985)
  • Gema Maria Cadena (1985-1991)
  • Maria Liliane Tauvette (1991-2003)
  • Brigid Lawlor (2003 -)
Roman Catholic Diocese of Erfurt Roman Catholic Diocese of Limburg Roman Catholic Diocese of Regensburg Roman Catholic Diocese of Trier Mary of the Divine Heart
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