Our Good Shepherd Heritage –
Following in the Footsteps of St Mary Euphrasia
By Theresa Symons
The Province of Singapore Malaysia celebrated Good Shepherd Heritage in August 2009 with the theme “Following in the Footsteps of St. Mary Euphrasia”.
To ensure that as many Good Shepherd Partners as possible could be part of the event, it was held in three separate locations, i.e. Kuala Lumpur, Kota Kinabalu and Singapore, from 22 Aug 09 to 30 Aug 09. In total, almost 250 Good Shepherd Partners, comprising sisters and lay partners, participated in the event.
Sr. Deanna Pereira from the Province of India was the main speaker for the celebrations.
She shared her insights on St Mary Euphrasia (SME), captivating the participants with her excellent story telling skills on SME’s childhood and adolescence.
Sr. Deanna elevated the participants to a greater appreciation of SME and her compassion for women and children who led marginalised lives after the French Revolution. SME’s zeal and desire to reach out to women and children who lived beyond the geographical boundaries of Angers led her to the founding of the Generalate.
The participants listened in awe on how SME rose above the challenges she faced to realise this prophetic vision that eventually brought the Good Shepherd mission to 70 countries in five continents including to the shores of Singapore and Malaysia.
Sr. Deanna also recounted stories of SME’s lay partners, namely Count De Neuville and Countess D’Andigne, who worked closely with her on the spread of Good Shepherd mission. The participants were told of the close relationship SME had with many other lay partners, women and men, who shared her vision and collaborated with her in the set-up of convents and homes. The participants were able to identify with the lay partners in SME’s era and draw parallels to their own committed involvement in Good Shepherd mission today in Singapore/Malaysia.
Many Good Shepherd Partners shared that they were grateful for the rich heritage of Good Shepherd mission and how humbled they were in their attempts to walk in the footsteps of St Mary Euphrasia and make positive differences in the lives of those who live on the margins so that one day they too may be assimilated into the mainstream of society with dignity and respect.