Thursday 8 January 2009

The Little Sisters of the Good Shepherd

On 8th September, 2008, M. l'Abbé Philippe Laguérie, I.B.P., celebrated Mass in the small chapel of the Chateau of Arrou.

L'Abbé Laguérie, is the Moderator General of the Institute of the Good Shepherd. The Mass marked the foundation of the Little Sisters of the Good Shepherd, les Petites Soeurs du Bon Pasteur, something akin to the 'second order' of the Institute of the Good Shepherd.

The Little Sisters are seen above with M. l'Abbé Forestier, I.B.P., who is the Rector of the Institute's Seminary at Courtalain, during a pilgrimage made to the shrine of the Little Flower at Lisieux on 8th December, 2008. The formation of the Little Sisters is taking place at the Chateau of Arrou, which you can see below, not far from Courtalain, to the west of Chartres.

The sisters, now four in number, have come together to be formed in the spirit of the Institute of the Good Shepherd as apostolic sisters in accord with the vision of St. Vincent de Paul, the great Apostle of Charity.

Their beginnings, like those of the Good Shepherd, Himself, and like the beginnings of the works of St. Vincent de Paul, are humble and hidden.

However, they promise great things for the future. The Little Sisters of the Good Shepherd have entered upon an heroic journey to create a religious Institute, living the burning zeal of apostolic Charity while maintaining the great traditions, not only of the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, but also that traditional religious life that was so often France's great gift to the Church.

Their website states that, as with the Institute of the Good Shepherd, itself, the proper Rite of the Little Sisters will be the Traditional Roman Rite contained in the Liturgical Books of 1962. May the good God grant them increase of holiness and increase of sisters!

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Brave!

Gratias agamus Domino Deo nostro!

Anonymous said...

I am looking around their website, and was wondering, what is their apostolate? I can't seem to find it. Sorry to comment on an old post...but I really want to know as I have been looking for a traditonal order of sisters who do charity work.

ESabeth said...

I have visited this foundation twice with view of discernment. The latest situation is as follows:

They are now not linked with the Institute of the Good Shepherd. Their bishop has asked them to change their name. They are now the little Sisters of the Mission of Holy Mary (Petite Soeurs de la Mission Sainte Marie). Sister can be contacted at missionsaintemarie@hotmail.fr

They are traditional apostolic with strong emphasis on the Holy Rosary and catechism.

Convenor said...

Dear ESabeth,

Please consider writing an entirely new post giving the most up-to-date information of this congregation.

God bless you!