Edited from an article by Sr Marie Françoise Thérèse Fons, Communication Officer, Senegal (Province of West Africa)
Under the theme “Pilgrims of hope on the paths of mercy, reconciliation, and a universal culture of justice,” the community of sisters in Senegal recently marked the official opening of the Golden Jubilee of 50 years of presence of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd in Senegal.
The significant time of communion and discernment was marked by both celebration and encounter as the community welcomed the Congregational Leader, Sr. Joan Marie Lopez, and two Councilors, Sisters Marie Francoise and Josita Correra, for a canonical visit from November 20 to November 27, 2025. This important visit created space for shared listening, honest reflection, and renewed attention to the realities of apostolic and community life.
The Jubilee celebrations were further enriched by the Silver Jubilee of Sisters Brigitte Thimbane Ndione, Jeanne Dibor Ndene, and Perline Rasoanandrasana (pictured below), who marked twenty-five years of religious life. Their long-term commitment reflects the perseverance and quiet fidelity that have sustained the Good Shepherd mission in Senegal across decades. Their witness highlights how personal vocation and collective mission are inseparably linked, each strengthening the other over time.
Sisters first arrived in Thiès in 1976 in response to the urgent needs of young girls facing limited educational and economic opportunities. The first initiatives focused on professional training in sewing and embroidery, offering practical skills that could lead to dignity, independence, and sustainable livelihoods. Over time, this modest beginning developed into a broader national mission. Today, vocational training centers and shelters operate in Thiès, Dakar, and Mbour, reaching women and girls whose lives are shaped by poverty, migration, family instability, and violence.
Key milestones reflect this growth. The Saint Marie Euphrasie Centre, established in 1997, and the Augustina Rivas Centre, opened in 2002, expanded the scope of formation beyond technical skills. Alongside literacy and professional training, participants receive education in labor rights, health awareness, and family management. These centers have become spaces where women can rebuild confidence, discover their capacities, and envision new possibilities for themselves and their families.
Over five decades, this mission has directly accompanied more than 4,000 girls, women, and children. Through micro-credit initiatives and savings groups, women struggling with underemployment have gained access to financial resources and collective support. In Dakar, the Ker Rose Virginie shelter has offered refuge to hundreds of women and children affected by domestic violence, family breakdown, or social exclusion. Psychological care, medical support, and structured pathways toward reintegration form the backbone of this work. These initiatives are not simply social programs; they express a conviction that every person has inherent worth and the right to live with dignity.
As the Jubilee year unfolds, the community draws inspiration from the words of St. John Paul II: “Remember the past with gratitude, live the present with enthusiasm, and look to the future with confidence.” By recalling the fifty years of the Congregation’s presence on Senegalese soil, the community gives thanks for the seeds of love, justice, and mercy sown over the years—often in demanding contexts yet always sustained by God’s faithfulness.
The present is welcomed as a time of grace, marked by a dynamic of spiritual and apostolic renewal. The canonical visit made it possible to review the path already taken, to strengthen fraternal communion, and to encourage each sister to continue the mission with renewed enthusiasm, in fidelity to the charism of the Good Shepherd and to the orientations of the Congregation.
Looking to the future with confidence, the community reaffirms its readiness to respond to the calls of the Church and to the challenges of the Senegalese context. Strengthened by the heritage received and rooted in hope, it commits itself to continuing its mission as pilgrims of hope in the service of the most vulnerable, in a spirit of apostolic creativity, shared responsibility, and deep faith in the action of the Holy Spirit.
