By Sr. Teresa Yong, Senior Social Service Assistant in Ahuva Good Shepherd Small Group Care, Marymount Center, Singapore
Standing before the stone facade of the Motherhouse of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd in Angers, France, the exhaustion of travel dissolved into stillness. For those of us involved in this mission, this was a deep spiritual homecoming. Walking the paths paved by Saint Mary Euphrasia, I personally set a theme for the days of this pilgrimage from June 28 to July 5, 2026 — “A renewed spirit and rekindled zeal” — which shifted from an abstract concept into a living reality. This enriching journey realigned my inner purpose with the sacred roots of our shared mission.
Upon our arrival at the train station in Angers, we were warmly welcomed by Sr. Melania Jung. Stepping into the historic spaces where our global roots were first planted, I experienced an unexpected wave of belonging. Surrounded by a legacy of warm hospitality, the frantic noise of modern life instantly faded away. In that sacred silence, my spirit found room to breathe and rest. I felt completely at home because the environment mirrored the inner peace I had been searching for—a sanctuary where vulnerability is met with grace.
We began the pilgrimage by visiting various places in the Motherhouse. Thanks to Sarah Elbisser, Motherhouse Heritage Manager, for patiently guiding us throughout the tour. The defining moments of this spiritual homecoming occurred in the quietest spaces: St. Mary Euphrasia’s bedroom and her tomb. Entering the room where our Mother Foundress lived, worked, and prayed felt like stepping across a threshold of sacred intimacy. Looking at her simple surroundings, her humanity became entirely tangible. She was no longer just a distant figure from history books, but a real person who faced immense challenges with unwavering faith. In the stillness of that bedroom, an overwhelming peace washed over me, offering a comforting assurance that we are all exactly where we are meant to be.
This intimate connection deepened even further as I spent quiet time by her tomb. Resting in that space of profound reverence, the pilgrimage’s call for a renewed spirit truly came alive. Proximity to her final resting place felt like standing near an active spiritual hearth. It was an enriching moment where her lifelong, fierce passion for the marginalized transferred directly to my own heart. I did not just feel the passive comfort of being “at home“; I felt an urgent, loving call to action. Her enduring legacy challenged me to look inward and strip away spiritual complacency.
Learning about the unrelenting zeal of our Mother Foundress who built a global mission from this exact spot sparked an inner fire. Touching the history of the Good Shepherd rekindled my own zeal, transforming my faith into a burning desire to serve alongside each partner-in-mission.
This amazing journey showed me that the “home” we discover is not confined to geographic borders. It is a state of being rooted in divine love and driven by a clear purpose. I return to our daily ministry with a deeply renewed spirit by reflecting on this question in my daily service:
“How can I live out St. Mary Euphrasia’s zeal to make those we serve feel truly at home?“
Indeed, the fire ignited at the Motherhouse and at the tomb of Saint Mary Euphrasia is now mine to keep alive, carrying the zeal of Angers directly into our everyday choices, relationships, and actions as we serve together. I offer up this prayer in my daily commitment to Jesus the Good Shepherd:
Gracious and Loving Shepherd, Thank you for the sacred legacy of Saint John Eudes and Saint Mary Euphrasia and the spiritual home we share in Angers. Renew our hearts daily and light an unquenchable fire within us so that our daily service is never just a routine, but a dynamic extension of your love. Grant us the zeal needed to break down barriers, the warm hospitality to welcome the vulnerable, and the grace to make everyone we serve feel truly at home. We ask this in your most holy name. Amen.
