The contemplative life within the Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd is unique. Though it is a silent vocation, removed from direct interaction with the world, it is deeply rooted in the pursuit of justice, peace, solidarity, reconciliation, and mercy. This way of life is sustained by a profound awareness of being intimately united with the Creator—through the cosmos, which reveals the harmony of a world made by love, and for love.
To understand the contemplative life is to recognize it as a daily journey—a continuous search for the Face of our Good Shepherd. This Face is hidden in simplicity, revealed in the ordinary moments and small acts of daily life. Along this path, God offers us silence as a means of sanctification—a silence that is not empty, but filled with the presence of our sisters in community and of all those for whom we pray. In them, too, we discover the Face of our Beloved.
God invites us again and again: “Seek my Face.” And in response, we are granted glimpses of heaven—in praise, in the listening of the Word, and in the joyful companionship of our sisters in community.
Our Congregation is marked by a unique charism and spirituality expressed through two distinct yet unified ways of life. These differences do not divide us; rather, they highlight a shared vocation centered around a common Mission.
The Sisters of the Good Shepherd Contemplative Life are wholly dedicated to prayer and contemplation. Through this deep spiritual commitment, they come to live fully in God, becoming a living sign of mercy and reconciliation in a world in need—especially for women who long for the tender care of the Good Shepherd.
Contemplative life, rooted in the call to witness God and serve as instruments of reconciliation, is expressed through prayer, evangelical simplicity, solitude, and silence. For the Contemplative Sisters, enclosure is not a withdrawal from the world, but a profound way of embracing it—through prayer and union with God, seen in the light of the Gospel.
In this way, their life is one of ongoing renewal, bringing vocal prayer into present reality. They respond to the needs of humanity by lifting up the intentions of all who seek their prayers, embracing the joys and sorrows of the world in their sacred silence.
La contemplación es una forma de ser, una atracción fundamental hacia el Misterio de Dios, una llamada a la vida consciente. La contemplación y la acción son dos caras de la misma moneda: ambas son necesarias si queremos ser eficaces y estar verdaderamente presentes para nosotras mismas y para los demás.
Este cambio supone pasar de un conocimiento intelectual de Dios a la experiencia del Dios del Misterio, un compromiso del corazón más que de la mente. Nuestro Creador nos invita a poner gran énfasis en encender el espíritu creativo dentro de cada persona, dando más tiempo y espacio para experimentar la belleza de la creación y explorar los propios talentos y creatividad.
Buscamos desarrollar una actitud contemplativa que pueda escuchar la voz de Dios en nuestras vidas, y descubrir el rostro humano de Jesús en cada persona, particularmente en aquellos que son más vulnerables. Es imperativo que creemos un espacio sagrado de diálogo con todos, que permita actitudes de escucha, respeto, veracidad, compasión, confianza y crecimiento a través de relaciones sanadoras y reconciliadoras.
Rep. Dem. del Congo, Kenia, Sudán del Sur, Uganda
Madagascar, Mauricio, Reunión
Senegal, Burkina Faso
Bélgica, Francia, Hungría, Países Bajos
Italia, Malta, Portugal, España
Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panamá, Puerto Rico
Brasil, Paraguay