{"id":14578,"date":"2026-04-30T14:05:20","date_gmt":"2026-04-30T12:05:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.olcgs.org\/?p=14578"},"modified":"2026-05-04T14:41:12","modified_gmt":"2026-05-04T12:41:12","slug":"us-toronto-region-angers-pilgrimage-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.olcgs.org\/es\/us-toronto-region-angers-pilgrimage-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Mission Flows Forth: 2026 Angers Pilgrimage"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Jenny Beatrice, Regional Communications Manager, St. Louis, USA (US|Toronto Region) <\/em><\/p>\n

''Our unity is a gently flowing river, which waters our land with blessings<\/em>.\u201d Saint Mary Euphraisa<\/p>\n

The Maine River flows through Angers<\/strong>, France, a town rich in history, culture, and beauty. Not far from the riverfront sits the motherhouse of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd, a home for generations of OLCGS sisters, flowing through its green doors<\/strong> into the street, missioned both near and far to serve in love.<\/p>\n

In April, more than 70 pilgrims embarked on a spiritual journey through Good Shepherd origins, legacy, and spirituality through the stories of St. Mary Euphrasia and St. John Eudes. The pilgrimage was sponsored by the newly-formed U.S.|Toronto Region and led by the region\u2019s Mission and Values Team<\/strong> (Celia \u201cCee Cee<\/em>\u201d Ceballos, Lizzie Cody, Nadia Dias, Nancy Eagan, Janet Jones, and Sister Judy Mannix).<\/p>\n

The pilgrims were predominantly partners-in-mission from Good Shepherd programs who came not only to experience the roots of the mission but also to transform it for the future<\/strong> by bringing their experience back to their programs, prepared to lead Good Shepherd into the future. Pilgrims also included sisters from the region and from Kenya, and other partners-in-mission.<\/p>\n

The pilgrims walked the halls and the grounds of the motherhouse to learn about the history, but more than that, they breathed in the spirit of St. Mary Euphrasia, feeling the courage, faith, and love that have sustained the mission for hundreds of years.<\/p>\n

Barbara Banovich-Mroz, former director and current board member of the Good Shepherd Mission Development Corporation, experienced St. Mary Euphrasia as a woman short of stature yet immense in strength and purpose.<\/p>\n

''I felt such joy in experiencing the history, walking where Mother Euphrasia walked, seeing her habit, her tiny, brown shoes<\/em>\u201d, dice. \u201cI always knew she was short and petite, but it was startling how this small treasure of a woman, built tunnels, challenged the societal norms of the times and church hierarchy, established 110 institutes, and had the faithful following of about 3,000 sisters when she went home to her Shepherd God in that simple and small bed<\/em>\u00bb.<\/p>\n

Experiencing Rose Virgine Pelltier\u2019s (St. Mary Euphrasia) younger years, the pilgrims traveled to the island of Noirmoutier, learning about her early days and childhood influences led by Sarah Elbisser, Motherhouse Heritage Manager, and Elodie Fraboulet of the Congregation\u2019s Spirituality Center.<\/p>\n

Part of the trip included a stop at the Passage du Gois<\/em>, a narrow road that connects mainland France to the island. Twice a day, it disappears during the high tide of the Atlantic. Rose Virginie\u2019s parents walked across the Gois on foot to her birthplace.<\/p>\n

Liam Michael Quinn, Congregational communications manager, connects nature’s influence on Rose to the Good Shepherd position on integral ecology today.<\/p>\n

''Standing under the blue skies that day, listening to the sounds of the local fauna and gazing over the Passage du Gois as the tidal edge gently began to reclaim the causeway, it became clear just how aware the young Rose must have been of natural cycles, of the rhythms of the seasons, and of the interconnectedness of ecosystems and human life<\/em>\u00bb.<\/p>\n

Just as these heritage experiences connected the pilgrims not only to the Congregation\u2019s mission and values today, they also created a sense of unity within the global community <\/strong>of Good Shepherd. Relationships were formed and strengthened through time for prayer, ritual, reflection, and conversation about the shared mission and spirituality.<\/p>\n

Ashley Reynolds, talent acquisition manager at Maryhurst<\/a> in Louisville, Kentucky, which serves adolescent girls and their families, says, \u201cI am in deep gratitude for the time and experience spent with you all. Each conversation had, every laugh, every tear, has led me closer to my heart center.<\/em>\u00bb<\/p>\n

Moving the mission forward in the new region is core to its growth. Regional Leader Sister Maureen McGowan spoke to the pilgrims and elicited their responses to the region\u2019s vision statement to gain insights into where the leadership can recognize new life and energy. \u201cWe had no road map but moved forward with a strong desire to deepen our Good Shepherd lives and further our missio<\/em>n,\u201d she says. \u201cGrowing and living into the region with partners is part of our constant evolution<\/em>\u00bb.<\/p>\n

Like the life-giving flow of Maine, this evolution continues to expand throughout the pilgrims’ hearts.<\/p>\n

Kelly-Ann Stevenson, registered psychiatric nurse at Marymound<\/a> in Manitoba, Canada, serving as an alternative to prison for young women and families, is renewed in her commitment to the mission. \u201cThis week has not only deepened my understanding but has renewed and energized my commitment to walk in the mission of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd and carry forward their spirit of compassion, justice, and unwavering care for those most in need feel more real now<\/em>\". Ella dice.<\/p>\n

''It was the love of the mission that brought us together in Angers for the pilgrimage<\/em>,\u201d says Sr. Teresia Murungi, director of the Mission Development Office of the Eastern and Central Africa Province (ECAP)<\/a>. \u201cInspired by the same vigor, we shall keep the mission going!<\/em>\u00bb<\/p>\n

Pilgrims could feel St. Mary Eupharsia\u2019s presence throughout every step of the journey. Pilgrimage leader Cee Cee Ceballos of the Mission and Values Team envisions St. Mary Euphrasia\u2019s pride in seeing how her vision flows through the pilgrims as they leave Angers renewed for mission<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

''I imagine her smiling, looking at each of you with deep affection and pride. I think she would thank you for daring to love boldly, for allowing yourselves to be changed, and for carrying the spirit of this place back into your everyday lives<\/em>\u00bb.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Jenny Beatrice, Regional Communications Manager, St. Louis, USA (US|Toronto Region) \u201cOur unity is a gently flowing river, which waters our land with blessings.\u201d Saint Mary Euphraisa The Maine River flows through Angers, France, a town rich in history, culture, and beauty. Not far from the riverfront sits the motherhouse of Our Lady of Charity […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":14582,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[116,51,83],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-14578","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-motherhouse","category-north-america","category-toronto"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.olcgs.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-05-04-at-13.36.17-2_main.jpeg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.olcgs.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14578","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.olcgs.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.olcgs.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.olcgs.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.olcgs.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14578"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.olcgs.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14578\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14583,"href":"https:\/\/www.olcgs.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14578\/revisions\/14583"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.olcgs.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14582"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.olcgs.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14578"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.olcgs.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14578"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.olcgs.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14578"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}