Following the Bicentenary Jubilee celebrations in Rome last year, at which she attended, the Communications Office interviewed Sister Enith Pangul Apolo of the Province of Ecuador about her life as a contemplative sister.
Comment avez-vous entendu l'appel à la vie religieuse chez les Sœurs Contemplatives du Bon Pasteur ? Qu'est-ce qui vous a poussée à y répondre ?
I experienced God’s call to embrace the contemplative life after coming to know the two styles within the congregation, and I felt that my vocation was to be with God — from silence, from prayer, in the everyday, in a hidden and simple life, giving myself in whatever is done, with the grace of renewing and making the ordinary new each day, so that this contemplative life may have meaning and reason to be.
To know that from silence and prayer one pleases God, and from there flows a commitment to those most in need. Another reason I responded to this call was the witness and self-giving of the sisters — the dedication they had, the way they lived moments of prayer, silence, work, and study, the joy of their life choice, and the sense that it is possible to live a life removed from the noise of the world without forgetting reality, but rather embracing it and praying each day for the needs of the Church and the world.
The contemplative life is often described as a “hidden life.” How do you believe this way of life becomes a powerful witness to the zeal and charism of the Good Shepherd mission?
The paradox holds that what is hidden is most transformative. The contemplative life does not become a witness because it is seen, but because it is transparent. I would say it is like the root of a tree — it is not seen, yet without it the tree bears neither fruit nor shade. In this way, contemplative life sustains silently, nourishes without making noise. I believe the witness is not in doing things, but in being in another way, and in living prayer in depth, incarnated in reality and for the mission, centered on God.
As you reflect on your religious life and on 200 years of the contemplative sisters, what are you most grateful for, and what legacy have the contemplative sisters laid for future generations?
I am grateful to God for the inspiration given to Saint Mary Euphrasia and to all the sisters who journeyed in founding this contemplative branch within an apostolic congregation – and for how paths of understanding, listening, welcome, and trust have gradually opened.
The legacy of a silent fidelity — of remaining, which is a way of loving. Placing God at the center. They have taught us, without speeches, that God is the guide and the axis of life. That prayer transforms history. That silence is not emptiness; it is presence. That contemplative life is fruitful for the world. That the tenderness of Jesus the Good Shepherd we must live among ourselves — a tenderness that does not invade, yet truly accompanies.
Que représentaient pour vous, personnellement, les célébrations du bicentenaire ? Quel impact ont-elles eu sur vous ?
The celebrations meant very much — above all, commitment, renewal, openness, the desire to go further, to know that I am called to give my best, to continue polishing the diamond that I am, entrusting my life into God’s hands, in a continual thanksgiving for so many gifts received; gratitude for the life of Saint Mary Euphrasia and for each sister who traced the path so that today we might be here; gratitude to the Congregational Leadership Team for all the preparation and the lived experiences, so as to continue transmitting this to new generations.
How do you envision the contemplative dimension of Good Shepherd life expressed in the future, and what message of hope and encouragement would you like to offer to those who seek a more meaningful purpose in today’s world?
I imagine that, in the future, the contemplative life of the Good Shepherd will be expressed in a more integrated and accessible way, adapted to the challenges and realities the world presents to us, with sisters prepared to share the spirituality and the charism from within daily life, marked by a deep connection with nature, from the interior. Reflected in spiritual and deeply human leaders who, through prayer, meditation, and contemplation, help people find peace and serenity in this world of constant change.
As for what gives hope, I think it is nourished by human and spiritual resilience — the capacity, despite difficulties, to seek goodness, love, and the mercy of Jesus the Good Shepherd. The hope of being women of faith, where a full and abundant life of encounter with the “Only One, the Only All” is possible, where spirituality is the source of healing for the soul.
My message is: “You are not alone in your search.” Every step you take toward love, peace, and compassion is a step toward the very heart of humanity. Find time for silence to listen to the voice of your soul and recognize the presence of the divine in every day.
