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 contemplation est une manière d’être, une attirance fondamentale pour le mystère de Dieu, un appel à vivre en pleine conscience. La contemplation et l’action sont les deux faces d’une même médaille – les deux sont nécessaires si nous voulons être efficaces et véritablement présents à nous-mêmes et aux autres.
Ce changement nous fait passer d'une connaissance intellectuelle de Dieu à l'expérience du Dieu du Mystère, un engagement du cœur plutôt que de l'esprit. Nous sommes invités par notre Créateur à accorder une grande importance à cultiver l’esprit créatif de chaque personne, en accordant plus de temps et d’espace à expérimenter la beauté de la création et explorer ses talents et sa créativité.
Nous cherchons à développer une attitude contemplative capable d’écouter la voix de Dieu dans nos vies et de découvrir le visage humain de Jésus en chaque personne, en particulier chez les plus vulnérables. Il est impératif que nous créions un espace sacré de dialogue avec tous et toutes, permettant de développer des attitudes d’écoute, de respect, d’authenticité, de compassion, de confiance et de croissance, grâce à la guérison et à la réconciliation des relations.
Rép. Dém. du Congo, Kenya, Ouganda, Soudan du Sud
Madagascar, Maurice, La Réunion
Sénégal, Burkina Faso
Belgique, France, Hongrie, Pays-Bas
Italie, Malte, Portugal, Espagne
Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Porto Rico
Brésil, Paraguay