By Jenny Beatrice, Regional Director of Communications (Provinces of NY-Toronto, Central South, and Mid-North America)

“Carefully cultivate the vineyard entrusted to you. Let it be your treasure.”

St. Mary Euphrasia

At the end of October 2024, over 100 sisters and partners-in-mission gathered for a time of belonging to the mission and to one another at the US/Toronto Regional Symposium.

The experience was an opportunity to connect with all mission partners from across North America, delve deeper into the vision and values of the new region being formed, discover how the mission is expressed today, and reimagine the future for Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd.

The symposium opened with great energy as sisters and partners-in-mission greeted one another, deepening relationships and making new connections. One participant spoke of how the meeting was “energizing and life-giving,” in which she felt “hope and a growing sense of oneness.”

The opening prayer, led by Sr. Carol Pregno, called the group to contemplate the themes vineyards represent in the context of building the new region, including abundance, renewal, diligence, patience, and transformation.

These values are reflected in our Regional Vision Statement, which was read to the participants. “We live the symbolic vineyard values and beyond as we are fully engaged in God’s Vineyard,” Sr. Carol said. “This is who we are; this is what we do.” Participants were invited to share grapes at the tables, celebrating the fruit of the vineyard.

The second day began with prayer from a global perspective. Sr. Elish McPartland brought us into the larger Good Shepherd family with a video containing photos from all the countries around the world where we have a presence. We dove deeper into the global perspective through Sr. Mary Pellegrino’s keynote speech in which she spoke about the “vinedressers” who oversee the propagation, planting, pruning, and tending of grape vines in a vineyard. Modern-day vinedressers cultivate grapes through the grape’s DNA, creating something new from what has been.

Sr. Mary connected this to the Good Shepherd foundations, grounding the emerging realities of our new region and beyond. She described the “soil conditions” of our Good Shepherd vineyards (‘regions’) around the globe, sharing their current realities and challenges and how the mission that binds us is being lived in response.

Speaking about our founders, Saints Mary Euphrasia and John Eudes, Sr. Mary said:

“Their spirits, their energy, their charism, and vision run through your blood. You belong to them, and they belong to you. And you’ve committed yourselves to tending the vines of healing, reconciliation, equity, and inclusion in the vineyard of a universal culture of justice. In the spirit of John and Mary, you’ve called and committed yourselves to abundance and generativity, to zeal for your mission, to radical transformation of yourselves and your community, and to continue to amplify your voices for justice, particularly to elevate and empower women and girls. This is who you are. This is who John Eudes, Mary Euphrasia, and all your sisters and partners have become for the world.  You belong to this vision, and this vision belongs to you.”

The afternoon brought the participants together in a visioning activity using OuiSi photo cards. This game uses close-ups of images to challenge the limitations of our vision and calls us to use creativity to see what is and what can be. At our Mass to close the day, Sr. Barbara Beasley spoke of the “economy” of God’s kingdom and how the mercy and love we give to the world is returned so we can continue to serve in Jesus’ name.

The final day began with a prayer of gratitude led by Sr. Barbara Beasley. The highlight of the day was the panel discussion with the Circle of Province Leaders, where they shared information and answered questions regarding the newly forming region.

This was followed by our Plante Moran facilitators, Jerry Gumbleton and Erin George, who provided information about the “why” of forming the region and the “how” of the process, including engaging sisters and partners-in-mission in the Living Communion, Mission, and Resource Work Groups.

The “why” and “how” of this process come together in the values reflection tool, presented by Sr. Mary Pellegrino and Anna Sklut. This daily reflection is a way to involve all in the vision and values of the region in daily life and work. The event ended with energy as Sr. Carol Pregno led the participants in a dance of Ubuntu (‘I am because we are’).

The symposium was a time for strengthening a sense of belonging through connecting and reconnecting. One participant shared how she “renewed connections with sisters and partners in the missions I have known and initiated connections with partners-in-mission new to me”

At the end of the one participant said, “The gathering gave me vision. In times of trouble, I can turn to the visualization of the vineyard tenders and return to the work at hand.”