Good Shepherd Sisters

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Good Sherherd Sisters

Our Mission

aint Mary Euphrasia Pelletier believed in the Good News, that God was like a compassionate Shepherd. Christ of the New Testament reveals God as ABBA (Father), whose love for us is boundless, creating us with dignity, in God’s own image. Mary Euphrasia was courageous to act always in light of this same mission: to love and respect the dignity of each person as a child of God.

The Sisters of the Good Shepherd approach each person with the same care of Jesus, the Good Shepherd. We are guided by the principle that, “One person is of more value than a world.” Through contemplation and action our mission of reconciliation impels us to act with justice and peace. We take a fourth vow of zeal, the heart of our Good Shepherd vocation. This leads us to search out the wounded, those left behind by the world. We minister in all areas of human services, with a particular focus on the needs of women and children.

A Sister of the Good Shepherd can express her zeal for God’s people either as an apostolic or contemplative sister.

The Good Shepherd Community in the Parish of St Luke (Twinbrook)

he Sisters of the Good Shepherd began ministering in Twinbrook in 1973 initially travelling from their Convent each day on the Ormeau Road.

They they lived in Iris Link in so called 'Vatican Square'. In 1983 they moved to a purpose built convent next to the Parish Church and Presbytery, where they still live today.

The Chapel of the Good Shepherd

he Chapel of the Good Shepherd is where the sisters gather for most of their prayer each day and Mass on occasion.

At other times of the day they join the parish community in St Luke's Church especially for daily Mass and for the recitation of the Prayer of the Church, the Divine Office.

The Corpus Christi window (Left) depicts the body and blood of Our Lord.

The Agnes Dei Window (Right) is typical of Ecclesiastical (Church) Art. Agnus Dei is a representation of Jesus as a lamb bearing an ancient banner of the cross our Lord.

The windows also contain the first letter Α (Alpha) and last letter Ώ (Omega) of the Greek Alphabet. This is because Jesus is "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End." - Revelation 22:13

Sr Dympna Flynn RGS

r Dympna was born in County Meath. She entered the Convent in France in 1952 and was professed on the 29^th of September 1955.

Her missionary apostolate was to Sri Lanka. Here she served for over forty years. In 1996 she returned to Ireland where she began ministering in the Parish of St Luke (Twinbrook) as well being the Superior of the Good Shepherd Convent.

Sr Eileen Francis Lewis RGS

r Francis Lewis was born in Elphin, County Roscommon. Due to her father being in transferable employment, the family lived in County Donegal and then moved to County Limerick.

In was during her secondary schooling with the Mercy sisters that she encountered the Good Shepherd Sisters when one called to visit the school. This sister had just returned from the Canonisation of the Foundress, St Mary Euphrasia Pelletier in Rome. They kept in touch and she entered the Novitiate in Limerick where she was given the name 'Francis Xavier'. There then followed 34 years in Sri Lanka, a year and half in India, a few years in Ethiopia before returning to Ireland and to her current placement in the Parish of St Luke (Twinbrook). Music has always been part of her life, obtaining her first Piano exam at the age of six and one each year after that until the Licentiate. This interest continued with the Senior choir each week. Sr Francis is now retired from parish ministry and lives in Our Lady's Nursing Home on the Falls Road in Belfast.

Sr Rita Doyle RGS

r Rita was born in Belfast. She entered the Good Shepherd Convent in Limerick on the 26th of August 1944 and was professed on the 13th of August 1947.

Sr Rita then spent the next six years in Cork before returning to Limerick between 1953-1974. She then went to South Africa where she spent over 25 years ministering. In the year 2000 she returned to Belfast and the Good Shepherd Community in Holy Rosary Parish on the Ormeau Road. In March 2003 she came to St Luke's Parish (Twinbrook) where in addition to her responsibilities within the Good Shepherd Convent, she assists with the SPRED group. She is also a supporter of Sunderland AFC.

Sr Rosarie Prendergast RGS

r Rosarie Prendergast was born in Lismore, County Waterford. She entered the Good Shepherd Novitiate on the 6th of January 1952 being professed on the 22nd of November 1954.

She trained as a Nursery Nurse in Blackrock, Dublin and spent two years in Dunboyne assisting at a mother and baby home while a junior professed. After final vows she remained in Limerick until 1965 before being transferred to Newry to work as a baby nurse for 15 years in a mother and baby home. She came to St Luke's in 1980 and is involved in family visitation and Róisín Bán playgroup.

The Good Shepherd Symbol

All our sisters both apostolic and contemplative wear this Congregational Symbol, which identifies us as Sisters of the Good Shepherd.

The Two Hearts…
represent the hearts of Jesus and Mary united as one. We draw our spirit of zeal from this Heart - an evangelical spirit of Welcome, Kindness, Understanding and Loving Service, which gives witness to the value of each person.

It also represents the reality that we love with two hearts: our own small, limited heart and the great heart of God.

The Crook…
represents the extension of the Shepherd’s own self, used to rescue the sheep that is lost or in trouble.

Through the Church, Jesus continues to encompass with love all afflicted with human weakness. He looks for the lost one, brings back the strayed, tends the injured and makes the weak strong. Jesus reveals the Father’s mercy through a love which overcomes all sin and infidelity.

The Cross…
reminds us of the cost of the shepherd’s self-giving, even to laying down one’s life.

We give our total gift of self, which is rooted in the following of Christ and in his paschal mystery, leading through the cross and death to resurrection.

Good Shepherd Convent

Summerhill Road Twinbrook Dunmurry
BT17 0RL
( 028 9061 8987
7 028 9030 2863

Internal Links

SPRED

External Links

Irish Good Shepherd Sisters
Good Shepherd Sisters (US)

St Luke's is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

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