Bishop Benedict Joseph Flaget invited St Mary Euphrasia Pelletier to send her Sisters of the Good Shepherd to America. She sent them charged with the mission to care for girls who were abused or emotionally troubled, and could not live at home. More on the 175th anniversary of the American foundation here:
https://sistersofthegoodshepherd.com/175-years-north-america/
This white-habited congregation, which combines Augustinian, Eudist, and Salesian spiritualities, has two lifestyles: active and contemplative. The latter branch was instituted to open a Vocational avenue to the penitential girls who had discerned a call to service. The Good Shepherd constitutions at the time forbade any women of questionable background into the congregation. The "Magdalens" were of Carmelite spirituality, which was reflected in the brown habit. Women of virtuous lives were permitted to join the Magdalens, as well.
After Vatican II, the Magdalens were joined with the Good Shepherd sisters. They were renamed the Sisters of the Cross of the Good Shepherd.
Here's an explanation of the two lifestyles:
https://sistersofthegoodshepherd.com/two-lifestyles/
Website for the Contemplatives:
https://www.sistersofthegoodshepherdcontemplatives.com/
(A footnote about the "Magdalen Laundries". I'm not sure where the term came from. As I understand it, the Good Shepherd sisters were the ones running the Laundries, not the contemplative Magdalens. I am, in no way, trivializing the trauma experienced by some who were in the Good Shepherd homes, though. Being an abuse victim myself, I can relate to a certain extent. I had to pray extra hard about this post, with the hope that nobody would take offense at what I have written).
One had to read the small print at the end of this particular chapter to see how many Houses of the Good Shepherd there had been, even in 1930. Their charism filled in the blanks on many a bishop's pastoral plan. Today, those blanks are filled by either Catholic Charities or a comparable agency.
Now, convent tracking by province:
Province of Baltimore, MD:
Https://sistersofthegoodshepherd.com/legacy-of-good-shepherd-left-in-baltimore/
Sale of Halethorpe property:
https://www.bizjournals.com/baltimore/news/2019/08/12/72-acre-good-shepherd-site-near-guinness-brewery.html
Billie Holiday:
https://www.npr.org/2019/08/20/748647755/billie-full-of-grace
Province of Carthage, OH:
The Good Shepherd congregation could sometimes have a unique chapel layout. There were four separate wings off the altar area, one each for the Good Shepherd sisters; the Magdalens; the students; and the staff, respectively. This Facebook page has photos of Our Lady of the Woods outside of Carthage, OH:
https://m.facebook.com/OurLadyOfTheWood/posts
Louisville, KY:
Photos of original convent:
http://digital.library.louisville.edu/cdm/search/field/people/searchterm/Good%20Shepherd/mode/exact
Maryhurst:
https://www.maryhurst.org/
This author very nearly knocked on the Maryhurst door after reading about the RGS in Dehey. I did drive out there to see where they were located. One young male popped up into the window of the building. Creeped out, I decided I was not in the right place.
Cincinnati, OH:
Bank Street convent:
https://digital.cincinnatilibrary.org/digital/collection/p16998coll6/id/4973/
Publicity photo:
https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/member-of-the-sisters-of-the-good-shepherd-greets-a-young-news-photo/84676157?adppopup=true
Cleveland, OH:
Marycrest is now permanently closed, according to Google search:
https://case.edu/ech/articles/s/sisters-good-shepherd
Our Lady of Lourdes Shrine, Euclid, OH:
(Now owned by the Sisters of the Most Holy Trinity):
https://www.cleveland.com/our-town/2010/12/our_lady_of_lourdes_shrine_in_euclid_holds_a_piece_of_history.html
Columbus, OH:
Buckeye Ranch took over the Rosemont Center, which had been started by the Good Shepherd sisters around the time of the Civil War:
https://www.dispatch.com/article/20121101/news/311019720
Covington/Fort Thomas, KY:
http://www.nkyviews.com/campbell/text/ryan_good_shepherd.html
Detroit, MI:
https://www.nailhed.com/2014/07/sisters-good-shepherd.html
Vista Maria:
https://www.vistamaria.org/about-us
Grand Rapids, MI:
(Now a retirement community!):
Villa Maria:
https://thevillamaria.com/
Indianapolis, IN:
https://indianahistory.org/blog/airing-our-dirty-laundry/
Toledo, OH:
Good Shepherd school is now Aurora Academy, a public charter school:
(Please pray that the thieves are apprehended and brought to justice):
https://www.wtol.com/mobile/article/news/thieves-hit-toledo-school-for-6th-time-steal-and-vandalize/512-c67a8c95-c05e-40a9-839e-8c9f794e7293
Vocational Link will be in the last post.
No comments:
Post a Comment