MISSION

 

The Sisters of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd live their consecration and mission through an apostolic or contemplative life, in strict collaboration with lay Partners.

The Apostolic Sisters are called to follow Jesus in his Mission of Reconciliation, expressing in their lives the charism of “merciful love”. “The Good Shepherd seeks out the suffering person, heals the sick and carries the weak on his shoulders” (St. M. Eufrásia).

Its mission is aimed at young people (children/adolescents) at risk, as well as women with or without children who are in a situation of social exclusion, victims of domestic violence, marginalization or social vulnerability. They never give up, no matter how complex the situations, following the advice of Santa Maria Eufrásia: “A person is worth more than the world” and “Nothing is impossible for love”

They work in a team made up of Religious Sisters, Technicians, Collaborators/Friends of the UACBP and Volunteers.

The work carried out with the users, in the Institutions of the Congregation,  is characterized by welcoming, personalized work with the aim of autonomy and a consistent future for each person or each host family. To this end, they are provided with a safe and well-being family environment and are accompanied in their process of autonomy and personal development, developing skills to build a consistent Life Project, with a view to their family or socio-professional (re)integration.

All the work carried out is based on values that make the mission objectives attainable, such as:

Compassion; Compassion; Forgiveness; Justice; Peace; Respect for the dignity of the person; Reception; Ethic; Optimism.

A new way of being and living with people at risk is envisaged who, from their human and spiritual dimension, are happy and autonomous.

“The vow of zeal imparts a special dynamism to our life consecrated for the mission…, whose love extends to all, saves and restores their dignity.” (Const. No. 28)

“Like our Foundress, we want to be on fire with the compassion and zeal of Jesus the Good Shepherd. (Const. No. 29)

In addition to welcoming people at risk, pastoral action is carried out at the level of direct evangelization with children, adolescents and young people, from the congregation's own centers, such as: school, institutions, catechetical center and insertion in social neighborhoods and parishes.

Contemplative Sisters bear witness to the primacy of God and seek to be instruments of reconciliation through prayer, evangelical asceticism, solitude and silence. They pray for the Church and for the whole world, they support the Apostolic Sisters who are working directly in the apostolate of reconciliation. (Cont. 6)

The great objective of the congregational mission is the defense of human dignity, through the redeeming mission of Jesus the Good Shepherd, the charism of Santa Maria Eufrásia and the  respect and  promotion of human rights, striving for the establishment of Justice e  Peace, starting from the place where the sister or layperson carries out her mission. Since 1996 the Congregation has been recognized as an NGO at the UN in ECOSOC (United Nations Economic and Social Council).