Sr. Mary Euphrasia Pellitier dared to send her sisters at the request of Bishop Vicar Apostolic of Mysore. “His appeal stirred me”, she said and with all the embracing love, she decided to let her daughters go to the mysterious Orient. She thus bid five sisters, two French, two Irish and one German a tearful farewell on 28th January, 1854 as they set sail on the High seas, to bring the good news of shepherding the lost, last and the least.
They had a long and trying voyage of nearly six months before they touched the Indian shore. They arrived at the port of Pondicherry on 2nd August, 1854 and received the hospitality of the Cluny Sisters. The five set out on a tiresome journey in a bullock cart which brought them to Bangalore via Vellore on 14th August, 1854 on the eve of the Feast of the Assumption of Our Lady. The bells of St.Patrick’s church pealed loudly and gleefully to welcome the five Sisters of the Good Shepherd – the first Women Religious in the city of Bangalore. Thus 15th August is considered to be the Foundation day for Indian Mission.
At present, we are working in eight States, i.e. Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telungana, Maharashtra, Goa, and Madhya Pradesh and also in Nepal.
The Contemplative Sisters of the Good Shepherd
The Contemplative community was established in Bangalore, in the year 1878. They support the ministries of the apostolic Sisters through a contemplative life of intense prayer and sacrifice. They support themselves through baking, sewing and artistic activities.
