One Congregation, Two Lifestyles

One Congregation, two Lifestyles

A unique characteristic of the congregation is the presence of contemplative sisters within the apostolic congregation. In 1825, when St Mary Euphrasia was elected Superior of the Our Lady of Charity in Tours, one of the first things she did is to establish the Magdalen Sisters, a group of sisters whose desire to lead lives of prayer and offer sacrifices and penance especially for the difficult apostolate of the active sisters. They have evolved to be known later as Sisters of the Cross and at present, the Contemplative Sisters of the Good Shepherd.
From our constitution:
As apostolic sisters, we announce the message of reconciliation through a ministry of charity and evangelization directed towards persons wounded by sin and its consequences.
 
As Contemplative Sisters, we witness to the absolute primacy of God and seek to be a means of reconciliation by our prayer, gospel asceticism, solitude and silence.