 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
United Nations
The Congregation of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd became affiliated with the United Nations as a Nongovernmental Organization (NGO) in consultative status with ECOSC in November 1996.
The purpose of this affiliation is to further our mission of reconciliation, particularly in its orientation toward girls and women. Through this means of collaboration we work to bring about change in whatever conditions condemn others to a marginalized life.
Through our affiliation with the goals of the UN, we seek to extend mercy to the poor and to the oppressed, awakening our world to the dignity and value of each person.
"Our commitment to reconciliation demands that we promote justice and peace."
Good Shepherd Sister Clare Nolan, NGO Representative writes:
"It has been over 150 years since Mary Euphrasia voiced this often-repeated insight about our global reach of mercy, justice, and tenderness. As in many things, she seemed to be ahead of her times. She established, through the Generalate of the Congregation of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd, an international network offering spiritual inspiration and practical human service provision.
In her time, Mary Euphrasia lived with the realities of post-revolutionary times, rapid movement by Europe and the Americas into the industrial age, extensive emigration from Europe to the 'new world', and sinful social phenomena such as slavery.
In the 200 years since her birth, the world has seen 2 wars of global scale, the movement into nuclear age, technologic and economic modernization of vast areas of the world, the development of fax, email, and the Internet. Still, there is mass starvation and misery of peoples that has no rival in any period in history. There has been a steady increase in the forced migration of throngs of people displaced by war, ethnic strife, injustic, and poverty. As all of this has taken place, two facts stand out for those of us committed to the spiritual values of Mary Euphrasia. One is that women and children are increasingly represented in all counts of poverty, underdevelopment and victimization from war. Secondly, across the globe, and particularly in the developed countries, ther is an every-widening gap between the affluent and the poor. These realities cause us to re-look at our missionin the light of today's reality, in the light of the ways in which we see the world."
Contact: Clare Nolan, NGO Representative
211 East 43rd St,
New York, NY 10017
Email: [email protected]
Good Shepherd NGO celebrates 10 years of collaboration at the UN
Pictured with Sr. Clare Nolan (center), Good Shepherd NGO Representative, are Sisters Vandana (left) from Nepal and Sr. Mau (right) from the Philippines. Sr. Vandana and Sr. Mau have spent the past 6 months as United Nations Interns, attending conferences, engaging in dialogue and learning how they can participate in raising consciousness and working for systemic change that leads to greater freedom, equality and dignity for all people.
Sisters Mau and Vandana concluded their six month internship with Sr. Clare and the Good Shepherd NGO office with a retreat and planting ritual at the Good Shepherd convent in Wickatunk, New Jersey.
To view some photos and the planting ritual of praise and thanksgiving, please click the animation below:
