Today we commemorate the life and work of St John Eudes from whom our Congregation also originates

Today, the Church commemorates the founder of the Congregation of Jesus and Mary (Eudists) and the Order of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd (1641) into which, almost two centuries later, the young Rosa Virginia Pellettier, called to become St. Mary Euphrasia, would enter. She founded the contemplative branch (1825) and later reformed the governing structures of the Congregation, giving birth (1835) to our Congregation Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd.

St John Eudes promoted and spread the devotion to the Sacred Hearts (in honour of which he wrote the booklet The Life and Reign of Jesus in 1637) and composed the liturgical office of the masses for the feasts of the Sacred Heart of Mary (first celebrated in 1648) and the Sacred Heart of Jesus (1672).

‘Saint John Eudes inspires us, in our two congregations, as a caring brother, spiritual teacher and missionary, – emphasised the Superior General of the Congregation of Jesus and Mary in his commemorative message – Celebrating this man who lived 400 years ago is an act of recognition and thanksgiving for the witness of his life and the legacy he left us; it is also a way to better understand how he speaks to us today, inspires us and pushes us forward.  These three dimensions of his life witness are deepened by each generation according to its needs: human, spiritual and apostolic.’ (www.olcgs.org/fr)

The source of St John Eudes’ spiritual adventure is very timely: it resides in faith in a creative love that precedes us. Fruit of God’s eternal love, man is created in the divine image: a living image called to take part in the Creator’s great designs.

‘God did not create the world once, but countless times…
at every moment he sustains it and always preserves it

We also find here the prophetic seeds of our commitment to Integral Ecology through which today we are committed to caring for the Common Home in harmony with Laudato Si’ and Laudate Deum.