Sisters of the Good Shepherd (Contemplative)

When St. Mary Euphrasia Pelletier founded the Sisters of the Good Shepherd in France in 1831, she envisioned the contemplative community as a “powerhouse of prayer.”  They have been in St. Louis since 1859.

Established as a contemplative community within the Congregation of the Good Shepherd, the Contemplative Sisters of the Good Shepherd are called to live in union with Jesus, the Good Shepherd, and to continue his redemptive mission in the Church. Prayer is of the very essence of their vocation. They pray for their apostolic sisters engaged in the ministry of reconciliation, for the Church and for the entire world. Zeal for souls is the special gift bequeathed to them by their foundress.

The contemplative sisters spend time together in prayer five times a day, with additional opportunities for individual prayer and reflection. They generally receive prayer requests via fax, phone calls and emails from the public throughout the week.

For many years the nuns made altar breads for parishes in the St. Louis Archdiocese and beyond.  In 1999, the sisters were chosen to make the altar breads for Blessed John Paul II’s papal visit to St. Louis.