Maryridge Retreat and Renewal Center

During these six weeks leading up to Aguchita’s birthday, we shall share weekly reflections on how her life and ministry echoed each of the six areas of intervention for the Congregation – long before they were defined in our Position Papers.

Read the second reflection on Aguchita's approach to the trafficking of women and girls here: https://www.olcgs.org/breaking-the-root-causes-of-human-trafficking/

Today, ask yourself what awareness have you of the linked root causes that allow trafficking to continue in one form or another – and what do you do to challenge these root causes and break the chain of human trafficking?

Good Shepherd Lebanon - Bon Pasteur Liban
Talitha K*m UISG International Union of Superiors General
Conrad N. Hilton Foundation ARISE

The H2H Boys for Culminating Activity Batch II with Fr. Kabamalan at Maryridge Retreat Center Tagaytay🍃

A blessed feast of the Ascension of the Lord!

Today is also the 58th World Day of Social Communications. In his message, Pope Francis reminded us that while "machines possess a limitlessly greater capacity than human beings for storing and correlating data" only human beings are capable of making sense of them. He invites us to recover the "wisdom of the heart" towards the path to "a fully human communication."

Full Text:
https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/messages/communications/documents/20240124-messaggio-comunicazioni-sociali.html

A day away from her feastday, our dear +SR MARY VITALIS GOROSPE quietly slipped away and went home to God early this morning, April 27, 2024, at Good Shepherd Convent, Baguio City. She was 100 years old.

We thank God for the gift of her long, full life, 69 years of which lived as a Good Shepherd Sister (a very good one!)

Cherished for her simplicity, kindess, and gentleness, Sr Vit is a source of delight for everyone even in her sickbed. Thank you Sr Vit for your quiet witness of a life lived in union with our Shepherd God. We love you and we will miss you dearly.

***

Wake will be at Good Shepherd Convent Baguio from today until May 3 and at Good Shepherd Convent QC on May 4.

Mass of the Resurrection will be on May 5, 2024, Sunday, 8AM at Good Shepherd Chapel, QC followed by inurnment at Good Shepherd Columbary, QC.

We beg the Lord of the harvest to send more laborers to His vineyard. 🙏

PRAYER FOR VOCATIONS

Jesus Good Shepherd,
You called Your apostles by name
and you drew them to Yourself with bonds of friendship and affection. In the midst of a suffering multitude, You chose them to be with You to share Your life and mission.

We beg You to summon young men and women. Give them the grace to hear Your call. Gift them with a loving attachment to You that will inspire them to choose You as center of their lives and to enter Your way of loving concern and total giving.

Mold them as Your disciples, ready to be spent in the service of our poor suffering brothers and sisters.

Mary, Mother of the Good Shepherd, intercede for us. Amen.

Good Shepherd Sunday is a valuable reminder of the nurturing and protective role of Jesus the Good Shepherd, guiding and caring for his flock.

It is a time for us to reflect on our own vocation as sisters and partners-in-mission of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd.

Following the example of our founders St. John Eudes and St. Mary Euphrasia, we are called to zealously embody a spirit of selfless dedication in the service of those most in need, particularly girls, women, and children marginalized by society.

Our commitment as Good Shepherds is to leave no one behind.

Read more about our life and mission in our monthly newsletter. Subscribe here: www.bit.ly/subscribe-OLCGSNewsletter

Happy Feast of St Joseph!
Viva San Jose! 💚💛

St Joseph, royal and powerful protector of the work of the Good Shepherd, pray to Jesus and Mary for us! 🙏

original photo from San Jose de Quezon City - St. Joseph Shrine

This Sunday of Lent, we continue to reflect on the ‘seven last words’ spoken by Jesus from the Cross in light of our Congregational Position Papers. This week, we recall the fifth words spoken, “I thirst,” linking these with our position on Integral Ecology. Read the reflection here: https://tinyurl.com/Fifth-Sunday

Chaque dimanche de Carême, nous réfléchirons sur les « sept dernières paroles » prononcées par Jésus sur la Croix à la lumière de nos prises de position de la Congrégation. Cette semaine, nous rappelons les cinquièmes mots prononcés, « J'ai soif », et nous les mettons en relation avec notre position sur l'écologie intégrale. Lisez ici la réflexion : https://tinyurl.com/Cinquieme-Dimanche

Cada domingo de Cuaresma, reflexionaremos sobre las "siete últimas palabras" pronunciadas por Jesús desde la Cruz a la luz de nuestros Documentos de Posición Congregacional. Esta semana, recordamos las quintas palabras pronunciadas, "Tengo sed", y las relacionamos con nuestra posición sobre la Ecología Integral. Lea aquí la reflexión: https://tinyurl.com/Quinto-Domingo

Religious of the Good Shepherd, Philippines-Japan

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Gospel of the Day (John 3,14-21)

Jesus said to Nicodemus, "And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life."
For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.
Whoever believes in him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
And this is the verdict, that the light came into the world, but people preferred darkness to light, because their works were evil.
For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come toward the light, so that his works might not be exposed.
But whoever lives the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God.

Each week during Lent, we will reflect on the ‘seven last words’, or phrases, spoken by Jesus from the Cross in light of our Congregational Position Papers. This week, we recall the second words spoken, “Today you will be with me in Paradise,” linking these with our position on migration.

One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:39-43)

From the Cross, Jesus listens without judgment to this criminal, offering him hope and a place in paradise. Exclusion often occurs when we judge the stranger, condemning them to be objects of suspicion and xenophobia, as happens, in particular, to migrants, refugees, and persons in resettlement.

Our position on migration stresses that people are not to be labeled criminals while in movement. We reject xenophobic apprehensions that cause migrants to face intensified discrimination, barriers to social support, and exclusion. We respect their right to seek better social and economic opportunities – to find their place in paradise – and celebrate the positive contributions they make.

As a Congregation, we listen to the experiences and needs of migrants, accompanying them and their families, and developing programs that serve their complex needs, such as the Global Shepherds migrant development program in Keningau, Malaysia.

Today, we invite you to listen to the stranger without judgment and, in particular, offer migrants the same welcome as you would offer to the Divine and as you would hope to be welcomed by the Divine.

Télécharger en français ici / descargar en español aquí:
http://tinyurl.com/vyy3dva2

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Explore Your Inner World
Search where your heart is leading you.

Come and join us!

"Let us also recall those suffering from poverty, hunger, and slavery. May God, who took on a human heart, make our hearts more humane!" -Pope Francis

('Christ in the Rubble' by Kelly Latimore Icons)

"Advent is a time of recollection and salvation... Jesus will be born again in our hearts; let us adore Him like Mary." - St Mary Euphrasia

Team Maryridge, ready to serve you! 🩵

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Season of Creation begins today, September 1.

"We understand that reconciliation with our earth calls for a new consciousness, a new identity, and new behaviors centered on the kinship of all creation and the implementation of human rights for all." - OLCGS Position Paper on Integral Ecology





(🎨Ms Ethel of SBC)

"Nasa kanan mo ang Reyna,
maningning sa ginto't ganda!"

Maligayang Kapistahan ng Pag-aakyat sa Langit ng Mahal na Birhen 🩵