12 to 19 May 2024 were sacred days of “encounters” with St Mary Euphrasia & St John Eudes of 14 participants from Singapore during the pilgrimage to Angers, Noirmoutier & Caen 

Here are the experiences & reflections of some of these fourteen participants:

1. Sr Kelly Ngai, RGS

Sister Kelly Ngai, RGS

“Gratitude is the Memory of the Heart”. I am grateful to Good Shepherd Sisters of the Province of Singapore-Malaysia for sending me to join the Pilgrimage to Angers with the Staff and Board of Directors of Marymount Centre and Teachers at Marymount Convent School, Singapore.

The life stories of St Mary Euphrasia, St John Eudes and the historical milestones of our Congregation came alive in me with the beautiful narration from Sr Melania and Sarah. During the tour, I felt as if I time-travelled with Mother Foundress and St. John Eudes in Mother House, Noirmoutier, Ri and Caen. The historical journey reminded me of my own journey and formation as a Good Shepherd Sister. It was an honour and privilege to stand on holy ground.

“One Person is of More Value than the World”. Following St Mary Euphrasia’s footsteps, I welcomed the team to our Mother House. I was attuned to each and every person’s needs, making them feel cared for, even though this was my first visit, too.

One of the activities that touched me most was the walk through the tunnel that our Mother Foundress and Sisters had built within a short period of only 3 months. Before the pilgrimage, I heard meaningful stories from other past pilgrims to the Mother House, and I had a deep desire to experience the walk through the tunnel. However, on my first walk in the tunnel in darkness, I was overwhelmed by interior darkness, unpleasant thoughts, doubts and fears that I could not appreciate the light at the end of the tunnel. The following day, I was determined to walk through the tunnel again. I spent time alone with Mother Foundress, conversing with her about my fears, thoughts, worries and sorrows as I walked. I heard Mother Foundress’s discerning voice guiding me to find solutions to obstacles, much like her experience during the construction of the tunnel.

Another activity was the labyrinth walk. It opened my heart to the gentle voice of God, that I am the Beloved child of God, to trust the Holy Trinity in all that I am and do. The experiences were wholesome; they rekindled my spirit and energised me to continue her mission to be a Shepherdess for all. I found courage to face the future, seek the will of God in my life and to draw water joyfully from the spring of salvation.

At the conclusion of our pilgrimage, we were guided to the famous green door. There, I felt reignited with zeal to carry on the mission that Mother Foundress had entrusted us: “I leave the institute into your hands; you will sustain it.”  We, as Mission Partners, are together in this mission, reaching out with compassion and respect, empowering each person to wholeness and full potential.

2. Ms Ruby Gan, Social Worker of  Good Shepherd Centre, Marymount Centre

We, the mission partners from the Province of Singapore-Malaysia had the opportunity of a week-long pilgrimage to the Motherhouse, Noirmoutier, Ri and Caen in France. Amidst the picturesque landscapes of France, a sacred journey unfolded for the mission partners. The week-long pilgrimage to Angers was a transformative experience, leaving an indelible mark on our hearts and souls.

In tracing the footsteps of Mother Foundress and the other revered saints, the pilgrimage became a profound reminder of the enduring charism and tireless endeavours they paved for the betterment of humanity. Their legacy, etched in history, ignited a flame within, instilling unwavering determination to continue the mission for decades to come. Echoing the sentiments of Joyce Johnson Rouse’s poignant lyrics in “Standing on the Shoulders,” I found myself standing tall, inspired by the passion and sacrifice of those who preceded us, and vowed to carry the torch forward, standing firm as pillars of support for future generations.

The culmination of the pilgrimage, marked by a poignant closing ceremony at the green door, remains etched in my memory. As we personally experience the ritual of crossing through the green door to embark on a new chapter, I heard Mother Foundress’ words echoing “Go forth, my daughters”. In that moment, a profound sense of sentiment and pride surged, as each participants embraced their role in the Good Shepherd mission. As a lay partner, I am blessed with the power of Hope, Love and Zeal bestowed by Mother Foundress and the Good Shepherd sisters, to uphold and continue this legacy and mission of compassion and service.

Pilgrim blessing and sending off by the Good Shepherd Sisters at Singapore Changi Airport 

Rediscovering roots of Saint Mary Euphrasia and Saint John Eudes

Embarking and upholding the chapters

3. Ms Betty Lim, Chief Executive of Marymount Centre 

“See how the Lord is opening up to you your life’s work and you will need fresh strength to cope with it”.  When the opportunity to go on a pilgrimage trip to our Mother’s House with 13 other trippers, I was elated.  The trip was important for me as I had just taken a new role in Marymount Centre, and the words of Mother Foundress “I leave the Institute into your hands, you will sustain it” kept ringing in my ears. This is a tall order, and I needed the space to pray and rejuvenate myself to acquire courage and wisdom when I returned from Angers.  Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labour in vain (Psalm 127: 1).  

Several experiences touched my heart. The first experience was at the labyrinth, where I quickly moved into the deepest recesses of my heart. There I poured out all my inadequacy, concerns, and problems about the ministry.  Even on the second trip to the labyrinth, I could not stop crying, and our Sr Melania sent me a photo of me marking “crying baby”.  At the end of the session, I felt God had heard my cries and had taken over my burdens and everything is in Hands.

The second experience was at the tunnel. This was the 55-meter-long tunnel that St Mary Euphrasia, the sisters, and 50 other workers and military engineers had dug to connect the buildings of the Mother House to the former St Nicolas Abbey. We were ushered into the dark tunnel, walking one after the other quietly. In the absence of light, fears crept into me, and feelings of anxiety and vulnerability overwhelmed me.  The darkness symbolised the challenges and obstacles that block my path forward, making it difficult to see the light at the end of the tunnel. At the next entrance again, the light was turned on and I took time to examine the walls of the tunnel, observing the rocks and stones that form the walls and seeing some remains of the icicles.  Many thoughts came to me. This was an enormous project for our Mother Foundress and the sisters to embark on in the 18th century with no modern machinery and equipment. They merely used dynamite to dig their way through and carried the stone cuts using their bare hands and completed the task after 3 months. Their motivation of wanting to reach out to the girls at the abbey propelled them to move forward. Likewise, I too, need to persevere in love and with audacious zeal to move in tandem with God in the ministry.

Another experience that moved me greatly was the closing ceremony at the famous green door.  Here, we were brought back to the early days of the 18th century, when I chanced to knock at the green door, seeking to join the community and welcomed by the sisters and mission partners at the Mother House.  Then, the community led us to the door of the cloister, sending us off with blessings to our mission base in Singapore.

As I left the Mother House, I found my response to answer the call “What are you going to do to help?” With courage and zeal, I shall “Do everything you can for love, and you will see what you are capable of.  One can make more progress this way in a year, than in ten by the way of fear.”

4. Ms  Natalie Bakhita Lawrence, Co-ord CS Flats/Programme Executive,  Good Shepherd Centre of Marymount Centre

“Love, yes, love your calling, for this holy and generous love will impart strength to you so as to enable you to surmount all obstacles” St Mary Euphrasia

Two beautiful quotes from St. Mary Euphrasia summarize my pilgrimage to the Motherhouse. Before coming to Angers, I had some daunting questions on my mind that I hoped could bring me closure as I prepared for the pilgrimage to Angers, France, where our Mother Foundress St. Mary Euphrasia had worked and cared for women and children. First, who is she truly as a person? What was her personality like? Did she go through the same inner conflicts that I was personally facing?

The place was just lovely. It was truly pleasant, serene, and calming. The gardens were filled with blooming roses of different variations and colours. The air was cool and soothing. I was awestruck by it all. I immediately felt a sense of peace.”

In preparation for the pilgrimage, I had to consider what I wanted to experience, learn, or take away from it. Despite the daunting questions I had, my main goal was to find peace regarding the vocation I was praying about. I found my first answer and affirmation at the site of St. Mary Euphrasia’s first office, which is now the Magnificat Garden. Learning more about her made me realize my responsibilities and the significance of my past work experiences. Standing in the Magnificat Garden, it felt as if someone was affirming to me that nothing had gone to waste. It was a reassurance of the value of everything I had done over the years work did not go to waste. It was preparation for the tasks ahead. The next day going to Noirmoutier I learnt more about St Mary her childhood, where she lived and how she grew up. There were exchanges of sharing, understanding, and discussion on each other’s struggles, pain, and hopes for the future. Everybody present had a side that was relatable to the stories that we heard on St Mary. As part of the journey, we learned about St John Eudes. This was also just as interesting. It was this saint who initiated and founded a refuge for distressed and exploited women and girls. It would be known as the Order of Our Lady of Charity. It was through this Order that St Mary Euphrasia entered and took an active ministry of looking after women. She also longed that the world would benefit from the work of St John Eudes.

Caen, where St John Eudes was mostly based. It was in this room that he would write many letters and number of books for the elevation of doctrine. At Caen we explored a few areas of interest and came to some buildings which had history on them.

The Labyrinth, would be another area where we had an experience to ourselves. Some had reached the finishing point. Others were moving about at different points trying to get to the finishing point. I realised from the Labyrinth that for me there was no start or end. It was the process that was the most important. This reflected on my life. Me starting at different points. Each process of my life had been different. it brought me back to the first affirmation.

As I neared the end of the pilgrimage, I realized that I hadn’t found peace with the idea of my vocation, but I knew I was in the right place. The sentence that struck me was from St. Mary’s personal diary: “I hurt silently from the words and actions of others.” She quietly endured a lot of pain. I wished with all my heart that I could do the same. That sentence really touched me.

“ Certainly, I had no money, no talents nor outward appeal I just loved… ” St Mary Euphrasia

The one thing that I truly wanted to bring back with me was “Just Love”. No matter what happens, how hurt or disappointed life or the people around are “ Just love, Just love, Just love.

For Natalie’s Pictures & article, please go to the link: Personal Testimony_Pilgrimage to Motherhouse_Natalie_Lawrence

5. Ms Jane Marie Ng, Chairperson of Marymount Centre

The  love of God is real and alive, and keeps us going!

“It is well known that I had neither riches, nor talent, nor external charm, but I have always loved … with all the strength of my heart.” St Mary Euphrasia

These words of Mother Foundress came to life for me during this pilgrimage. The love of St Mary Euphrasia, which sprung from and was fed by the love of God, permeated and transcended time and borders to embrace 14 pilgrims from Singapore. I had initially thought that I would merely be refreshing memories of earlier visits to Angers and Noirmoutier, but I was wrong.

My experience of love started even before we left Singapore. 5 Good Shepherd Sisters (including our Province Leader) sent us off at the airport with a prayer and blessing. It was a beautiful and tangible expression of their love, and it meant a lot to me. It set the tone for the pilgrimage.

At every place we visited in the course of the pilgrimage, we encountered Sisters who lavished love and care on us. Language and culture were no barriers. The moment we arrived at Motherhouse, Sr Nancy from Peru, who spoke Spanish and French but very little English, herded us to the home of the International Community to welcome us with refreshments. Sr Marie Clare from India was also there to welcome us. Their warm hospitality was so comforting after a long flight and train ride.

We experienced the same generous and gracious hospitality at Noirmoutier, Cormelles and Caen. We felt so loved by the Sisters. Love is truly a universal language. The wellspring of love and joy that started bubbling in me at the airport in Singapore, grew and overflowed from all the encounters of love during the pilgrimage. I am humbled and deeply grateful to Sr Melania Jung and all the Sisters at Motherhouse, Noirmoutier, Cormelles and Caen, not forgetting Sarah and Elodie from the Congregation’s Spirituality Centre, for their expressions of love and care. I will treasure these memories in my heart.

In the tunnel, at the point where I was surrounded by complete darkness and could not see my fingers or my feet, I was momentarily petrified. Then I saw the light at the end and asked Jesus to guide my steps and not let me fall. And He did!

My labyrinth experience was amazing. When I closed my eyes, I heard the calls of different birds (I thought I heard a cuckoo) and felt the kiss of the sun on my face (a minor miracle considering the wet, wet weather then). The paths of the other group members brought them close to me at times, and at other times they turned away. It reminded me that no matter how our paths might intersect or veer away in the course of our lives, the strong and constant love of the Blessed Trinity binds us together as partners in mission.

Did I mention that my wellspring of love and joy overflowed? Well, tears indeed flowed freely from my heart and eyes during the song “Standing on the Shoulders”. It evoked poignant memories of the late Sr. Susan Chia, her audacity, courage and creativity and her love for everyone including me. Marymount Centre stands on her shoulders as well as all the Sisters and partners in mission who built up Marymount Centre to where it is today. Last but certainly not least, I thank and praise our Shepherd God for making this pilgrimage happen, and for His loving presence throughout. This pilgrimage has enlivened me and given me hope for the future. “You have a sacred, precious jewel confided to you … it is love that keeps us here.” (St Mary Euphrasia) And it is love that will keep us going, to do what Jesus asks of us, “Love one another as I have loved you.” (John 15:12)