Good Shepherd Sisters
South West India Province
Drawn by Love, Passionate for Justice
History and Timeline
St. John Eudes planted the Order of Our Lady of Charity in 1641, St. Mary Euphrasia ignited the Good Shepherd Congregation in 1829, and five sisters arrived in Bengaluru in 1854. Those milestones continue to shape our mission in South West India.
The Good Shepherd mission spans seventy-two countries, rooted in a charism of merciful love and a fourth vow of zeal that welcomes every person as precious.
Explore the milestones that connect France and India, and discover how the South West India Province keeps the story alive across Karnataka, Kerala, and New Delhi.
Global Heritage
From the 1641 foundation in Caen through the 1829 expansion in Angers and the 1854 mission to Bengaluru, these moments show how the Good Shepherd charism kept widening its reach.
1641
St. John Eudes (1601-1680) founded the Order of Our Lady of Charity in Caen, France to accompany women and girls seeking refuge and new beginnings.
Caen, France
1829
Mary Euphrasia Pelletier founded the Good Shepherd community in Angers, France, igniting a global missionary spirit rooted in merciful love.
Angers, France
1835
Pope Gregory XVI approved the Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd with a central generalate so that missions could respond quickly to new appeals.
Rome, Italy
1854
Saint Mary Euphrasia sent five Sisters to Bengaluru at the request of Bishop Charbonneau, planting the roots of the Good Shepherd mission in India.
Bengaluru, India
1866
By the late nineteenth century, Good Shepherd foundations spanned Europe, the Americas, and Asia, each shaped by the needs of local communities.
1940
Pope Pius XII canonized St. Mary Euphrasia, honoring her leadership in founding 110 houses by the time of her death in 1868.
1969
The congregation embraced the official name 'Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd', expressing a unified, international identity.
2014
The remaining communities of the Order of Our Lady of Charity reunited with the Good Shepherd Sisters, weaving together two branches of the same spiritual heritage.
South West India Journey
Drawn from the province documentation, these moments highlight how five sisters opened a Bengaluru foundation in 1854, how ministries grew in education, residential care, and social action, and how the province was erected and later reorganized to better serve local communities.
1854
Five Sisters responded to a call from the Mysore mission, establishing the first Good Shepherd community in India to serve vulnerable girls and women.
Bengaluru, Karnataka
1903
Boarding homes, tailoring centres, and informal schools grew across Karnataka, nurturing leadership among young women.
1951
Communities in Kerala and Tamil Nadu focused on rural livelihoods, anti-trafficking outreach, and community health.
1993
The mission areas of Karnataka, Kerala, and New Delhi formed a dedicated province to respond faster to local realities.
2008
Lay collaborators, alumnae, and young professionals began structured formation to animate Good Shepherd spirituality alongside the Sisters.
Today
Fifteen communities accompany survivors of trafficking, migrants, domestic workers, and students so that every person may 'have life to the full'.
1641-1829
1641: St. John Eudes grounds the Order of Our Lady of Charity in Caen with a fourth vow of zeal. 1829: St. Mary Euphrasia establishes the Good Shepherd house in Angers and later the generalate, sending sisters worldwide.
1854 Onward
1854: Five sisters reach Bengaluru at the request of Bishop Charbonneau. Communities soon appear in Mysuru, Ballari, Kerala, and New Delhi, responding to the needs of women, girls, and families.
Province Milestones
1993: South West India becomes a province. 2013: India-Nepal units reorganize into SWI and CEIN. 2014: The wider congregation celebrates reunification with the Order of Our Lady of Charity.
Continue the Story
Visit the Founders page for deeper context, join Partners-in-Mission to write the next chapter, or speak with our Formation and Vocations team if you feel called to embody this charism.