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“The endurance of darkness is the preparation for great light.”   St John Eudes

Today on the feast of St John Eudes, 19 of August 2024 we, Good Shepherd Sisters joyfully celebrate the Silver Jubilee of Sr.M Rebecca Kay Thi Oo (present provincial of East Asia), Sr.M Amy Martina Naw Thin Thin Aye and Sr.M Flarence Soe Thandar Htwe. Eucharistic Celebration is presided by Bishop Fransis Than Htun together with Fr.Nicholas Thein Aung, Fr. Mutu Nyan Myint, Fr. Paul Peter SDV and Fr. Amalraj SJ in the Good Shepherd Convent, Latha , Yangon. Families of Jubilarians, relatives and friends share our joy and praise the Lord together in this Eucharistic Celebration.

As Jubilee is a season for rejoicing and a special celebration, we rejoice in the Lord and thanks to the Lord for the gifts of Jubilarians. A silver jubilee is a celebration of a 25-year milestone. It is a commemoration of the hard work, dedication, and perseverance that have brought our Jubilarians to where they are today. Today, they mark Religious Profession first made 25 years ago, the initial fervor and passion of the young. The “YES, LORD!”, given to the God of one’s youth. They are the true servants of the Lord, giving their best and serving in the Lord’s vineyard as the fruitful religious. Like the Heart of the Good Shepherd whose love is limitless, they are also never exhausted from helping the needy and reaching out to the peripheries wherever they are. Our mother Foundress, St Mary Euphrasia said, “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”. As the daughters of St Mary Euphrasia the Jubilarians enabled to surmount all obstacles on the ways of their life by the love of their calling.

We are filled with gratitude for the gift of your entire lives, and we pray that God will bless you with peace and joy as you look back on all that the years have held for you and as you look forward in hope to God’s continuing surprises and graces.

Personal encounter with God by the Jubilarians

Celebrating 25 years as a Religious of the Good Shepherd for me is a time to “give thanks” to our Shepherd God who has been faithfully and compassionately journeying with me every day of my life as a religious. It is also time for me to gratefully remember everyone-my parents, family, relatives, friends and sisters who have always been my support. My heart sings with deep gratitude for everything both joys and challenges that I have encountered which made me who I am today. All is GIFT. How can I repay God for His goodness to me? (Ps 116:12)

Sr.Rebecca

“The virtue of my prayer will show how much I am close to God “

How can I believe that it has been 25 years as a religious? When I reflect on my journey, it is so colorful, times of happiness, and joy as well as being downhearted, doubtful, and full of challenges. In the midst of such experiences, the protection and the helping hand of God has constantly accompanied me in each step of my life. I confidently claim that this 25 year of religious life is a milestone of the journey to my homeland, that is, the experience of the love of God as St. Augustine said: “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you”. With this realization, I have become more aware of what I need to let go of the things that are hindrances in my relationship with the Shepherd God and become a grateful and loving person wherever I am and whatever I do.

Sr.Amy Martina

Reflecting on the 25 years of journey in religious life, a phrase of St. Paul came to my mind. That is, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness” (2Cor 12:9). Although I felt that this 25 year is like a dream, when I look at it closely, I see how God has accompanied me with God’s gentle hand, particularly I experience God’s faithfulness. I feel that all the experiences that I went through and have been through make me more human. The more I come to know myself, the more I come to experience the love of God which makes me not fear of embracing my vulnerability. I thank God for the gifts of those who become part of my life journey in one way or another. I confidently claim that without them, I would not become the person I am now.

With gratitude,

Sr.Florence