Mosaic of P. Marko Ivan Rupnik, Jesuit
Mother House - Albano Laziale
Mosaic of P. Marko Ivan Rupnik, Jesuit
Spirituality
Like the Good Shepherd
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We, the Sisters of Jesus good Shepherd – Pastorelle, have as the centre of our lives the person of Jesus good Shepherd, as presented in the Gospel of John 10.11: "I am the good Shepherd. The good Shepherd lays down his life for the sheep ", and our spirituality is nourished by the Word of God and the Eucharist. Blessed James Alberione, Founder of our Congregation, urged us to: "always look to Jesus good Shepherd and live as he did.” The Shepherd who loves his sheep knows his sheep and makes himself known to the sheep by calling them by name.
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We are called to lay down our lives, like the good Shepherd who laid it down of his own free will. We do this with joy and in the spirit of the Founder, who said: "If you were indeed aware of your vocation, you would be happier than that nightingale that sings in the tree!”.
Following the example of Mary
Blessed James Alberione, from his early childhood, was very devoted to Mary. As Founder, he gave the entire Pauline Family the devotion to Mary Queen of Apostles, and for us Pastorelle, he taught us to invoke Mary under the title of Mother of the Good Shepherd.
This devotion was already known in the Church and spread by the Capuchin Friars since 1703, mainly in Spain and Latin America, but also in some regions of Italy like Sicily, Calabria, Tuscany and the Palmense.
Blessed Alberione made his own contribution to the iconography of the devotion: he imagined Mary Shepherdess standing (and not sitting as in the one of the Capuchins). In the mosaic in our Mother House at Albano Laziale, he had Mary represented in the act of feeding the flock with at the centre the young Jesus. We often find in his sermons to the Pastorelle Sisters references to Mary Shepherdess at the foot of the Cross, as she is represented in the present mosaic in the Generalate.
Following the example of Mary, Mother of the good Shepherd, we live our collaboration with the pastoral ministry of Christ, as "mothers and sisters" of all those who are part of God's people.
The holy apostles Peter and Paul models for Pastors
"We must reflect on the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul,
pray to them and imitate them because they were the chief pastors in the Church and because they had a great love for Jesus and for souls. A supreme love for Jesus and for souls is what "makes" a pastorella [shepherdess]”.
Blessed Alberione
In the pastoral mission we draw inspiration from the holy Apostles Peter and Paul. From Peter we learn to serve the people of God freely, faithful to Christ and to the Church and from Paul we learn the courage to seek the most suitable forms of evangelization.
Blessed Alberione appreciated the different characteristics of the two apostles, but highlights the same foundation: following of Jesus Both become models for pastors, to the extent to which they follow Jesus and are ready to give their lives at the service of the people of God.