Good Shepherd Convent - Kandy: June 2015

Good Shepherd Convent, Kandy

Good Shepherd Convent, Kandy has an impressive infrastructure spanning over ten acres. Situated along the main Colombo Kandy highway on Peradeniya Road, the august hall is a commanding edifice. The main gate opens to a winding way leading to hilly terrain and wooded slopes. Flanked by two historical hills Redoubt on the right and Bahirawakande on the left, nestles Mount Leo, cradling the Chapel with its beautiful stained glass windows and the Convent, the citadel of toil, service and sacrifice.

Old as well as modern buildings are set out in a spacious and pleasant surrounding providing an ideal environment for girls to pursue their studies in an atmosphere of peace and tranquility. A unique feature is the precedence given to moral and spiritual development, infusing time honoured traditional values of love, equality, brotherhood, strength and sweetness which continue to remain the distinguishing characteristics of all Shepherdians.

Our Vision

"We produce Good Shepherdesses for the
world"

Our Mission
In order to make our vision a reality we commit ourselves as a team,
To inculcate the values of the Good Shepherds in our students.
To give life witness to the values of the Good Shepherd Teachers and Students for the total development of our students.

A TRIBUTE TO OUR ALMA MATER

“She walks in beauty, like the night - Of cloudless climes and starry skies;
And all that’s best of dark and bright - Meet in her aspect and her eyes;
Thus mellow’d to that tender light - Which heaven to gaudy day denies.

One shade the more, one ray the less- Had half impair’d the nameless grace
Which waves every raven tress - Of softly lightens o’er her face;
Where thoughts serenely sweet express - How pure, how dear their dwelling place.

And on that cheek, and o’er that brow - So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,
The smile that win, the tints that glow - But tell of days in goodness spent,
A mind at peace will all below - A heart whose love is innocent.”

Lord Byron.

The vision that you glorify in your mind, the ideal that you enshrine in your heart,
- This you will build your life by -
This you will become.

www.goodshepherdconventkandy.org/

Founders- The Heart of a Rose

Saint mary Euphrasia, foundress of the Good Shepherd Community of sisters was born Rose Virginie Pelletier on July 31st 1796 in a small island of Nourmoutier on the west coast of France. On October 20th 1814 she entered the Refuge and was given the name of Sister Mary Euphrasia.

In September 1817 Sister Mary Euphrasia professed her vows to Jesus. In 1825, she was unanimously elected Superior of the convent. Here, she sought to realize a dream of hers. She started the Sister Magdelians, now known as the contemplation of the Good Shepherd.

From tours Sister Mary Euphrasia move to Angers at the request of Bishop of Angers. An old textile mill was acquired and converted as the ‘House of the Good Shepherd’. The official opening took place on July 31st 1829.More Houses of Refuge were opened – in Le Lan in April 1833, in pastiers in November 1833, and in Grenoble in December 1833.

From being Rose at Tours, then Rose at Angers, she became Rose of the world. Convents were established in Rome, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Holland, and across the seas in England and Ireland. Then further to Egypt, America, India, Chile, Canada, Australia and Pakistan. Finally in 1867 Bishop Hilanian Sillani of Colombo, wrote to Sister Mary Euphrasia and the convent at Kotahena was opened on 25th April 1869. The Rose had come to Sri Lanka. Meanwhile, Sister Mary Euphrasia had past to her eternal rest on 24th April 1868.

Then in 1888, the site was selected on the hill terrain “Mount Leo” for the convent of Good Shepherd in Kandy. On February 8th 1889, the blessing and formal opening of the school took place. The Rose remains in Kandy.

“Though old stars burn out and die, look to new horizons and even beyond”

- Sister Mary Euphrasia