Good Shepherd Sisters: 120 Years of Mission in SA

In 1904, five Good Shepherd Sisters set off from France to begin a mission in South Africa. Judith Dumbutshena tells the story of the congregation’s work throughout the country over 120 years.

As the Catholic Church celebrates the Jubilee Year 2025, we are all called to be “Pilgrims of Hope” on a journey of renewal, gratitude and reflection on God’s abundant mercy. This Jubilee Year invites us to look back with a reconciling heart and thanksgiving for the grace that has sustained our journey, so we may radiate hope together, trusting in God’s continued providence.

The Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd — the Sisters and their partners-in-mission — in 2024 called themselves “Pilgrims of Light” as they marked a milestone: 120 years of faith, service, presence and mission in South Africa. In this spirit of gratitude, they joyfully reflected on a 120-year legacy — a story of revealing God’s merciful love to the most vulnerable among us through reconciliation, compassion, resilience and dedication to his mission.

A candle was lit at Good Shepherd church in Hartbeespoort, Gauteng, to mark the 120th anniversary. Imprinted with the most important dates from the congregation’s history in South Africa, the candle travelled through all the Good Shepherd missions and communities in the country.

Perilous journey to SA

The congregation was founded in France in 1835 and soon spread across the world. It was on April 17, 1904, that five brave Sisters left Angers in France by train, reaching England on April 21

before setting sail on the steamer Inkosi on a perilous, near-disastrous voyage to Durban, where they arrived on May 17.

Initially hosted by the Sisters of the Holy Family of Bordeaux, the five pioneer Sisters moved into their own unfurnished house in Yeoville, Johannesburg — an area which at the time was little more than a tent village surrounding the gold mines. Within a short time, they relocated to the nearby suburb of Orchards, where a small corrugated-iron house was built for them.

On September 8, the feast of Our Lady’s Nativity, they had their first Mass in the house, marking the humble beginnings of what would become the parish of Our Lady of the Wayside in Maryvale.

The Sisters embraced a life of poverty, with some financial relief coming from sewing garments for women and children and suits for workers. Life was challenging, and transport was by ox wagon. Their faith and dedication, deeply rooted in the teachings of foundress St Mary Euphrasia (1796–1868), kept them going. Her deathbed words, “Love the Cross and have zeal for the salvation of souls”, remained their guiding light.

Game-changing donation

In 1905, the Sisters’ situation changed dramatically when the owner of Cullinan Diamond Mine visited them. Moved by their poverty, he donated £3000 (today about R6 million). This generous gift enabled the Sisters to build a brick laundry with modern amenities, improving their living conditions and allowing them to serve their mission more effectively.

In 1919, Bishop John Rooney of Cape Town invited the Sisters to establish a home there, which later led to the creation of other homes across the country, including a new establishment in Durban in 1938.

Over the years, the Sisters founded homes, schools and training centres to provide education and care for girls in need — despite facing opposition, particularly during the enforcement of apartheid laws.

However, the mission’s work continued with unyielding dedication, and by the time the congregation celebrated the Golden Jubilee of its arrival in 1954, it had grown to 54 Sisters.

The mission continued to expand as Fatima House in Pretoria North was opened in 1959 for teenagers in crisis, and further community development programmes were established, particularly in underprivileged areas such as Mmakaunyane, Madidi and Hebron (all in what is now North West province). These efforts included feeding schemes, pre-schools and skills development programmes for women.

In the 1970s, as government policy shifted away from institutional care, the mission adapted to focus on outreach projects and pastoral ministry in communities such as Eldorado Park and Kliptown in Johannesburg, and in Port Elizabeth. These efforts, often undertaken in collaboration with local people, aimed to provide social services, education and support for vulnerable populations.

The mission continues

Today, the work of the Good Shepherd Sisters’ mission continues to thrive, offering support and care to those in need, with the full participation of 94 partners-in-mission. These are Good Shepherd associates, staff, board members and volunteers, not to mention many other friends and benefactors.

Together, they continue to serve with the same zeal and compassion that have characterised the Good Shepherd Sisters’ enduring mission for over a century. The vital missions in Hebron, Madidi and Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) offer hope and assistance to thousands of people through education, skills training and community development programmes.

For more information about the Good Shepherd Sisters and their mission, or to offer support, contact Sr Zelna at 078 623-3604 or email

Published in the July 2025 issue of The Southern Cross