The Larger Religious Family of St. John Eudes

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Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd

In 1641, St. John Eudes founded the Sisters of Our Lady of Charity to provide a refuge where repentant prostitutes and women in dangerous situations could come to live and be ministered to while they sought healing and a change in lifestyle. The sisters took a 4thvow of “zeal for the salvation of souls.”

Then in 1835, St. Mary Euphrasia, a Sister of Our Lady of Charity, founded the Good Shepherd Sisters to respond to the needs of these women on an international level. In 1831, she had already founded a contemplative branch, initially called the Madeline Sisters, which she wanted to be a “Carmel within the Good Shepherd.” They were a powerhouse of prayer to support the ministry of the active sisters.

In 2014, a joyful day in our family history, these two orders reunified under the name of Sisters of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd.

The sisters have a couple of houses locally:
Good Shepherd Shelter, Los Angeles, CA
Casa Eudes Girls Home, Tijuana, Mexico

Little Sisters of the Poor

St. Jeanne Jugan was a permanently consecrated Eudist associate in Brittany, France. In 1839, while walking home on a bitterly cold winter night, she passed a homeless and elderly person laying in the street. The woman was blind and critically ill. Unable to pass by someone in such terrible need of mercy, Jeanne hoisted this woman onto her back and carried her up two flights of stairs. Jeanne gave up her own bed so the woman could die in peace.

She began to see the great need to provide hospitality to the aging poor. She continued her ministry, beginning to beg regularly for donations to support the mission, and other associates began to join her. Soon the Little Sisters of the Poor were founded to care for the aged poor.

St. Jeanne took the religious name Sr. Mary of the Cross, and she lived the reality of the cross in a powerful way. In 1843, the ambitious chaplain who the bishop had assigned to the sisters removed Jeanne from her position as superior. She was relegated to household tasks, begging, and was largely forgotten. At the time of her death 27 years later, no one in the order knew that she had founded it. In addition to all her other accomplishments, she was a hero of humility. Locally, the Little Sisters of the Poor have  house in San Pedro, CA.

Eudist Servants of the 11th Hour

Mary Clarke Brenner was a Beverly Hills socialite, who became foundress of the newest branch of the Eudist Family. She raised seven children in two marriages, ran her father’s business after he passed away, and eventually became heavily involved in charitable works. Her passion for helping those in greatest need brought her to Tijuana, where she witnessed the appalling mistreatment of prisoners in the La Mesa Prison.

In 1976, with the permission of the bishops of San Diego and Tijuana, she donned a habit, took the name Mother Antonia, and began living in the La Mesa prison to provide full-time ministry. She became known as the Prison Angel, but the prisoners themselves just called her “mama.”

At this time, Fr. John Howard CJM was leading a great deal of ministry in Tijuana with the members of St. James’ Mission Circle. He and Mother Antonia joined forces and found a deep commonality in their commitment to a spirituality of radical mercy. Mother Antonia fell in love with St. John Eudes, who said that we are all called to be “missionaries of mercy, sent by the Father of Mercies to dispense his treasures of mercy to those in need.” Others were quickly attracted to the mission, and in 2003, Mother founded the Eudist Servants of the 11th Hour. The “11th Hour” because the women who join are all over 40 (at least), and are seeking to give themselves in love in the twilight years of their lives.

Locally, the Eudist Servants have two houses in Tijuana, and a donation pickup site in San Diego:

  • Casa Campos de San Miguel provides ministry to the La Mesa Prison, housing for family members who come to visit and for women leaving prison, as well as medical treatment for cancer patients.

  • Casa Corazon de Maria is the house of formation and community headquarters.