“Among the so many liturgical feasts of Mary there is also that of «Mother of the Good Shepherd». This feast has a particular importance for you, who are the Sisters of Jesus Good Shepherd. In order to understand better this most noble title of Mary, there is a need to we know and understand well what «Good Shepherd» means. Good Shepherd is he who has care of his sheep and loves them, until giving up his life for them. All men constitute the great flock of Jesus Good Shepherd. Not all the men however are docile and good sheep; some of these sheep wander in the woods and on the hills and would risk into some danger if the Shepherd wouldn’t leave the ninety-nine to safety in order to go and seek for the others, as a father seeks for his son. Jesus Good Shepherd gave up all his blood on the cross in order to save sinners. […] Concluded his mission on earth, before ascending to the heavens, Jesus commanded St Peter to continue his mission “Feed my lambs lambs, pasture my sheep”. And so came the Pope, the Bishops, the priests, to pasture the flock of the Church of God with doctrine and teaching, with example of the Christian virtues, with the Sacraments, pledge of eternal life.
 

The Sisters of Jesus Good Shepherd insert themselves in the mission of the Church as consecrated virgins to God with bonds of love, to pray for the Pope, the Bishops and the priests. Pray! It is a great thing to pray for the Priests; if the Shepherd is good, it is easier that the flock will be good, the population entrusted to his care. […] But it is not enough to pray for priests, it is necessary to help them. Who will help them with greater constancy, sacrifice and indifference? The sister. Yes, you are called to help the Priests. All those who wanted to do some good have felt the need to associate to their work, women of good spirit and have ardent love to Jesus. We think about St. Domenic and St. John Bosco and many other saints. This is in conformation to God’s design in Creation; don't we perhaps read in the Scriptures that woman was created as a helper to man? “It is not good, God said, that Adam be alone, let us make him a helper who similar to him!”. And sending Adam into profound sleep, he took out a rib in which he formed Eve, the mother of the living. Eve was the companion of Adam, she helped him, she encouraged him, and she advised him.
 

What happened in the order of nature also happens in the field of grace: Jesus, the first apostle, the One sent by the Father, Mary is placed beside him. The ministry of the Sister of Jesus Good Shepherd is like that of Mary. Mary formed Jesus. The Sister of Jesus Good Shepherd will form and will take care of the religious and priestly vocations with true apostolic spirit, as Mary would do if she were in her place. The vocations are formed with the teaching of the Catechism, of the Sacred Scriptures. There are some sisters who do very well in teaching Catechism to the little children. You are of these, following the example of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, who never got tired to evangelize the people.”
 

29 october 1938