Horizon 1
Co-creating the Mission
Long Term Outcome
Mission partners, sisters and lay, live and carry on the mission living spirituality, justice and best practices.
The Good Shepherd mission is a shared one among partners, sisters and lay. All partners have responded to a call to serve it, accepting and appreciating the diverse perspectives and competencies of the others.
The mission is strengthened by a common understanding of spirituality and justice among sisters and lay, in both work and life, irrespective of diverse ethnicity, race and gender.
Mission partners are called to work together to grow and enrich the Good Shepherd mission.
- 31st Congregational Chapter Direction Statement “We commit to…Create flexible frameworks, policies and role descriptions that are adaptable, culturally sensitive, and implemented throughout the congregation with co-responsibility for mission” and the Calls to Action on Partners in Mission, Formation, Universal Culture of Justice and Congregational Strategic Plan
- Recommendations from the GSIF Strategic Plan Evaluation Report
- Inputs from Global Forum with 140 GSIF partners held on 9Jun2022
- 31st Congregational Chapter Direction Statement “We commit to…Create flexible frameworks, policies and role descriptions that are adaptable, culturally sensitive, and implemented throughout the congregation with co-responsibility for mission” and the Calls to Action on Partners in Mission, Formation, Universal Culture of Justice and Congregational Strategic Plan
- From the 31st Chapter’s Directions Statements: “We commit to…create flexible frameworks, policies and role descriptions that are adaptable, culturally sensitive, and implemented throughout the Congregation with co-responsibility for mission.”
- The feedback from GSIF partners, which called for the design and implementation of new ways to bring together spirituality, justice and good practices to strengthen effectiveness in all aspects of our work and life.
- Throughout the Congregation, there are models and experiences on how to implement this integrated approach to mission aligned with the recommendations of “Zeal Call Us to Respond”. One of them is the “Enfoque Integrado” designed by the REAL core group.
- Such models, experiences, good practices can be shared to support Units and programs in developing trainings for partners.
- To be a contributor and valuable partner in these processes, GSIF shall focus on its organizational culture to be consistent and coherent in terms of relationships, motivations and behaviors.
Sharing Justly
Long Term Outcome
Ministries operate in equitable conditions and are accountable.
OLCGS ministries are strengthened to operate with a well-defined understanding of equitable structures.
This will enable the Units to make informed decisions that will ensure accountability, ethics and justice in their practices within the ministries and beyond.
The understanding of equity will enable the ministries to have clear processes and procedures in its human resource, accounting and management.
- 31st Congregational Chapter Direction Statement: “Put Congregational processes in place to assess and strengthen our existing works of justice, engage with emerging needs of today and invest resources and personnel to make our justice structure more sustainable. Design and implement policies and guidelines with tools for ongoing evaluation and accountability”.
- Recommendations from the GSIF Strategic Plan Evaluation Report
- Inputs from Global Forum attended by 140 GSIF partners on 9 Jun 2022
- “Guidelines for the Administration of the Assets in Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life”, Circular Letter, (CICLSAL), 8/2/14
- “A Spirituality of Mission Development”, GSIF training materials, 2016
- J. Nouwen, Spirituality of Fundraising, Fundraising as Ministry
- OLCGS and GSIF believe that ensuring equitable sharing of resources is an important component of a universal culture of justice and the foundation of good stewardship of resources for the sustainability of the mission.
- To ensure that resources are shared equitably, structures and standards should allow sharing and communion, as well as accountability and good practices in finance management.
- Good practices ensure the necessary credibility and stability to raise funds and generate enough resources to fulfil the mission.
- When reflecting on equitable sharing, GSIF aims to adopt a “mindset of abundance rather than scarcity”. Looking at resources as both tangible and intangible assets. The unique “social capital” that the Congregation holds, in reputation, legacy, networks, credibility, authenticity, history, spiritual leadership can generate “enough” to support a sustainable growth of the mission. If this capital is used for hoarding, it would not grow. It is a capital of that can be tapped to generate funding, to attract valuable people, to generate networking opportunities.
- Using resources in a way that allows change to happen is an attitude fully aligned with the rights-based approach. This requires a shift in how we look at assets, not as fixed and tangible, but as enablers of change, that allow people to fulfil their potential and enjoy their rights.
- At GSIF we have adopted this approach by integrating strategic planning with financial planning, and have promoted a culture of fundraising as ministry. “From the perspective of the Gospel, fundraising is not a response to a crisis. Fundraising is, first and foremost, a form of ministry. It is a way of announcing our vision and inviting other people into our mission. (…) Fundraising is proclaiming what we believe in such a way that we offer other people an opportunity to participate with us in our vision and mission.” (H.J. Nouwen, 2016).
- GSIF experienced this first hand. When mission partners adopt a culture of abundance, investing in people, taking risks, and don’t hoard, financial and human resources start to flow and multiply, even in the most deprived and impoverished communities.
Horizon 2
Horizon 3
Enabling Communities' Transformation
Long Term Outcome
Communities enjoy their rights and promote integral development.
Communities of mission partners and program participants will be strengthened to fully embrace their rights and the importance of working for an integral development that combines social justice and care for the environment. This will enable them to transform themselves with an understanding of their local realities, of their rights and responsibilities towards achieving sustainable development.
- 31st Congregational Chapter Direction Statement: “Put congregational processes in place to assess and strengthen our existing works of justice, engage with emerging needs of today, and invest resources and personnel to make our justice structure more sustainable. The Chapter body (commits) to act boldly and responsibly in addressing the issues of systemic injustice beyond the congregation. There is a deep desire to embrace a culture of justice that deepens relationships and strengthens capacities and is rooted in a rights-based approach” and the Calls to Action.
- Good Shepherd Position Papers
- Laudato Si
- SDG 1, 2, 4, 5, 8
- Recommendations from the GSIF Strategic Plan Evaluation Report
- Inputs from the Global Forum attended by 140 GSIF partners on 9 Jun 2022
- “The foundation of the sisters of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd is love, expressed in works of justice, beginning with a response to the social violence perpetuated upon the women in the 17th century, in France, that led to a pathway for healing and wholeness.
- Enabling, promoting, and living in right relationship with all of creation is the framework for the Holy Work that Mary Euphrasia and John Eudes entrusted to us. It is our mission and extends to our relationships with all people”.
- In the OLCGS position papers there is a clear commitment to address the conditions of “those already impoverished by social injustice who are the most adversely affected by the recent ecological, economic and political crises, with a special attention to girls, women and children”. These principles and long-term goals, have been and continue to be at the center of the development initiatives supported and facilitated by GSIF.
- Eradicating poverty and providing food security are the greatest challenges for the developing countries, moreover in this time of un-precedented political, economic and ecological crisis.
- The Congregation and GSIF believe that girls and women should play a leading role in promoting a holistic model of economic and political development that can provide dignified employment for all, especially the most vulnerable. At GSIF we have experienced in various social justice programs that financial inclusion and social enterprising are effective ways of creating societal value for the long term, generating resources for self-sustainability that are reinvested into social services for the development of individuals and communities.
- By promoting rights-based and women-led development programs, grounded in the integral development of the person, Good Shepherd programs are committed to support communities in the most fragile countries in a shift towards a model that puts social and environmental concerns as the basis for social wellbeing and growth.
- The Good Shepherd mission is aligned with and contributing to the Priority theme for the 2024 UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW): “Accelerating the achievement of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls by addressing poverty and strengthening institutions and financing with a gender perspective.”
Future Proofing
Long Term Outcome
The Congregation and GSIF transform the lives of individuals and communities into the future.
Good Shepherd shall look at its capacities, resources and people, to ensure that communities and ministries are able to sustain themselves with a broad, in-depth and evolving understanding of the local and global realities.
New ways to connect ministries, agencies and programs beyond borders and with partners outside the Congregation who are aligned with Good Shepherd values are needed the global level to respond to the evolving realities of the different countries and communities.
- Recommendations from the GSIF Strategic Plan Evaluation Report Outcomes 1, 2 and the General Section.
- Inputs from Global Forum with 140 GSIF partners on 9 Jun 2022.
- 31st Congregational Chapter Direction Statement – “Ensure equitable sharing of resources as an important component of a universal culture of justice and good stewardship of resources for the sustainability of mission” and the Calls to Action.
- GSIF was originally established to support the Units and programs in the most fragile and impoverished countries of the world in raising funds and assist in grant management for the start-up or development of the mission. This kind of support is still considered very important by the majority of the partners who have been interviewed during the evaluation process for the old strategic plan. As they move into the future, many of these partners highlighted the need to consolidate and strengthen all those structures and services, especially at country-level, to ensure stability, equity and growth of finances and human resources to carry on the mission.
- From various parts of the Congregation new needs are emerging to building strong global relationship across ministries, agencies, programs in order to move towards full engagement of lay partners.
- Further reflection and planning are needed regarding the financial future of GSIF and of the other development offices, to support their services to the Congregation.
Horizon 4
2022 © Good Shepherd International Foundation
Horizon 1
Co-creators of a Shared Mission
Long Term Outcome
Mission partners, sisters and lay, live and carry on the mission living spirituality, justice and best practices.
The Good Shepherd mission is a shared one among partners, sisters and lay. All partners have responded to a call to serve it, accepting and appreciating the diverse perspectives and competencies of the others.
The mission is strengthened by a common understanding of spirituality and justice among sisters and lay, in both work and life, irrespective of diverse ethnicity, race and gender.
Mission partners are called to work together to grow and enrich the Good Shepherd mission.
- 31st Congregational Chapter Direction Statement “We commit to…Create flexible frameworks, policies and role descriptions that are adaptable, culturally sensitive, and implemented throughout the congregation with co-responsibility for mission” and the Calls to Action on Partners in Mission, Formation, Universal Culture of Justice and Congregational Strategic Plan
- Recommendations from the GSIF Strategic Plan Evaluation Report
- Inputs from Global Forum with 140 GSIF partners held on 9Jun2022
- 31st Congregational Chapter Direction Statement “We commit to…Create flexible frameworks, policies and role descriptions that are adaptable, culturally sensitive, and implemented throughout the congregation with co-responsibility for mission” and the Calls to Action on Partners in Mission, Formation, Universal Culture of Justice and Congregational Strategic Plan
- From the 31st Chapter’s Directions Statements: “We commit to…create flexible frameworks, policies and role descriptions that are adaptable, culturally sensitive, and implemented throughout the Congregation with co-responsibility for mission.”
- The feedback from GSIF partners, which called for the design and implementation of new ways to bring together spirituality, justice and good practices to strengthen effectiveness in all aspects of our work and life.
- Throughout the Congregation, there are models and experiences on how to implement this integrated approach to mission aligned with the recommendations of “Zeal Call Us to Respond”. One of them is the “Enfoque Integrado” designed by the REAL core group.
- Such models, experiences, good practices can be shared to support Units and programs in developing trainings for partners.
- To be a contributor and valuable partner in these processes, GSIF shall focus on its organizational culture to be consistent and coherent in terms of relationships, motivations and behaviors.
Horizon 2
Justly Shared
Long Term Outcome
Ministries operate within equitable structures ensuring accountability to just and ethical practices.
OLCGS ministries are strengthened to operate with a well-defined understanding of equitable structures.
This will enable the Units to make informed decisions that will ensure accountability, ethics and justice in their practices within the ministries and beyond.
The understanding of equity will enable the ministries to have clear processes and procedures in its human resource, accounting and management.
- 31st Congregational Chapter Direction Statement “We commit to…Create flexible frameworks, policies and role descriptions that are adaptable, culturally sensitive, and implemented throughout the congregation with co-responsibility for mission” and the Calls to Action on Partners in Mission, Formation, Universal Culture of Justice and Congregational Strategic Plan
- Recommendations from the GSIF Strategic Plan Evaluation Report
- Inputs from Global Forum with 140 GSIF partners held on 9Jun2022
- 31st Congregational Chapter Direction Statement “We commit to…Create flexible frameworks, policies and role descriptions that are adaptable, culturally sensitive, and implemented throughout the congregation with co-responsibility for mission” and the Calls to Action on Partners in Mission, Formation, Universal Culture of Justice and Congregational Strategic Plan
- From the 31st Chapter’s Directions Statements: “We commit to…create flexible frameworks, policies and role descriptions that are adaptable, culturally sensitive, and implemented throughout the Congregation with co-responsibility for mission.”
- The feedback from GSIF partners, which called for the design and implementation of new ways to bring together spirituality, justice and good practices to strengthen effectiveness in all aspects of our work and life.
- Throughout the Congregation, there are models and experiences on how to implement this integrated approach to mission aligned with the recommendations of “Zeal Call Us to Respond”. One of them is the “Enfoque Integrado” designed by the REAL core group.
- Such models, experiences, good practices can be shared to support Units and programs in developing trainings for partners.
- To be a contributor and valuable partner in these processes, GSIF shall focus on its organizational culture to be consistent and coherent in terms of relationships, motivations and behaviors.