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THE BULLETIN OF THE CATHOLIC LAYMEN’S ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA
SEPTEMBER 3. 1955,
Assistance Needed if Sisters if
M Sfiepherd Wiese Effort And
Prayer Help fin Sells For Christ
‘‘A soul is of more value than
a whole world, and to labor in
its conversion is a greater work
than to build a thousand em
pires.'' This conviction motivates
the Sisters of the Good Shepherd,
a group of women who have ded
icated their lives to help souls
back to a life of grace and friend
ship with God. They are Sheph
erdesses of souls. Just as there
are hospitals in which sick bodies
are restored to health, so these
Sisters, in a parallel manner,
unite with the Divine Physician
in healing and comforting souls
in critical danger resulting from
"spiritual illness." By the ex
ample of their holy lives; by the
fervor of their prayers and in
tense spiritual life, combined with
the real efficacy of their selfless
activities, they seek and find the
poor strayed lamb and sheep, and
cary them back to the Arms of
the Good Shepherd.
Unknown to many of our
readers, the Sisters of the Good
Shepherd are laboring in the
southland. Located in our neigh
boring Diocese of Charleston,
Saint Euphrasia’s Training
School for Girls, at present serv
ing Virginia, South Carolina,.
North Carolina, Georgia, Florida
and Alabama. Situated just be
yond the city limits of Batesburg,
S. C., this institution is a haven
for girls between the ages of 12 to
18 who have not been able to
make satisfactory adjustment in
the community; the girl who
needs, for a time, protection in a
controlled environment, indivi
dual guidance and a secure for
mation in the essentials of Chris
tian living.
Girls are admitted to the
Training School either through
the City or County Juvenile
Courts, Departments of Public
Welfare, Social Agencies, or
through private placement by
their parents or their guardians.
To be eligible for, admission a
girl must be in - need of special
guidance, character development
and re-education. All Religious
cr«eds are admitted for
care. At the present time ap
proximately one-third of the
girls are Catholic, the remain
ing two-thirds of various Faiths.
St. Euphrasia’s is a congregate
type of institution. There are 9
buildings on the campus; 1 large
Administration Building in
cludes general kitchen, girls’
dining room, sewing-room, laun-
The Good Shepherd.
dry and chapel. The girls occupy
a. very large brick building with
12 semi-private bedrooms (ac
commodating 3 in a room, 1
dormitory, school, library, mus
ic, recreation rooms, visitors’
parlors and storette, 1 storage
building, 2 barns, a dairy and
poultry house.
Directing the
School is Moth
er Mary of St.
John Eudes, Su
perioress. Moth
er is well quali
fied to see this
newest of the
; Good Shepherd
establish-
ments through
i its trying for
mative years.
Mother was
Mother Provin
cial of the Order
in the Baltimore
Province when
Mother Mary of the Most Rev.
St. John Eudes Emmet M. Walsh
prevailed upon the Sisters to
come to the Diocese of Charles
ton in 1948. Mother knows its
problems well.
The faculty at Batesburg in
addition to the Superioress in
cludes Sister Mary of Divine
Providence, Assistant Superior
ess and Directress of Girls; Sis
ter Mary of Our Lady- of
Lourdes; Sister Mary of the
Holy Child; Sister Mary of St.
John; Sister Mary of the Visita
tion, Sister Mary of St. Bernard,
Sister Mary of St. Louis.
Main objectives of all activi
ties conducted at the school is
the re-education and develop
ment of Character. Its ideal is
to develop in the girls an un
yielding conscience which ul
timately enables them to rise
to the values which they know
will lead to real rather than
illusory happiness.' Habits of in
dustry and order are formed and
a taste for the good and whole
some things of life is acquired.
For this end a term of two years
of residence is beneficial.
The Rev. John P. Clancy is
Chaplain. The moral training of
the girl is considered of major
importance and is treated as
a unit of instruction in itself. A
course in the Art of Christian
Social Living has a place in the
curriculum. The Institution
strives to provide a thoroughly
C-hristian^atmosphere where each
girl may learn both her obliga
tions to society and her capaci
ty to serve, and by word and
example be drawn to follow the
paths of truth and chqrity. The
girls are permitted to have their
Ministers and representatives of
other Religious Denominations
visit with them according to
their personal choice.
Monthly parlor visits are per
mitted with shopping and lunch
eon privileges off the campus.
Weekly correspondence to the
family is encouraged. A visit to
the home is made at Christmas
and in the summer. Case Work
ers visit and correspond regular
ly with their charges. Solid
human relations and public re-
1 a t i o n s with neighborhood
groups, resulting in frequent
outings for swimming, etc., are
planned for the girls. The High
School girls participate in Com
munity affairs to a limited de
gree.
Constantly under the vigilance
and the understanding care of
the Sisters whose lives are ded
icated to the service of God, and
aided by competent lay workers,
the girls are encoiiraged to face
the reality of their problems.
They are advised to bring
their difficulties and joys to the
Directress. In their daily con
tacts with members of the staff,
a feeling of trust and respect is
fostered. The Good Shepherd
Sisters are not so much “On
their side” as “at their side.”
Accomodations are limited at
St. Euphrasia’s. During the last
twelve months, 43 girls were in
residence. Only half of the dor
mitory building is now in use.
This building was part of the
Summerland College, a Luther
an School for Girls which clos
ed its doors when Newberry
College became Co-educational.
As is the lot of all empty
structures the building had be-
f-
gun to deteriorate by the time
the Sisters arrived in 1948. One
wing was renovated for use by
the girls in 1951, the other remains
much as it was found. $10,000 is
necessary to make this part
habitable, and at the present
time $10,000 is a tremendous sum
for these Sisters who are strug
gling to place their newest
school on its feet.
Generosity on the part of ma
ny have helped St. Euphrasia’s
get its start. As it becomes bet
ter known by the people it
serves, let us pray that it will be
able to secure the funds neces
sary to provide additional faci
lities which are so desparately
needed.
Over the entrance of St.
Euphrasia’s a small cross is
hung. Lettering on the cross
reads: “Lord and Master, Protect
this house and every one who
goes in and out.” Many girls
have received, are receiving, and
through the aid of Almighty
God, will receive the protection
of the Sisters of the Good
Shepherd. The Sisters add to the
three Vows of Religion—Poverty,
Chastity and Obedience—a fourth
vow, the vow of “Zeal for Souls.”
REPAIRS NEEDED!
$10,000 is needed by the Sisters at Batesburg if their dream
of renovating rooms such as this at the School is to be realized.
This renovation would enable the Sisters to double their present
capacity.—(Photo James McCahill).
COMMERCIAL CLASS AT BATESBURG.
—(Photo James McCahill)
tPEL AT ST. EUPHRASIA'S.
GIRLS AT PRAYER IN GROTO.
—(Photo James McCahill)