The Good Shepherd Sisters are doing some good self-promotion, and we hope their efforts will help bring some new blood into the religious order, formally known as The Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. There has not been a new recruit in Maine or Massachusetts for 20 years.
The sisters are also aging: The youngest nun in the Good Shepherd order in United States is 64 and the oldest is 95.
Sister Elaine Lachance, 70, who serves in Biddeford and Saco, has been heading up a Facebook page for the order. Although she said she was hesitant to start the page, the advice came from a marketing company the sisters are using to get more publicity, and it seems to be in good working order now.
The page features pictures from a trip to Quebec, Canada, recommendations for inspirational movies, and links to articles and video clips on religious life. The sisters also have a website, www.scimsisters.org, and Lachance has a blog. She’s also worked with Time Warner Cable to make a short promotional video that can be viewed on YouTube.
The sisters are hoping to reach out to women through the site and Facebook page, keep in touch with young women they meet and continue to get their message out.
They have modest goals for recruitment. The group is not looking to double or triple in size ”“ three new recruits would be ideal, said Lachance.
The sisters run a home in Saco for women transitioning out of prison as well as St. Andre Home in Biddeford, which provides support and services for mothers and an adoption service. Sisters also serve the community by tutoring, working in prisons and doing other social service work.
Although the sisters must make sacrifices, there are able to enjoy some leisure activities like swimming, cross-country skiing, snow-shoeing, roller-skating, ice skating ”“ and even Wii bowling, which Lachance said she enjoys.
In this day and age of social media and the 24-hour news cycle, it’s heartening to see groups like the Good Shepherd Sisters adapting to this new way of life. Using social media and the Internet as a tool will be beneficial in the future, and could possibly lead to those new recruits the order is seeking.
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Today’s editorial was written by City Editor Robyn Burnham representing the majority opinion of the Journal Tribune Editorial Board. Questions? Comments? Contact Managing Editor Kristen Schulze Muszynski by calling 282-1535, Ext. 322, or via email at kristenm@journaltribune.com.
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