Saint, Foundress. Saint Mary Euphrasia Pelletier was born Rose Virginie Pelletier on July 31, 1796, on the French Island of Noirmoutier to parents Dr. Julien-Louis Pelletier and Anne Mourain. Her family had fled to the island to escape the violence of the French Revolution. In 1810, Rose was sent to a boarding school in Tours, France, called L'Association Chrétienne, run by Madame Chobelet. On Oct 20, 1814, Rose was accepted into the Tours Refuge of the Sisters of Our Lady of Charity of the Refuge after convincing her guardian and brother-in-law, François Marsaud to allow her to follow her vocation.

On Sep 8, 1815, Rose entered her novitiate. She was dressed in a white habit, made up of a dress, girdle, scapular and a mantle. Rose took the name Sister Mary of St. Euphrasia, although she originally wanted to be known as Sister Mary of St. Teresa. On Sep 9, 1817, Sister Mary St. Euphrasia was professed; she took the vows of obedience, chastity and poverty, and lastly, she took a vow promising to devote herself to the conversion of penitent women. Not long after her profession, Sister Mary St. Euphrasia was appointed as First Mistress of Penitents.

On May 21, 1825, Sister Mary St. Euphrasia was elected as Superior of the Refuge at Tours. Special permission was granted by the Holy See as Sister Mary St. Euphrasia was not over the age of 40 years, nor had she been professed for over eight years. On Nov 9, 1825, Mother Mary St. Euphrasia formed the Sisters of St. Magdalen, and the first four sisters were given their habits. In May 1828, Mother Mary St. Euphrasia was re-elected as Superior to serve for another three years.

In 1829, at the request of Bishop Charles Montault des Isles, Mother Mary St. Euphrasia established a home in Angers. In 1831, Mother Mary St. Euphrasia was appointed to oversee the convent at Angers.

On Jan 16, 1835, Pope Gregory XVI approved and confirmed a decree from Jan 9, establishing the convent at Angers as the Mother House of the Institute, the Superior of that convent being declared Superior General of all the others that had been or might be founded from it and that the Congregation was to be named Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd of Angers.

The Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd is a branch of Our Lady of Charity of the Refuge, which was established in 1641 by Saint John Eudes.

The Good Shepherd Order spread its convents and homes across the world, devoted to the care, rehabilitation, and education of girls and young women who have demonstrated "delinquent" behaviour. Often, children were placed there by order of governments and courts or abandoned by their parents. In recent decades, former residents of these convents and homes have come forward with reports of abuse and neglect.

On Friday, Apr 24, 1868, after weeks of agonising pain and suffering caused by a tumor upon her liver, Mother Mary of St. Euphrasia spoke her last words: "Farewell! Farewell! Farewell, my dearest children! Farewell to the Institute!" Shortly before 6 pm, Mother Mary of St. Euphrasia took her last breath.

The following day, the mortal remains of Mother Mary St. Euphrasia were taken to a community room that had been arranged into a Chapelle ardent; the walls and windows were draped in black crape, and the room was lit by a large number of wax candles. In the centre of the room sat the remains of the beloved Superior General on a lit de parade, covered with white flowers. She was barefooted, clothed in her religious dress, and she was crowned with a wreath that was presented to her on the 50th anniversary of her profession. In her clasped hands, she held her Jerusalem crucifix and a copy of her vows. Around her neck, she wore a silver heart which contained all the names of all the convents, the religious and various establishments which had been under her care. Requiem mass was held at the Church of the Mother House on April 27 and was attended by hundreds of people. After the absolutions were pronounced, Mother Mary St. Euphrasia's coffin was carried out of the church and taken to the Chapel of the Tombs. There, her coffin of lead and oak was shut and lowered into the grave.

At the time of her death, Mother St. Euphrasia was Superior General to 3000+ religious in 110 convents in 35 countries. In the years following her passing, that expanded to 72 countries.

On Apr 30, 1933, at the Vatican, Mother Mary St. Euphrasia was beatified by Pope Pius XI. She was canonised on May 2, 1940, at St. Peter's Basilica by Pope Pius XII and was named Saint Mary Euphrasia Pelletier. Her feast day is the 24th day of April. She is the patron saint of the Good Shepherd Sisters.