Order of Malta, Singapore Easter Outreach: Essential Supplies Donated to Good Shepherd Sisters’ Marymount Centre
Easter lies at the core of all Christianity. The spirit it embodies is about compassion, sacrifice and renewal. It inspires us to practice selflessness and compassion in our daily lives and is also a call to renew one’s faith through acts of mercy, compassion, and giving. Almsgiving which is a deeply rooted tradition in Christianity during the Lent and Easter periods, encourages all to help care for the poor and marginalised, echoing strongly with the charism and principles of the Order of Malta – Tuitio fidei et obsequium pauperum
This Easter period, the Order of Malta, Singapore provided a donation of essential food and supplies necessary to the running of the Marymount Centre, a mission of the Good Shepherd Sisters in Singapore. The supplies were distributed across three of the centre’s core services — the children’s home, the crisis shelter, and the student care centre — bringing some Easter joy and much-needed support to the staff and Sisters who tirelessly serve them.
The Good Shepherd Sisters (Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd) have been a beacon of hope in Singapore since 1939, when the first Sisters arrived to minister to girls in need of care and protection. Over the decades, their mission has grown to encompass various programs addressing the needs of women, children, and families experiencing crisis, abuse, or neglect.
Today, Marymount Centre, stands as a testament to their enduring commitment. It houses three main services:
- Ahuva Good Shepherd Children’s Home, which provides a safe and nurturing environment for girls between 4 to 17 years of age who are unable to live with their families due to difficult or unsafe circumstances.
- Good Shepherd Centre, a crisis shelter that offers protection and intervention for women and children escaping family violence or crisis situations.
- Good Shepherd Student Care, a structured after-school programme that supports children from low-income or at-risk families through academic supervision and social development.
The Centre is staffed by a dedicated team of social workers, care staff, volunteers, and the Good Shepherd Sisters, who work together to uphold the dignity of each person in their care. While their work brings many joys, the staff and Sisters openly shared some of the challenges they face — from the emotional toll of cases to the constant need for funding and resources to keep programmes running effectively.
The donations were received with heartfelt gratitude, with the children living at the Centre showing joy at the prospect of some included treats in the donation, their faces lighting up with excitement. Staff and Sisters alike expressed appreciation for the timely support, and the practical relief it brought amid the daily challenges of running such services.
This Easter, the spirit of giving remains alive at the Marymount Centre — a symbol of how compassion, when shared, can heal wounds, strengthen communities, and bring light to even the most challenging situations.
Source and credits: Article and photographs by Damien Lee, with the kind permission of the Good Shepherd Sisters at Marymount Centre.
