We are a Catholic communion of international and local Church communities and ministries. We are committed to foundational Catholic teachings and beliefs and to moving forward with the work begun by the Spirit at Vatican II toward being an inclusive and just Church. Good Shepherd Companions, an Ecumenical Catholic Ordinariate functions under a canonical mandate from Archbishop Emmanuel Milingo in accord with Canon 1792 of the 1983 Code of Canon Law “The supreme law of the church is the salvation of souls.”
We welcome Christians of all traditions and all people of good will to join us in our service to others and our worship.
We invite you to learn more about us by exploring our website.
Mission Statement of the Good Shepherd Companions
The mission of the Companions is to be leaven in the dough primary in four areas of Christian life: marriage and family; a mercy and justice based ordained ministry; gender and sexual equality; and the evangelical renewal and the restoration of unity amongst the churches for the life of the world as envisioned by Vatican Council II.
But beyond the image of “leaven in the dough,” as Good Shepherd Companions we also take to heart the metaphor that Jesus used more and more towards the end of his ministry: namely, the image of an open-table banquet from which none were excluded. These little banquet feasts, which Jesus held with increasing frequency as the end approached, posed just as much a threat to the religious establishment of his day as did his attack on the money-changers. Because these banquets or “agapes” were viewed—by the people as well as the authorities--as alternatives to the more legalistic animal-sacrifice upon which Temple-worship was based, it is therefore an image that we as Good Shepherd Companions try to integrate into our practice—hopefully making our ministry less rigid and more inclusive than the more legalistic way some mainline churches tend to operate.
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Vision Statement of the Good Shepherd Companions
We envision a Church which is focused on preparing us to live marital, family, and communal lives in accord with Gospel values of mutuality, equity, and charity; a Church where all are free to serve in ordained roles - male or female, married or single, regardless of sexual orientation. We envision a universal Church in which particular churches live in harmonious collaboration with one another as they seek to bind up the wounds of the world, preserve the earth, and seek a just future for all creatures on the planet. Our ultimate focus is to bring about what Jesus so ardently desired (Jn 17:22) and which Pope St. John XXIII reiterated on his deathbed: ut unum sint, “that they may be one as you and I are one.” The Good Shepherd Companions sees itself in the tradition of numerous communities that have, throughout history existed on the peripheries of the Church and with time came to move the whole toward a more just and Gospel inspired model.
For a deeper understanding regarding the Good Shepherd Companion’s relationship to the Catholic Church, check out the “ABOUT US” tab under the heading Good Shepherd Companions and the Catholic Church: A Historical Parallel in Early Christianity. You can access it by clicking HERE.
Statement on Inclusion and Ordination
Good Shepherd Companions board statement on Inclusion and Ordination can be found at this link:
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