Our History
The Institute of the Good Shepherd (IBP) is a priestly institute, a "Society of Apostolic Life of Pontifical Right". Our members are secular priests, not religious, even though they may live in community in the Institute's houses. This also means that they are under the direct authority of the Holy See.
It was founded in Rome on September 8, 2006—the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary—under the pontificate of Pope Benedict XVI. On that day the statutes of the IBP were approved by the prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy, Cardinal Dario Castrillón Hoyos, acting on behalf of the Holy See.
From left to right: Dom Fernando Guimarães, Secretary of the Congregation for the Clergy (now Archbishop of the Armed Forces in Brazil); Rev. Fr Guillaume de Tanoüarn; Rev. Fr Philippe Laguérie; H. Em. Cardinal Dario Castrillón Hoyos, Prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy and President of the Ecclesia Dei Commission; Rev. Fr. Paul Aulagnier; Rev. Fr. Christophe Héry; Rev. Monsignor Martin Viviès, official of the Congregation for the Clergy. (Not pictured, but among the founders, is Rev. Fr. Henri Forestier.)
In October 2006, an international seminary was founded in Courtalain, in the diocese of Chartres, under the patronage of St. Vincent de Paul. Here, we train the future priests of the Institute. We have many French and Brazilian vocations, but also men from elsewhere in Europe, Latin America and Africa.
On February 1, 2007, the Institute was recognized by Cardinal Jean-Pierre Ricard, Archbishop of Bordeaux. He erected Saint-Eloi church as a personal parish for the celebration of the Traditional Latin Mass. Located in the city center or Bordeaux, Saint-Eloi (St. Eligius) is the first and main house of the Institute.
On March 11, 2007, the Institute ordained its first priests in Courtalain. His Eminence Cardinal Luigi de Magistris (a bishop at the time) presided over the ordinations.
In February 2008, minor orders were conferred on the Institute's seminarians in the Basilica of St. John Lateran, the Pope's cathedral. His Excellency Cardinal de Magistris presided again.
On July 4, 2009, two Breton priests were ordained in Sainte-Anne d'Auray by His Excellency Bishop Apignanesi.
On June 28, 2011, His Eminence Cardinal Castrillón Hoyos ordained a priest and three deacons at the church of Saint-Eloi in Bordeaux.
In September 2011, five years after our founding, the community received our first "canonical visit". His Eminence Cardinal Jean-Pierre Ricard, accompanied by Fr. Serge-Thomas Ponino, O.P. (until recently the Secretary of the International Theological Commission) and Fr. Luc Crépy, C.J.M. (now Bishop of Le Puy), visited each house, met our priests, and were able to observe the beautiful development of the community.
In June 2012, we were pleased to have the first ordinations of priests trained entirely at St. Vincent de Paul Seminary: Fr. Yvain Cartier (French), Fr. Daniel Pinheiro (Brazilian) and Fr. Giorgio Lenzi (Italian). These young priests were welcomed in dioceses around the world to celebrate the Tridentine Mass and carry out pastoral activities related to it.
On August 22, 2015, two priests and two deacons, all Brazilians, were ordained in São Paulo, at the parish served by the IBP. His Excellency Bishop Athanasius Schneider, a great friend of the Institute, performed the ordinations with the blessing of Cardinal Dom Odilo Scherrer, Archbishop of São Paulo.
In October 2016, the Institute celebrated its tenth anniversary in Rome, on the occasion of the Summorum Pontificum Pilgrimage. His Eminence Cardinal Castrillón Hoyos celebrated the anniversary Mass, in the presence of His Eminence Cardinal Raymond Burke, former Prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura, His Excellency Bishop Guido Pozzo, Secretary of the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei, His Excellency Alexander Sample, Archbishop of Portland (Oregon, USA), Monsignor Marco Agostini, Pontifical Master of Ceremonies, and many other friends of the Institute. Priests from friendly communities, diocesan priests, and a large number of the faithful came to Rome for the occasion. The following day, the Institute's seminarians served the Pontifical Mass in St. Peter's Basilica accompanied by a choir of seminarians and the faithful from our various apostolates.
Today, the IBP brings together more than fifty priests who are on missions in several diocese in Brazil, Colombia, France, Italy, Poland, Uganda and the United States. Our priests exercise their apostolate in small communities, in personal or territorial parishes, or in primary and secondary schools. More information can be found on the "Locations Around the World" page.
Reverend Father Luis Gabriel Barrero, Superior General of the IBP