“What are we doing in this world, and why are we here, if not to contribute to the well-being of our neighbors?”
St. Mary Euphrasia
The fashion runway at the MDCS event.
More than 300 supporters gathered at Granite Links in Quincy, Massachusetts, on May 19, 2026, for Fashion for Compassion, the annual fundraising gala benefiting Maria Droste Counseling Services (MDCS) — an evening rooted in compassion, healing, and the enduring mission of the Sisters of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd (OLCGS).
Founded in 1992 by Sister Joanne Westwater, MDCS continues a mission first inspired by St. Mary Euphrasia, one of the founders of OLCGS. Guided by the belief that “a person is of more value than a world,” the organization provides professional mental health counseling and holistic therapies to all who seek care, regardless of their ability to pay.
The evening reflected the living spirit of the Good Shepherd mission; a mission carried forward today throughout the U.S. | Toronto Region, and around the world through ministries serving women, children, families, and individuals experiencing vulnerability, trauma, poverty, and injustice.
Events like Fashion for Compassion are more than celebrations or fundraisers. They are vital opportunities to sustain ministries rooted in dignity, mercy, and zeal. Through the generosity of donors, sponsors, volunteers, and partners-in-mission, organizations like MDCS can continue to remove barriers to mental health care and offer hope to those who need it most.
In 2025 alone, MDCS provided more than 7,000 counseling sessions and waived over $350,000 in client fees. More than 85 percent of clients received services at a reduced rate — a powerful witness to the organization’s commitment to ensuring compassionate care remains accessible.
Executive Director Michael Shanahan, MDCS
Executive Director Michael Shanahan, the organization’s first lay leader, welcomed guests and reflected on the community that continues to sustain the mission. Throughout the evening, speakers shared deeply personal stories that highlighted the urgent need for accessible mental health services and the life-changing impact of compassion.
Board member Karen Donnellan offered a moving reflection on her 400-mile pilgrimage along the Camino de Santiago in memory of her brother Robert, whose life was lost to suicide in 2023.
“Robert was not a broken man,” Karen shared. “He was a brilliant, funny, fiercely loved human being who simply could not find his way to the help he needed.”
Former WBZ-TV and WCVB-TV news anchor Liam Martin delivered the evening’s keynote address, speaking candidly about his own mental health journey and his decision to leave broadcasting in order to seek treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder.
“The strongest thing a person can do is ask for help,” Martin recalled his wife telling him during one of the most difficult moments in his life.
His testimony reflected the very heart of MDCS’s mission: acceptance, respect, compassion, and healing. These values, cultivated by OLCGS for generations, remain central to the organization’s work today.
The sisters have long recognized that healing requires more than services alone — it requires presence, dignity, and love. Since their founding in France in 1835, the sisters have responded to the needs of the times, accompanying those on the margins and creating spaces where hope can flourish. Today, Good Shepherd ministries continue in 69 countries around the world.
That spirit was tangible throughout the evening as sisters, partners-in-mission, staff, volunteers, and supporters came together in joyful solidarity for a shared purpose.
Sr. Elish McPartland (left) and Sr. Mary Ann Crowley, CSJ, former volunteer who served 12 years as a counselor at MDCS.
“As I listened to the speakers and looked at the number of partners-in-mission and their zealous spirit, so tangible in the room, I was filled with hope and joy knowing that the mission of MDCS will go forward into the future.”
Sr. Elish McPartland, RGS
The evening concluded with an energetic fashion show featuring designs from George & Dino, Pattee Silver Designs, and Lululemon. Nearly 30 volunteer models took to the runway in a celebration filled with joy, creativity, and community spirit.
Yet at its heart, Fashion for Compassion was a reflection of something much deeper: a living mission sustained by compassion, strengthened through partnership, and carried forward by people committed to bringing hope to life.
Through gatherings like this, the ministries of the U.S. | Toronto Region continue the legacy of St. Mary Euphrasia — ensuring that those seeking healing are met not with judgment or barriers, but with dignity, zeal, and love.
