African Nuns Challenged to Integrate Christian Spirituality in their Leadership

A member of the Congregation of the Assumption Sisters of Nairobi (ASN), Sr. Nziwa downplayed the notion of titles and advocated for service delivery saying, “We are all leaders without a title, we have a responsibility to transform the world, our country, our Church and our congregations.”

A guest speaker at the Saturday conference, Rev. Prof. Sahaya Selvam reiterated the value of spirituality in the life of all religious saying, “Spirituality entails the integration of the different dimensions of the human person.”

“As a leader we therefore need to be virtuous and inclusive,” Prof. Selvam who is a member of the Salesians of Don Bosco (SDB) said, calling on the nuns to be “integrated and holistic, marked by harmony and balance.”

Speaking about her impressions as a participant at the Saturday conference, Sr. Consolata Aloo of the Franciscan Sisters of St. Ann (FSSA) told ACI Africa, “As religious women, people expect a lot from us, at times we concentrate on leadership and we neglect the spiritual side of leadership, I was reminded that there should be a balance.”

“I learnt that by integrating Jesus’ spirituality in leadership, I can make the people around me happy and be a servant leader,” another participant, Sr. Norah Nyausi, a Franciscan Missionary of St. Joseph told ACI Africa.

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Sr. Margaret Mutiso who organized the program and coordinates TLG told ACI Africa that the Saturday conference focused on religious nuns because TLG collaborates with the Association of Sisterhood of Kenya (AOSK), a body that enhances holistic formation and capacity of Women Religious in Kenya.

TLG is a leadership development programme which aims to develop competent and holistic servant leaders and managers, including Catholic religious sisters, who lead self, others, and organizations with integrity.