Align Apostolates, Ministries “with evolving needs of society”: Association Leader to Catholic Sisters in Africa

She recognized the importance of the three-day symposium on research, saying engaging in empirical studies demonstrates “the profound difference, the educational advancement our Sisters have made in shaping effective ministries, improving service delivery and strengthening evangelization efforts in our countries.”

The Kenyan-born member of the Religious Institute of the Daughters of the Sacred Heart (DSH) said that through research and collaboration, the Sisters “seek to strengthen our apostolates and ensure that our services remain relevant and impactful in our societies.”

“This symposium is not just a gathering of minds but a meeting of hearts where shared experiences, deep reflections, and authentic dialogue give rise to new understanding, collective wisdom, and eventually action and new possibilities of growth,” Sr. Kangogo said.

Credit: ACI Africa

She added, “Let us engage in a meaningful dialogue, explore innovative solutions, and reaffirm our commitment in preaching the gospel of Christ not only through words but through our actions.”

The three-day research symposium that concluded on June 12 brought together researchers from various ICLSAL across Africa and CERRA-Africa’s collaborators from other continents, who shared their experiences in their apostolates and ministries

The symposium, the first of its kind in Africa, is an opportunity for Catholic Sisters engaged in research to collaborate with each other and with others, and to identify challenges in Religious Life for future initiatives.

Credit: ACI Africa

Participants in the three-day symposium, organized under the theme “Creating Global Impact through Sustainable Development,” are presenting their experiences in religious formation, education, pastoral care, healthcare, care for the elderly, and other social services.

In his remarks at the same event, the Vice Chancellor of Tangaza University (TU), the Kenya-based institution of higher learning, lauded Catholic Sisters in Africa for embracing “research that informs innovation.”

“The objective of CERRA Africa, among others, is to carry out research that informs innovation and transformation of lives while assuring their sustainability,” Fr. Patrick Mwania said in his June 11 remarks.

Fr. Patrick Mwania. Credit: ACI Africa

Fr. Mwania added, “This development presumes proper education, research, application of research findings and recommendations that bring innovation and ecosystem adaptation.”

At CERRA Africa, which is one of the initiatives by the Hilton Foundation, the member of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit (Spiritans) said, “We endeavor to carry out impactful research by addressing the social and religious needs of communities through the consecrated women.”

He explained that action research that CERRA Africa focuses on is in line with the 17 sustainable development goals, saying, “But we have added the 18th, which embraces faith as an object and a pillar of our growth.”

(Story continues below)

Credit: ACI Africa

In his remarks, the Vice Chancellor of the institution that was granted the Charter said that the agents of the transformation in the development goals “are those who are educated and have vision to actualize the development of the peoples as well as create pillars that will make such a development live in time and space in the changing ecosystems and growth in the society.”

Also speaking at the same event, the Regional Director of the African Sisters Education Collaborative (ASEC), shared the group’s mission in assisting African nations.

“ASEC believes that education is power and the key to assisting African nations in their quest for economic development and self-sufficiency,” Sr. Lina Wanjiku said in her June 11 remarks.

Sr. Lina Wanjiku. Credit: ACI Africa

Sr. Wanjiku added, “We know very well that if you give a man a fish, you only feed him for a day, but if you teach the same man how to fish, you feed him for the rest of his lifetime.”

“ASEC is therefore geared to teaching the Sisters how to fish, how to ignite hope, how to build bridges and how to create impact,” the Kenyan member of the Sisters of Emmanuel (SE) said.

With membership in 11 countries in Africa, Sr. Wanjiku said that ASEC “is a collaborative project that has a number of partners that include congregations, universities, and colleges.”