Researchers Explore Ways to Sustain Catholic Nuns’ Monasteries in Africa amid Severe Scarcity

The lecturer at Tangaza University (TU), the Kenya-based Catholic institution of higher learning jointly owned by 22 Religious Orders, said that the aim of the study in which CERRA-Africa researchers observed structures in some 26 Cloistered Communities of the Consecrated across sub-Saharan Africa was “to find out the needs of Monasteries and the potential solutions.”

“We have realized that Monasteries serve as vital spiritual strongholds within the church. Those in Monasteries are regarded as spiritual warriors. Despite the profound contributions that they do to pray for us across the Monasteries, there has been minimal research that has been done on Monasteries,” Dr. Jeketule said in his Wednesday, June 11 presentation.

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He added, “From the studies, it was found that in the few years, the Monasteries were basically left out, not intentionally, but it's because perhaps they are behind the curtains.”

Out of the 26 Monasteries selected for the study, 18 are in Kenya while the rest are in other countries but with a link to Kenya. 

In their study, the CERRA-Africa researchers discovered that apart from the challenges such as poor infrastructure and lack of access to basic services such health, a majority of sampled Monasteries in sub-Saharan Africa were struggling to get members.

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“We found out that Monasteries are basically 43 percent empty, which is calling for vocations in the monastic life,” Dr. Jeketule said, adding that the study established that most of the Catholic Nuns in Monasteries are aged between 26 and 35.

According to the study, 60 percent of the Catholic Nuns in Monasteries have solemn vows and 17 percent have temporal vows. 

“The distribution in Monasteries in terms of Novices are very minimal,” Dr. Jeketule said.

The study found out that Nuns in Monasteries were relying on outdated, and therefore, inefficient equipment for production of hosts and other commodities which they sold for the communities’ sustenance.

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Issues regarding maintenance of Monasteries also came up in the CERRA-Africa study, Dr. Jeketule said, and explained, “There were deteriorating structures, such as leaking roofs, and incomplete Monastery blocks.”

Lack of medical insurance was another big problem that the research on the Monasteries in sub-Saharan Africa established. According to the study, an overwhelming 15 out of 26 Monasteries said that they did not have a medical insurance.

“Just imagine, when a sister becomes sick, then what?” Dr. Jeketule posed.

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He also pointed out the issue of “falling perimeter walls” in many Monasteries, an issue that he said posed a serious security challenge to Catholic Nuns in Monastic Life. 

The study also found that the Catholic Nuns in Monasteries did not possess marketing skills of the products they made. “They produced nice candles, hosts, and other homemade products, but the marketing of these was actually a challenge,” the CERRA-Africa official said.

Other Monasteries were found lacking basic structures such as infirmaries for first aid, libraries, and in some cases, Chapels. Some Monasteries were found not to have electricity, talk less of vehicles for transport, and the Nuns were using firewood to cook. 

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Dr. Jeketule also pointed out the issue of water and drainage challenges in some Monasteries that he said also had poor drainage systems and structural damage to some of their buildings.

“We noticed leaking roofs, insufficient boreholes, and lack of rainwater wasting systems. Then finally we also noted this big challenge of infrastructure that's not elderly and infirm and disability friendly,” the lecturer and MBA program leader at TU said. 

In their study, the CERRA-Africa researchers suggested the installation of solar power and biogas in Monasteries to cut down on electricity costs. 

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“We also need to explore a reasonable medical insurance for our Sisters in the Monasteries. That would be really helpful for them,” Dr. Jeketule said.

“We are also thinking of specialization of Monasteries,” the don, who is also a resource person of Pedagogical Leadership in Africa (PEDAL) training that aims at empowering lecturers with skills on course design, facilitation and assessment for learning said, and posed, “Could Monasteries be specializing so there’s no competition among them?”

He also highlighted the need to equip Catholic Nuns in Monasteries with skills to market their products.

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Held at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA) in Nairobi, the June 10-12 research symposium brought together researchers from various Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life (ICLSAL) across Africa and CERRA-Africa’s collaborators from other continents, who spoke about their experiences in their apostolates and ministries.

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

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