Let’s Pray for “vocations to reach more people”: Catholic Nun at Kenyan Novitiate Jubilee

Sr. Wanza said that the LSOSF Bahati Novitiate, the second to be established in the East African region after the one in Uganda, has boosted vocations to Religious Life since its inception 50 years ago.

During the occasion that was held at Our Lady Queen of the Angels Formation House in Nakuru Diocese, the Kenyan-born Nun thanked members of St. Patrick’s Missionary Society (Kiltegan Fathers) who spearheaded the establishment of the LSOSF Bahati formation house.

She said, “We say thank you to God and to the first missionaries who took the challenge of establishing this Novitiate in 1972 as a place where young women discern their vocations to become members of LSOSF.”

Credit: Sr. Esther Muturi, LSOSF/Nairobi

The native of Kenya’s Machakos Diocese who has been LSOSF Regional Superior of East of the Rift Valley Region since March 2020 encouraged her Sisters “to keep to” the Charism of the Institute that was founded in 1923.

LSOSF is an indigenous Institute of Diocesan Right that a member of the Franciscan Missionaries founded in Uganda.

Credit: Sr. Esther Muturi, LSOSF/Nairobi

Guided by the mission “To reach out with compassion to the marginalized in the spirit of St. Francis and Mother Kevin (Foundress),” LSOSF members seek, in their Charism, “To bring newness and fullness of Christ’s life in the world today”.

In her speech during the July 2 event, Sr. Wanza said, “As we mark this Golden Jubilee of our formation house, let us be renewed holistically and keep to our charism that our foundress Mother Kevin Kearney instituted,” she said.

Credit: Sr. Esther Muturi, LSOSF/Nairobi

Making reference to the Gospel of St. John on the destructive nature of the thief, Sr. Wanza said that the Congregation seeks, “To bring newness and fullness of Christ’s life in the world today. Our charism is a gift of compassion for the marginalized”.

Meanwhile, in her message read out by Sr. Seraphine Amulen, the Superior General of LSOSF thanked God and all the people who have contributed to the growth of Bahati Novitiate for the last five decades.

“May the good God continue to bless our Institute with many good and holy vocations and give us more years to continue with the work of evangelization as Religious Women in this challenging world,” Sr. Cecilia Njeri said in her message read out during the July 2 event that the Archbishop of Kenya’s Kisumu Archdiocese presided over.

In his homily during the event, Archbishop Maurice Muhatia Makumba urged LSOSF members “to justify” their vocation to Religious Life by working even harder, saying that their call is an initiative of God and that they should always listen to Him.

Credit: Sr. Esther Muturi, LSOSF/Nairobi

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“God is not calling robots; He is calling people with free will and intelligence,” Archbishop Muhatia said, and added in reference to the Letter of St. Peter, “Those who have said yes, and persevered to the end, St. Peter is telling you to work harder to justify it.”

The Kenyan Archbishop challenged those in religious life to justify their vocation based on how they live in communities, their encounter with different people in the society, Catholics and non-Catholics, Christians and non-Christians.

Credit: Sr. Esther Muturi, LSOSF/Nairobi

He urged LSOSF members to prioritize evangelization to the poor by the witness of their respective lives, and institutional strategies. 

“The life of your Institute should revolve around preaching the good news to the poor; first by your lives, witness, and also by your institutions, which you put in place to help the society and to lift those who are down by giving them hope,” Archbishop Muhatia said.

The Kenyan Archbishop who has been at the helm of Kisumu Archdiocese since March 19  thanked LSOSF members for the Golden Jubilee of their Novitiate in Kenya and added, “The true transformation of society comes through clean means and ways like this; you touch societies and communities.”

Speaking at the same occasion, John Cardinal Njue urged the members of LSOSF to remain steadfast in their apostolate and encouraged them to surmount challenges.

“Our dear Sisters, please move ahead; it's not to say that everything is going to be easy. There will be challenges but don't forget that problems come and go but you will remain,” Cardinal Njue said.

Sr. Esther Muturi, LSOSF, a student at Tangaza University College, contributed to this report