Celebration of the establishment of Kenya as a Group in the Generalate

07/04/2021

Saturday, 27 March 2021 was a very special day at the Generalate. It was the day of the establishment of the Kenya Group of Ursulines of the Roman Union as they journey towards becoming a Province and a day of gratitude to the sisters from Ireland and Wales who are becoming a separate Province and who made a foundation in Kenya.

The celebration was enriched by the fact that now we have two sisters from Kenya in the Generalate: Sr Pamela - in the community of the Generalate and Sr Kevina – following a formation course.

In the morning we prayed together during Holy Mass. At the beginning the sisters brought the symbols of the new Kenya Group: a picture of the statue of St. Angela which is in Kenya, the flag of Kenya and a young plant symbolizing new life.

Then, before noon, the sisters were able to join in prayer, thanks to live streaming, the sisters celebrating Mass in Kenya. In the afternoon there was an on-line celebration of the establishment of the Kenya group and thanksgiving to the sisters from Ireland and Wales, attended on-line by Sr Susan Flood, General Prioress with her Council and other sisters from many provinces around the world. The meeting was very joyful and uplifting, but at the same time very emotional. The sisters from Ireland and Wales who "gave life" to the new branch in Kenya are now leaving so that the group can develop independently. There were many thanks and memories of the history of the development of the Ursuline communities in Kenya.

In the Generalate the day ended with a festive dinner and recreation together, during which we could learn in a very creative way more about the reality of the life of the sisters in Kenya, their apostolate and their history.

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A few words from Sr Pamela Kiraithe OSU:

Fond memories rekindle the vital fire that lies in the centre of our being. This is what I felt on the 27th March 2021 as Sr Susan led the Institute in celebrating the establishment of Kenya as a Group of the Ursulines of the Roman Union of the Order of St Ursula.

I remembered my high school days with the Ursuline Sisters and I said: “Asanteni”. I remembered the initial years – 80’s and 90’s as the formation of the formation process took shape under the direction of Srs Enda and Mary and I said: “May it be so”. And I recalled the journey that we the Kenyan Ursulines have made so far. Yes, it is a hundredfold, not without pricks.

We savour the sanctity of this moment by firstly profoundly thanking all our Sisters from Ireland; secondly by looking at one another and acknowledging ‘you are my sister’ and thirdly by gathering our hearts and thoughts and setting resolutely ahead to what God wants of us.

Hopefully we will discern attentively where we as a Group desire to go and thus engage in the safari towards that direction. We need to articulate for ourselves what we hope to become and commit our potential in this change. We must identify our strengths and shortcomings and have the sense to embrace both.

I sincerely look forward to real and deeper union with our Ursuline Sisters in Botswana, Cameroun, Senegal and South Africa. Together we can explore more meaningful ways of sharing the Good News in our context – Africa. Individually and together, we are the face of Angela in Africa today.

Pamela Kiraithe