Joy as Catholic nuns take vows for lifetime service to church
Some of the 12 Catholic Sister of Mary Immaculate congregation during their final vows to sisterhood at Mathari Consolata Mission in Nyeri on April 25, 2016. The ceremony was presided over by Nyeri Catholic Archbishop Peter Kairo. PHOTO | JOSEPH KANYI | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- The defining moment of the day came as each one of them received a ring from Nyeri Archbishop Rev Peter Kairu.
- They were also taken through an interview consisting of a series of questions which they answer in acceptance of the task.
- Families and friends of the graduating sisters were also not left behind.
- Archbishop Kairo stressed on the need for the church to play its role in restoring moral sanity in the society.
Twelve Catholic nuns in Nyeri have taken a final lifetime vow of commitment to serve in the church.
The sisters from different parts of Kenya and one from Zambia took their final solemn profession to a life of sacrifice, chastity, poverty and obedience in a graceful occasion at Consolata Catholic Mission in Nyeri.
Expressing both joy and nervousness, the Sisters of Mary Immaculate took one last vow to remain celibate and serve the people in emulation to their guardian mother, Mary Immaculate.
The defining moment of the day came as each one of them received a ring from the Nyeri Catholic Archbishop Peter Kairo as a symbol of marriage to Christ.
They also had to sign a document to ascertain their willingness to the trying course ahead and that the decision was not imposed on them.
Previously the sisters had served for ten years where they renewed their vows severally before being granted permission to take perpetual vows.
Nyeri Catholic Archbishop Peter Kairo puts a ring on one of the Sisters of Mary Immaculate during their final profession at the Consolata Catholic Mission on April 25, 2016. PHOTO | JOSEPH KANYI | NATION MEDIA GROUP
SIXTY-THIRD OCCASION
This was the sixty-third occasion of its kind since the foundation of the Catholic sister’s group and was attended by other archbishops, priests and clergymen from different regions of Kenya and Zambia.
Families and friends of the graduating sisters were also not left behind.
The occasion, known as perpetual profession in the Catholic faith, means that the sisters have now made a lifetime commitment to serve the church and humanity.
The ceremony comes with a series of prayers and reading out of vows in public that one has written in commitment to the church and Jesus.
They are also taken through an interview consisting of a series of questions which they answer in acceptance of the task.
Pointing out to the controversial Project X party, Archbishop Kairo stressed on the need for the church to play its role in restoring moral sanity in the society.
“There is a moral crisis and it is up to the church to change that,” said the Archbishop Kairu.
He also called out to the clergy and laity to fight and keep off corruption.
