The Calling and Role of Catholic Nuns in Kenya with Special Reference To
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: ONLY FOR U£ THE CALLING AND ROLE OF CATHOLIC NUNS IN KENYA WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO KISII AND NAIROBI DIOCESES by MARGARET MORAA ATOM A UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI LIBRARY 0101723 5 A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS OF THE rs UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI * 0 U03TI 00 VNVDiujv 1 S ? 3 DECLARATION '■ Mar**r“ Moraa declare that this thesis is m;, *ork and has not been presented for a degree in any other university. Margaret M. Atuma: \ 0 ' 93 . Th.s thesis has been submitted for examination with our approval as University Supervisors. 1. Dr. Constantine Mwikamba: /H / Signature Da t e -• Dr. Timothy Kiogora: Signature | C\ - ( • Cj ^ Date TABLE OF CONTENTS TOPIC PAGE ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS....................................................................................................viii ABSTRACT...................................................................................................................... x DEFINITION OF TERMS............................................................................................. xii ABBREVIATIONS........................................................................................................xiv CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION..................................................................................1 1.1. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM.................................................................1 1.2. JUSTIFICATION FOR THE RESEARCH...................................................... 2 1.3. LITERATURE REVIEW.................................................................................3 1.4. RESEARCH OBJECTIVES............................................................................ $ 1.5. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK.................................................................... 9 1.6. THE HYPOTHESES.......................................................................................11 1.7. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY....................................................................11 1.8. SCOPE OF STUDY........................................................................................12 REFERENCES FOR CHAPTER 1................................................................................ 14 in CHAPTER H. THE CALLING OF NUNS IN THEOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE............................................................................... 16 2.1. VOCATION IN SCRIPTURES......................................................................17 2.2. SPECIAL CALLS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT..........................................17 2.3. SPECIAL CALLS IN THE NEW TESTAMENT......................................... 18 2.4. CHARISMS IN THE CHURCH....................................................................19 2.4.1. A GENERAL CHRISTIAN CONCEPTION OF VOCATION........ 24 2.4.2. SIGNS OF VOCATION IN CATHOLIC TEACHING.....................26 2.4.3. VOCATION AND THE EARLY CFIURCH FATHERS..................28 2.4.4. THE SCHOLASTIC PERIOD........................................................... 29 2.4 5. AFTER THE COUNCIL OF TRENT................................................ 30 2 4.6. THE DOCUMENTS OF THE CHURCH......................................... 31 REFERENCES FOR CHAPTER II...............................................................................35 CHAPTER HI. THE NUNS’ VOWS.........................................................................38 3.1.1. THE VOWS TAKEN....................................................................... 38 3.1.2. WHY THE VOWS ARE THREE.............. 38 3.1.3. WHY NUNS TAKE VOWS..............................................................39 3.2. THE VOW OF CHASTITY...........................................................................41 3.2.1. CHASTITY IN THE BIBLE.............................................................42 3.2.2. THE THEOLOGY OF CHASTITY...................................................43 3.2.3. MEANING AND PRACTICE OF CHASTITY.................................46 3.3. THE VOW OF POVERTY............................................................................ 53 3.3.1. POVERTY IN THE BIBLE............................................................. 54 IV 3.3.2 THE THEOLOGY OF POVERTY 57 3.3.3 MEANING AND PRACTICE OF POVERTY................................. 59 3.4. THE VOW OF OBEDIENCE.......................................................................63 3.4.1. THEOLOGY OF OBEDIENCE.........................................................63 3.4.2. MEANING AND PRACTICE OF OBEDIENCE............................. 67 REFERENCES FOR CHAPTER III............................................................................. 72 CHAPTER IV. A HISTORY OF NUNS IN KENYA...........................................77 4.1. GROWTH OF SISTERHOOD IN KENYA.................................................. 82 4.2. THE VARIOUS CONGREGATIONS SELECTED FOR STUDY BOTH IN NAIROBI AND KISH............................................... 86 4.3. ADMISSION OF CANDIDATES..................................................................88 4.4. FORMATION OF MEMBERS.......................... 92 4.5. THE NOVITIATE AND FORMATION OF NOVICES............................... 94 4.5.1 .FORMATORS OF NOVICES............................................................ 96 4.5.2. RELIGIOUS PROFESSION............................................................97 4.6. FIRST OR TEMPORARY PROFESSION.................................................... 98 4.6.1. FINAL PROFESSION...................................................................... 100 4.6.2. FORMATION AFTER PROFESSION............................................. 101 4.6.3. REASONS FOR ON-GOING FORMATION...................................102 REFERENCES FOR CHAPTER IV............................................................................10J, v CHAPTER V. THE ROLE OF NUNS IN KENYA........................................... log 5.1. WOMEN IN THE CHURCH.......................................................................101 5.1.1. CULTURE & WOMEN IN THE CHURCH....................................1CT| 5.1.2. NUNS’ PARTICIPATION IN THE CHURCH............................... 110 5.2. NUNS AND EDUCATION IN KENYA.................................................... 1 Ilf 5.2.1. NUNS AND EDUCATION IN KISH..............................................116 5.2.2. THE LORETO SISTERS AND EDUCATION IN NAIROBI....... 11^ 5.3. NUNS AND HEALTH................................................................................ l2 if 5.3.1. HOSPITALS IN NAIROBI AND KISH RUN AND STAFFED BY CATHOLIC NUNS...................................................................12*> 5.3.2. NUNS AND HEALTH: A Case study of the Medical Missionaries of Mary (MMM).....................................126 5.4. NUNS AND SOCIAL WORK.....................................................................12* 5.4.1. CARE FOR THE POOR AND ABANDONED............................12& 5.4 2. ATTEMPTS TO SOLVE SOCIAL PROBLEMS IN NAIROBI....13<L 5.4.3. CHARITABLE HOMES............................................................... 13 I 5.4.4. NUNS AND SOCIAL WORK: A Case study of the Missionaries of Charity sisters................................. 132, REFERENCES FOR CHAPTER V...................................................................................135 vi CHAPTER VI. FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 13S 6.1. SUMMARY OF THE FINDINGS......................................................................13$ 6.2. EVALUATION OF THE ROLE OF NUNS IN KENYA............................... \4& REFERENCES FOR CHAPTER VI...................................................................................151 BIBLIOGRAPHY.................................................................. 15?. NAMES OF INFORMANTS.................................................................................................153 APPENDIX 1 QUESTIONNAIRE FOR SUPERIORS..................................................................16if APPENDIX 2 QUESTIONNAIRE FOR OTHER SISTERS.........................................................16& LIST OF MAPS Map 1. Location of study areas in Kenya....................................................................xv Map 2. Location of study stations in the Diocese of Kisii....................................... xvi Map 3. Location of study stations in the Archdiocese of Nairobi.......................... xvii vii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I extend my sincere gratitude to the University of Nairobi for offering me a generous scholarship, enabling me to undertaKe this project. I am also indebted to HeKima Theological College Library for the use of its library services time and again. Great appreciation goes to the librarian Fr. Murphy for introducing me to some essential manuscripts and record material. Many thanKs also go to all those people who furnished me with any information, in any way, written or oral. In this respect special thanKs go to Fr. Baur of Eldoret Diocese for sending me some very important publications through the post, and Fr. Joseph Mahtam of HeKima College for giving me information on the Novices. Convent records were essential to my research. Great thanKs are due to Sr. Philip of Loreto Msongari; Sr. Priscilla Anene of the Medical Missionaries of Mary; Sr. Marcella from Tumaini Inter-congregation Centre; Sr. Rachael of the Missionaries of Charity Sisters; Sr. Agnes from Assissi House; and last but not least Sr. Margaret, the Secretary General of the A.O.S.K. The warm hospitality which was extended to me in all these convents made my research a pleasant and comfortable tasK,