130th Jubilee of the Congregation and the Year of Consecrated Life: Ndanda Priory

In 2015, we look back upon 130 years of our history, with more than 1300 women living as Missionary Benedictine Sisters. Over the coming months of the Year of Consecrated Life we will bring to you the histories of our Priories and Sisters across the World.

 

February 2, 1895 Fr. Maurus Hartmenn together with two brothers and Sr. Birgitta Korff, Sr. Klara Essmann, Sr. Afra Gillot, Sr. Bernardine Hefele opened the first mission station in Lukuledi, Tanganyika Inland. Sr Birgitta was elected first Prioress General of the Sisters’ Congregation in the same year and had to leave soon.

In 1898 the community of Sisters was transferred to Nyangao due to shortage of water: Sr. Walburga Diepolder, Sr Hiltrudies Herz and Sr Viola Albrecht. Their house of sun burned bricks survived the destruction of the mission during the Maji Maji Uprising. Our Sisters are still living in the oldest house of the Congregation.

August 29, 1905 the warriors of the Maji Maji war stormed the Nyangao mission and burned down all buildings. All missionaries took flight into the bush in order to reach Lindi at the coast. Sr. Bernardine Hefele, Sr. Walburga Diepolder, Sr. Avia Marschner and Sr. Helena Lettner were together with some orphan children. Sr Walburga prayed loud: “Beloved Jesus, take my life, save the others!” as Sr. Bernhardine reports. Sr. Walburga was wounded in the waist and could not follow. She was killed together with some orphans. Only part of her red belt and her Rule of Benedict were found at the site of her death, not her body. These relics are now in the archives in Rome.

September 14, 1908 The Ndanda Sisters Convent was opened with Sr. Bernardine Hefele,; Sr. Helena Lettner; Sr. Hieronyma Holtkamp, Sr. Hedwig Hirschberg, Sr. Evangelista Engelns  and Sr. Candida Eisele. The Sisters were engaged in caring for the sick, giving education to girls, managing all the domestic chores for the monks.

In 1912 the leper colony was started in nearby Mwena. The management was given to the Sisters by the monks. Later on Sr Lia Schwarzmueller became famous with her care for the lepers for 55 years.

In 1926 Sr. Dr. Tekla Stinnesbeck arrived, the first medical doctor in our Congregation. She founded the St. Benedict Hospital in Ndanda in 1927 and started soon a network of health stations in a wide area and training of African nurses and midwives. Her last foundation was Nyangao St. Walburg’s Hospital, where she died in 1962.

In April 1935 Ndanda was raised to a Priory. The first Prioress was Sr. Bernardine Hefele.

1928-1944 the Hospital in Ndanda was built and expanded, run by Missionary Benedictine Sisters, working as doctors and nurses. A Nursing School was added. In 1939 the Opening of the Girls’ Middle School was a big step forward for women to take responsibility as educated persons. 1941 Nyangao was reopened again.

1942 – 46 Missionaries were deported during World War II. The Sister Nurses, a cook and the old sisters were allowed to stay to care for the soldiers. After the war new Sisters came and opened new stations closer to the coastal Islamic area: in Mtua, Kilimarondo, Mnero, Nkowe, Lindi.: They served the sick, in Schools, Kindergarten and did pastoral work.

Tanzanian young women wanted to enter religious life and our Sisters were asked to help with the foundation of a diocesan congregation. The Congregation of African Benedictine Sisters of our Lady Help of Christians was approved in 1946 and has now more than 300 sisters.

In spite of being a very small priory the Sisters have trusted in the Lord to make bold steps for new apostolates, new stations and towards more self-reliance. Much emphasis was given again to the education of young women.

As of January 2015 Ndanda has 27 professed sisters, 13 junior sisters, 9 novices, 11 postulants. Today we are serving the Lord and the people in the following places:

Ndanda Priory House

Novitiate, care for our old sisters
In St Benedict Hospital as nurses
UZIMA Project, HIV/ AIDS
Pastoral and social work, care for lepers

Agriculture, Family Life Apostolate

St. Agnes Convent Nyangao

St. Walburg’s Hospital
Pastoral work
Care for the poor and lepers

St.  Scholastica Convent Mtwara
Health Centre with Maternity, X-ray and in-patients
Stella Maris Hostel for 200 female students
St Michael Education Centre with kindergarten established and a primary school in planning

 

St. Tekla Convent Mtwara
Aquinas School with secondary and high school for girls and boys
Hostels for girls and boys

Sacred Heart Convent in Kabuhima, Kahama Diocese
Area of fervent first evangelization

Pastoral work, primary school and 4 kindergarten
School apostolate, agriculture

130th Jubilee of the Congregation and the Year of Consecrated Life: Peramiho Priory

 In 2015, we look back upon 130 years of our history, with more than 1300 women living as Missionary Benedictine Sisters. Over the coming months of the Year of Consecrated Life we will bring to you the histories of our Priories and Sisters across the World.
 

 

Our first four sisters arrived in “Deutsch Ostafrika” (later called “Tanganyika”) in 1888 under the leadership of Fr. Bonifatius Fleschutz.  In spite of great deprivations and diseases their missionary efforts in Pugu proved to be fruitful.  However, on January 13, 1889, the mission was destroyed by Arab-incited rebels.  Our Sr. Martha Wansing and two brothers were murdered. Sr. Benedicta Sivering was taken captive and released in March after a heavy ransom was paid.

The Pugu rebellion only enhanced the desire of the German sisters to return to African soil to bring the Good News.  In 1889 a new foundation was made in Dar es Salaam. Later, in 1901, the first four sisters came to Peramiho. With true missionary zeal, they bore the difficulties of the climate, disease, language and culture.  They started immediately a “hospital” and school.

However, tragedy descended upon the community once again, this time in the “Maji Maji Uprising” of 1905.  Sr. Felicitas Hiltner and Sr. Cordula Ebert were en-route to their new assignment in Kigonsera (Peramiho Priory) when they were murdered along with Bishop Cassian Spiss and two other monks. Hearing rumors of the rebels nearing Peramiho, the missionaries fled. The mission was attacked and destroyed. 

Never to be stopped, within two years the missionaries returned to Peramiho with new vigor and confidence in God’s help.  Yet, once again, during World War I, under British occupation, the missionaries were taken prisoners to South Africa and were later repatriated to the Mother House. 

 

Finally, in 1923 three non-German sisters were allowed to return to Peramiho.  By 1926 the Germans were allowed back and a steady influx of new missionaries came to build up the mission. There was an intense need at this time for well-trained personnel to open the Teacher Training School and Trade School according to the rules of the British government.  Twelve outstations were founded under the first Prioress, Sr. Ermenilde Morrisey.  In 1933 Peramiho Priory was officially established under Abbot-Bishop Gallus Steiger. The priory grew to nearly 100 sisters. 

Already in these early years, many of the native girls expressed their desire to become sisters.  It was decided to help them found their own community. The girls were taught by our sisters and had their first convent on our compound. This was the birth of the Congregation of St. Agnes (often referred to as “The Chipole Sisters”) which has grown to be over 700 members today.

By the 1950s fewer and fewer missionaries could be sent from the Mother House and the hardships of missionary life became burdensome for many of the senior sisters.  It became impossible to keep up all the outstations.  One mission after another was handed over to the Chipole Sisters.  However, as our congregation also developed, new missionaries were sent, first from the Philippines and later from other countries.

In the early 60s a strong political independence movement began in the country and Tanganyika became independent under Julius Nyerere. The name of the country was eventually changed to Tanzania.  In 1969 the Peramiho local Church received its first African bishop: Bishop James Komba.  Many of our schools and institutions were nationalized.  

However, uncertainty of the political situation lingered heavily and in 1973 the sisters were invited to follow the monks to establish a new foundation in Kenya in case they would have to flee once again the Peramiho mission.  This little sprout developed well into our Sacred Heart Priory in Nairobi.

In the 1980s a “New Chapter” began in the Peramiho Priory history when the first African candidates were received.  This hopeful step was initiated by our far-sighted Prioress, M. Isentrud Lehner.  Our first candidates were sent to Nairobi for formation.  By the concerted efforts of Prioress M. Pia Portmann and the help of Filipino missionaries, in the year 2000 Peramiho Priory developed its own formation program.  To this day, there is a steady increase of new members into the community. As of 1 January 2015 the community numbers 45 final professed sisters, 10 junior professed sisters, 7 novices, 12 postulants and 2 aspirants.

With the renewed hope and vigor of new members, ministries could be strengthened and new ministries established.  At this time the sisters are engaged in the following ministries.

Peramiho:

·   Peramiho Girls Secondary and High School, six levels

·   Dressmaking and electrical vocational schools (owned by the monks)

·   St. Joseph Mission Hospital and Nursing School (owned by the monks)

·   St. Martin’s Hostel for girls attending government schools.

·   Non-Institutional ministries, bible groups, Small Christian Communities, social-pastoral teaching

Uwemba:

·   St. Anna’s Health Center, Outpatient Department, and Orphanage

·   St. Raphael’s Vocational Training School for sewing and cooking

Morogoro:

·   Leprosarium (resident) & Outreach Care for lepers

·   Orphan Assistance – secondary school orphans

Mjimwema:

·   Good Shepherd Orphanage and Kindergarten

 

 

130th Jubilee of the Congregation and the Year of Consecrated Life: Tutzing Priory

 

 

In 2015, we look back upon 130 years of our history, with more than 1300 women living as Missionary Benedictine Sisters. Over the coming months of the Year of Consecrated Life we will bring to you the histories of our Priories and Sisters across the World. 

TUTZING PRIORY

 

Our history began in 1885 at Reichenbach, where Fr. Andreas Amrhein had started Benedictine life with a few young men as “Benediktus-Missions-Verein” in 1884.  They hoped to work as missionaries in Africa. Their motive was carrying the Good News to people who had not yet heard of Christ.  Since he was convinced that the cooperation of women, that is sisters, would be needed, he presented his idea during the “Katholikentag” at Muenster, where he succeeded in inspiring four young women to join him. 
 

 Two years later the small community moved from Reichenbach to St. Ottilien, from where, already in 1887, the first brothers and sisters were sent out.  In spite of great difficulties at home and discouraging news of fatal illnesses and attacks in their first “mission land” in East Africa, both communities grew rapidly, and lack of space made another move necessary for the sisters. 

Their positive development is largely due to their first prioress general, Mother Birgitta Korff (1895-1920).  In spite of her youth, she showed great leadership talent, joined to loving concern for the well-being of each sister.  Tutzing on Lake Starnberg was the choice for the new convent, and in 1904 the sisters transferred to the newly-constructed motherhouse.  At this time the community numbered 119 members.
 

From the very beginning in Tutzing, the sisters served in the education of children and youth in kindergarten and various types of schools.  Care for the sick and elderly also was given by Tutzing Priory. 
 

In addition to the motherhouse, further communities and services were added, such as the large farm in Kerschlach, which for decades supplied food for the sisters, then Wessobrunn, the ancient Benedictine monastery, which received sisters in need of rest and later was for a long time a recovery home for children. 
 

Further foundations were made in Olpe (youth center), in Switzerland, our founder’s native country (Duedingen, then Fribourg and now Ettiswil, an old folks’ home), in Weiterdingen (recovery home for mothers), and shortly after World War II Bernried, a monastery near Tutzing, which is today a spiritual center for adults and also houses the novitiate.

The most difficult for our priory were the years from 1933 to 1945, when Germany was ruled  by the National Socialists.  At this time the work of the sisters was systematically curtailed, and in 1941 the motherhouse was finally confiscated.  Most of the sisters had to leave the motherhouse and were obligated to serve as nurses in Munich and St. Ottilien.
 

The motherhouse was also transformed into a military hospital.  During this time sisters only could make profession secretly at our Kerschlach farm. Immediately after the end of the war, in May of 1945, the motherhouse was returned to us. At the request of the parish, the military hospital was turned into a general hospital and until 2007 continued under the direction of the sisters. Some of the sisters still serve there fruitfully as doctors, nurses, and pastoral ministers.
 

Germany clearly is becoming a “mission land.”  When the separation between West and East ended in 1989, our priory soon was asked to make a new foundation in East Germany, where only 20% of the people are Christians.  In 1992 a small community was established in Dresden. The sisters rented a home in the city center and are contributing their services in various areas (parish, hospice for the sick, work with refugees).  Along with this new foundation, we have, because of aging communities and the small number of younger sisters, been obliged to discontinue services and close communities.
 

In spite of difficulties, our priory is open to the needs of the people, especially the poor of our day.  At this time, many refugees are coming to Germany from the crisis spots of the world.  In Tutzing we have set aside one building to accept women in need of a home.  This is our answer to the call of Pope Francis.