Our Founding
The Nazareth Sisters of the Annunciation is a women religious congregation founded in the Catholic Diocese of Meru, Kenya in December 1955 by the late Rt. Rev. Lawrence Victor Bessone, the first Bishop of the Meru Diocese. Nazareth Sisters of the Annunciation was founded to proclaim and witness to God’s love by empowering women, youth and children, especially the less fortunate ones. We are under the patronage of Our Lady of the Annunciation, hence we strive to live the spirit of the Holy Family of Nazareth.
Currently, we have a membership of 200: 184 professed Sisters and 16 young women in formation both in the Novitiate and Pre-Novitiate stages. Nazareth Sisters are currently serving in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and Des Moines, Iowa (USA)
About Us
Vision: To be women of faith empowered with Gospel values in order to impart these same values and empower women, youth and children to realize their potential.
Mission: To carry out religious and social ministries such as catechetical work, education, health and social ministries in order to empower women, youth and children and especially the less fortunate ones.
Charism: We are announcers and witnesses of God’s love to humanity but particularly to women, youth and children, in the spirt of the Holy Family of Nazareth.
Motto: Behold the handmaid of the Lord (Luke 1:38)
Our Mission
The principal aim of the Nazareth Sisters is to take care of mentally challenged people, orphans in the orphanages, street children, people with disabilities, single mothers, elderly and youth needing health care, sick in the hospitals, educating needy children, and providing home-based care to AIDS patients.
Thousands of vulnerable children live in horrible poverty conditions with no opportunities for improving their situation or getting out of poverty or escaping the evils that may surround them such as human trafficking, drugs, alcohol, gangs, and terrorism.
The Nazareth Sisters are challenged by the fact that many children they serve lack education to improve their standard and provide them the opportunity to change their lives; and the women they serve suffer poverty and lack basic necessities to help their children live a better life.
After a careful study of our Vision, Mission and the Chrism of our Order and the service we render in our different missions; we realize that we need to go the extra mile in our apostolate. Due to the demand of the cry of the poor and the call of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Nazareth Sisters of the Annunciation are challenged by the fact that many needy people lack basic needs, medical care, shelter and more especially children lack education to improve their lives. We, the Nazareth Sisters, feel driven to start centers where we can minister and uplift the spirt of these needy people and marginalized children in our society, to help them experience the love of Christ. As followers of Christ, we need to bring the good news to the poor and those in need of our love. Jesus Christ gave himself for the poor, listened to them, and above all loved them with all His heart. We, the Nazareth Sisters, are called to be Christians by extending love to those around us.
It is in this spirit of Christ and the late Rt. Rev. Bishop Bessone that the Nazareth Sisters are called to go the extra mile. We reach out to needy people and children, particularly in the slums and rural areas, to help them uplift their standard of living.
Challenges To Our Mission
Many challenges face the Nazareth Sisters in pursuing their Mission, including:
· Need education for the sisters to gain knowledge and skills in their ministry areas
· Need for more professionals, particularly those with administrative experience
· Need expanded resources to care of the Elderly nuns, both basic essentials and access to needed medical care
· Need to develop a true Formation House to assist young women who want to commit their lives to Christ in the Nazareth Sisters
· Need better facilities to care for mentally challenged adults and children
· Need better schools to help orphans and poor children uplift their standard of living
· Need better physiotherapy and rehabilitation facilities to help the disabled
· Need more clinics to serve the medical needs of those lacking access to health care
Need hospital equipment to improve the care of those requiring hospitalization