The Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine of Siena The Congregation of the Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine of Siena, Monte Maria (Rome), was founded by Mother Gerine Fabre in Albi, in the year 1852.
New houses sprang up, one after another, following the rhythm of the foundress' Rosary beads. The emperor Napoleon Bonaparte III solicited her to send a group of her sisters to Civitanova, Italy, to look after the education of the children and to assist the elderly. This was the first of a constellation of new foundations in Italy.
In 1863, the Holy Father, Pope Plus IX, blessed the new Congregation and said: "Go, my daughter, and do your best to spread your institute as much as you will be able to."
Faithful to the Dominican charism, the journey of the Congregation has so far been
guided by (1) love to the Dominican order, (2) commitment to its spirituality, (3) imitation of St. Catherine of Siena (model of life), (4) continuation of the apostolic work of Mother Gerine.
Following the pattern marked out by our first sisters, we are united in common life under the rule of St. Augustine and our own Constitutions. By vows, we profess the evangelical counsels of obedience, chastity and poverty.
As members of the Dominican Family, we intend to effect our "following of Christ" by incarnating the contemplative and apostolic spirit of St. Dominic of Guzman, according to the model offered to us by St. Catherine of Siena, our mother, model and teacher. We want to live the ideal expressed in the Dominican motto, "Contemplare et contemplata aliis tradere", To contemplate and to transmit to others the fruit of contemplation.
We do this through a constant union with God, the First Truth; Through our availability to our brethren, through unconditional dedication to the Church and the 'Sweet Christ on earth', the Pope, that characterized the life and work of St. Catherine of Siena.
Animated by the spirit of Mother Gerine, who was attentive and sensitive to the needs of her times, we participate in the missionary activity of the Church through works of mercy, such as teaching, nursing, pastoral and social assistance.
On 18th November, 1988, a group of sisters, from the mentioned Congregation, (Sr. M Imelda Fortuna, Sr. M. Laura Grigis and Sr. M. Margaret Hussain) left Rome for their first foundation in Nigeria.. They offered two year's service in the Vatican Embassy (Nunciature), after which silently and with adamant faith in their heart, they opened their first community at Mafoluku, cordially assisted by the Dominican Fathers and Brothers, particularly by Rev. Father Thomas McDermott, Prior of St. Dominic's Yaba.
They started their missionary work by sitting as observers at the weekly catechetical classes, they opened their sitting room to the compound children, for slides, film strips and religious instruction. The instinctive missionary zeal arose in them the desire of launching themselves to urgent apostolic activities: they opened a course of literacy and home economics for the ladies and the youth of the locality. This continues with the production of wonderful pieces of embroidery under the untiring enterprise of Sr. M. Marilena Ruggia, O.P.
Meanwhile the Dominicans, having completed the construction of a beautiful building, entrusted to them the running of the newly erected Dominican Nursery/Primary School, Mafoluku, with Sr. M. Margaret Hussain as head-teacher. This school today enrolls almost 1000 pupils under the dedicated supervision of Rev. Sr. M. Bernadette Edwin George, O.P. In December 1994, the sister erected a new community at Abatete, Onitsha, where they opened a Vocational School with Home Economics and Secretarial Studies. They have recently opened a Secondary School, "The Dominican Sisters' College", which has been welcomed by all the villagers as a real and valuable, blessing.
We entrust our future to the protection of our Blessed Virgin Mary and to the Fraternal cooperation of all our brothers and sisters, while thanking sincerely all our Dominican conferees, particularly F. Thomas K. McDermott for their loving guidance and timely help.
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