Daughters of Providence for the Deaf & Dumb

Superior Representative: Sr. M. Eucharia Njoku, DPDD

C/o Bishop's House,
P. O. Box 205,
Ogbe Ahiari, Ahiazu L.G.A.,
Imo State,

Mobile: 07032304408

Email: providence4deaf@gmail.com

Our Apostolate

Our history began in 1828 in Modena, Italy, when the Priest Rev. Fr. Severino Fabriani inspired by God, founded the religious family of the "Daughters of Providence" for the Deaf and Dumb with the charism, mission, and heartfelt desire to renew 'Jesus' miracle in which he "makes the deaf hear and the dumb speak" (Mark 7:37)

Won over by Jesus' love, the Daughters of Providence dedicate all their energies to teaching, educating and serving the deaf and dumb children to enable them to acquire the knowledge of God and live actively as Christians in the society.

Don Severino Fabriani (1792-1849) was a priest of the diocese of Modena, pioneer of the education and instruction of the deaf, and the founder of the religious Institute of the Daughters of Providence. He was a literary man, historian, philosopher, theologian, physicist, lover of nature: man of profound culture but above all father of the Deaf. With great trust in the Providence, he educated and instructed them with love, and founded a religious family to take special care of them. He left for his daughters a precious heritage of spiritual journey towards holiness: the primacy of God and total submission of his Providence; diligent commitment to sanctity through the practice of theological virtues; a filial confidence in God and love of sacrifice.

With a dynamic faith to the original charism and dedication to the fourth vow: to educate, to instruct and to serve the Deaf, the daughters of Don Severino Fabriani continue to work in Italy, Brazil, Srilanka and in Ahiara Diocese (Nigeria).

Being faithful to the inspiration of the father founder, the sisters dedicate themselves with a special vow to the instruction and education of the deaf and mute, opening them to the knowledge of God, helping them to be self reliant, well integrated and not to constitute nuisance in the society, rescuing them from societal marginalization and giving them the sense of belonging. The sisters are working for their rehabilitation through specialized teachers and specific technical apparatus, inserting them into the sociocultural contest of the environment. They move in line with the renovation, thereby promoting collaboration with the families of the deaf students. They want to inculcate an authentic value, which is in continuous conformation with the realities. They work for the total human and Christian formation of the deaf.

Almost in all the areas where the sisters are located, they actualize a project of integration between deaf and hearing students with the objective of constructing a scholarly community where both groups happily grow together.

The Congregation of the Daughters of Providence had been evangelizing in Italy from 1828, Brazil (South America) since 1976 in the city of Sao Paulo and in Palmas Tocantins. In Srilanka (Asia), since 1996 the sisters have been working in the city of Palangatura (Colombo) and in Waikala. The Congregation is also working in Nigeria in the Catholic Diocese of Ahiara Mbaise. This began on 8th November 2003, and the community now located at Obodo Ahiara has a formation house, nursery and primary school and a dormitory for the hearing impaired children.

Presently, the number of professed sisters in the Congregation in Nigeria is twenty-five (25). And the number of Nigerians working overseas is nine (9).

On Saturday 4^th October, 2008 at Modena in Italy, the Diocesan process of beatification and canonization of the father founder, and Servant of God Fr. Severino Fabriani was held at the parish, St. Dominic. The closing date was on the 24^th of October 2009, and the magazine; "A voice from Silence" was the product of that event. On the 3^rd of March, 2010 the "package" sent to Rome was opened at Vatican City in "Aula Magna" of the Congregation for the Courses of Saints.

Sisters in Perpetual Vows

Number of Sisters in Temporary Vows – 13