Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine of Siena, Mafoluku

Superior Representative: Sr. Mary Pia Folashade Adesanya, OP

Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine of Siena
P. O. Box 927
Agodi Gate, Ibadan,
Oyo State

Mobile: 0809 874 2310, 0803 725 9383

Email: dominicansistersnig@gmail.com

Private: shadesanya@yahoo.com

Our Apostolate

We are of the Congregation of the Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine of Siena:
The Congregation has a particular history because at a point in time it was divided into two autonomous Congregations - France and Italian by a Decree of UNION dated 14^th June, 2005. Originally, the Congregation began in 1852.

The Charism and Spirituality of the Congregation is summarized thus:
to reveal the maternal face of the mercy of the Father with hands always stretched towards any form of weakness and of misery until everyone come to know that to love God is the truth that sets free and brings about salvation. Our Mother Foundress mirrored the Spirituality of St. Dominic and St. Catherine and wanted her new Congregation and all those who will follow her inspiration to imitate Catherine in the Dominican Spirituality.

Information about Foundress/Founder:
Madre Gerine Fabre was born on the 22^nd of April 1811 in Saint -geniez D'oltz, a poor village in the centre of France. She was very sensitive to the poor ones and nurtured in her heart a profound compassion which grew into a deep desire to do something concrete for the poor by dedicating her whole life to God. In 1842, she went to Toulouse, where she opened a new and the first community of Third Order Dominican women who dedicated their lives and services to the sick and committed to prayers following the spirituality of St. Dominic.

In 1852, Mother Gerine established a community in Albi which gave a concrete and more organized movement towards the birth of the Congregation of the Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine of Siena. The Congregation was officially recognized in 1865. Mother Gerine became a 'Mother' to all the sisters that were entering to form part of this new religious family. Mother Gerine offered to all her daughters St. Catherine of Siena as a guide, model and their mistress in their spiritual journey.

From Albi, the Congregation grew and extended to Italy. Due to some circumstances in history, the congregation divided into two autonomous Congregations in France and in Italy. On the 3rd of September 1879, Mother Gerine had to tender her resignation as the Mother General for life of the Congregation to the Bishop of Albi. For eight long years, Mother Gerine lived in her body the mystery of the cross and she finally died on the 31st of December, 1887 in a great loneliness in Carcassonne.

Today from that single sacrifice of obedience from our Mother Gerine, her congregation has spread in many places of the world: Nigeria - Uganda - Pakistan - Slovenia - Francia - Italia - Spagna - Argentina - Brasile - Peru' - Uruguay - Guadeloupe.

Arrival of the Sisters to Nigeria:
The Congregation of the Dominican Sisters arrived Nigeria on the 18^th of November, 1988. A group of sisters from: Sr. Imelda Fortuna, Sr. Laura Grigis and Sr. Margaret Hussain, were the first sisters who came to Nigeria for the new foundation. They offered two years' service in the Vatican Embassy (Apostolic Nunciature) then in Ikoyi Lagos. After the two years, the sisters opened their first community at Mafoluku Oshodi fraternally assisted by the Dominican Fathers and Brothers who were very close and helpful to them in the same spirit of Dominican Family.

The sisters started their missionary work in their new place of foundation by sitting as observers at the weekly Catechetical classes in St. Jude Catholic Church Mafoluku. They later opened their sitting room in the convent to the children for slide shows, 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.

Today, that humble beginning has produced many vocations for the Dominican sisters Nigeria. Our houses are in Mafoluku Oshodi Lagos, Abatete in Idemili North Anambra State and in Ogungbade Village Ibadan. The Formation house in Nigeria is in Ogungbade Village, New Ife Road Ibadan.

The total number of sisters in the Congregation world-wide is 450. Total number of Nigerian professed sisters is 33. Out of this number, 9 Nigerian sisters are in different places outside Nigeria, either as missionaries or studying outside Nigeria. Among the sisters in Nigeria, our missionary sisters from other lands are three working with us in the Nigerian mission.

Ministries/Apostolates:
Our activities or apostolates consist of Education, Health and Pastoral activities. In our Community of Mafoluku Oshodi Lagos, the sisters run the Dominican Group of schools (Play-Group, Nursery, Primary and college). In Abatete, we have the Dominican Sisters College, a co-education school with Boarding facilities for both boys and girls, in Ibadan, we have our Formation House and St. Dominic Catholic Hospital owned and managed by the sisters.

Today Nigeria is a DELEGATION with her own Delegate Superior to the Prioress General in Rome. The Delegation of Nigeria is under the Patroness of Our Lady Seat of Wisdom. We therefore entrust our future to mission and vocation to the Protection of Our Lady Seat of Wisdom.

Sisters in perpetual Vows

Number of Sisters in Temporary Vows – 8