School Sisters of Notre Dame

Founded, Date/Place | Oct 24 1833, Neunberg Vorm Wald, Bavaria, Germany |
Foundress | Blessed Theresa of Jesus Gerhardinger |
Canonical Status | Pontifical Right August 5, 1865 |
Motto | Veritas et Scientia |
Charism | Education in its broadest sense-unity |
Mission Statement | Transforming the world through Education |
Purpose | To meet urgent needs |
In Nigeria, we have four communities in three states | Akwa Ibom, Benue and Nasarawa States. |

Our Lady of Apostles, Girls College,
P.M.B 6, Akwanga Nasarawa State.
Mobile: 08034398582,
Email: Priscillaonwuka@yahoo.com

Our Apostolate
The Congregation of the School Sisters of Notre Dame
came to life
when God's call found an answer in the hearts of people strong in
faith, farseeing in vision and courageous in action. The Congregation
continues today in the mysterious interaction of divine call and
human response.
Our Charism flows from our spiritual heritage, especially the gifts of
St. Augustine, who formed a community to be of one heart and one
soul in God, seeing in the Trinity the basis, source and goal of all
community.
The roots of this
institute lie deep in the
past, the Congregation
traces its actual
beginning to October
24, 1833, when
Caroline Gerdinger and
two other women
began a common
religious life in
Neunburg Vorm Wald,
Bavaria. Caroline took the name Mary Theresa of Jesus, became
leader of the new community. Their action was inspired by an
apostolic spirituality destined to shape their own lives and
profoundly affect those of many others.
Caroline was born at Regensburg Stadtamhof, June 20th 1797 and
was the only child of her parents, Mr. Willibald and Mrs. Mary Frances
Gerhardinger. She was educated and aided by the Canonesses de
Notre Dame. At the age of fifteen, she was already a certified teacher.
She was a gifted educator whose enthusiasm and encouraging
acceptance of the children soon made her a beloved teacher.
Mother Theresa of Jesus, who founded School Sisters of Notre Dame
lived during turbulent times when political and religious
circumstances stemming from the enlightenment and the French
revolution in Germany had created, in 19th century, a desperate
educational situation with far-reaching effects on Church and
society. The rationalists' insistence on the primacy of reason
weakened appreciation for Christian education.
The Church's possessions were confiscated and many convent
schools were closed down. Many children, both with and without
parents, did not have the opportunity to gain an education that
would help them better their lives. The only formal education
available was for boys. This made it impossible for young girls to
receive basic education.
Inspired by an apostolic spirituality destined to shape their own
lives and salvation of souls, Mother Theresa of Jesus and her
companions under the spiritual guidance of Bishop Michael
Wittermann moved on to help remedy this desperate situation of
education which had remarkable effects on both the Church and
society of Germany.
In their vision, the renewal of society depended on the Christian
family, in which the mother, the first educator, had the key role. Thus,
she chose the Christian education of girls as the vital service her
religious community would offer. Thus our ministry is directed
towards education which means "enabling persons to reach the
fullness of their potential as individuals created in God's image and
assisting them to direct their gifts towards building the earth".
(Quotation from our constitution, "You Are Sent")
Their first concern was for poor girls in small towns and villages,
then the inward transformation of the Sisters to the image and
likeness of the crucified Son of God.
Today, while many of us are teachers, we don't all work in the
classroom. We also work in other areas of urgent need. Our mission
is to educate others in all we do while spreading Jesus' message of
love and unity throughout the world. We are facilitators of change
and personal transformation especially to those who are poor. Thus
our charism is one of unity through ministries of education of the
poor especially women: Unity of the Sisters and unity of all in God,
our community living, our common search for and doing God's will
and our faithfulness to our evangelical counsels. In the spirit of our
Congregation are an ardent desire as well as an apostolic zeal to
know God and to do the will of God. We enable the poor especially
girls to reach their fullest capacity for which God created them,
bringing all to
oneness in God.
Mother Theresa of
Jesus governed the
congregation as its
General Super ior
until her death in
Munich on May 9th
1879 and on
November 17th 1985
she was declared "BLESSED" by Pope John Paul II in St. Peter's
Basilica in Rome.
Today, we have over two thousand (2000) Sisters under one central
government. Our Generalate is in Rome. We are ministering in over
thirty (30) countries on five continents viz: Europe, America, Asia,
Oceania and Africa. Here in Africa, we are in the Gambia, Ghana,
Kenya, Nigeria and Sierra-Leone. We have two (2) formation houses
- the postulancy is in Kenya while the Novitiate is in Ghana. On
August 28th, 2011,
Feast of St. Augustine,
the proclamation of
the establishment of
the Province of Africa
was done by Sr. Mary
Maher, our General
Superior.
The first SSND that
came to Nigeria was
Sr. Melmarie Gentry of
blessed memory from USA in 1974. She was invited by a Nigerian
Priest whom she met in Rome. Sr. Melmarie's coming was an
individual commitment but later, the Baltimore Province in the
United States made a commitment to Nigeria. In this regard, many
Sisters were sent to work on Nigerian soil. Later on, Nigerians were
accepted into the congregation. Today, we have eighteen (18)
Nigerian Sisters working in four (4) countries, three (3) studying in
the United States, five (5) novices and seven (7) postulants.
The Sisters in Nigeria have immensely contributed to the Church in
Nigeria through girl-child education, empowerment of women
especially the poor through skills acquisition, rehabilitation and
empowerment of ex-convicts. Also, we have helped in the formation
of many priests through our teaching in both major and minor

Sisters in Perpetual Vows
- Sr. Abayol Mabel
- Sr. Abuh Mary Mayi-Ojo
- Sr. Anyanwu Stella
- Sr. Amimi Bernadette
- Sr. Blok Elizabeth
- Sr. Dagi Eunice
- Sr. Enang Dorthy
- Sr. Ezugwu Angela
- Sr. Ihiro Theodorah
- Sr. Onwuka Pricilla
- Sr. Olouh Regina
- Sr. Wakger Nentaweh
Number of Sisters in Temporary Vows – 5