Re-founded September 2004
Founded in 1893 by Father Herbert Kelly, the Society is a means of uniting the devotion of ordinary people, using it in the service of the Church. Members of the Society share a common life of prayer and fellowship in a variety of educational, pastoral and community activities in England, Australia, Japan, Lesotho, and South Africa.
Name: Tanki Mofana SSM
Provincial, assumed office January 2013
Address: SSM Priory,PO Box 1579, Maseru, 100, Lesotho
Tel: +27 223 159 79
Fax: +27 223 101 61
Email: Click here for email
Founded 1874
The Community of St Michael and All Angels was founded by the second Bishop of Bloemfontein, Allan Becher Webb, for pioneer work in his vast diocese, which included the Orange Free State, Basutoland, Griqualand West and into the Transvaal. The sisters were active in mission, nursing and education. Sister Henrietta Stockdale became the founder of professional nursing in South Africa. The South African Synod of Bishops has placed her on the CPSA Calendar for yearly commemoration on 6 October. In 1874, the sisters established St Michael?s School for Girls in Bloemfontein, which still exists today as one of the leading schools in South Africa. Today, there is one sister remaining.
Name: Sister Joan Marsh CSM&AA
Address: Room 23 Serenicare,51 General Hertzog Avenue, Dan pienaar, Bloemfontein, 9301, South Africa
Founded 1865 in UK and 1962 in Lesotho
The Basotho Community of St Mary at the Cross was founded in Leribe, Lesotho, in 1923, under CSM&AA, Bloemfontein. In 1959, CHN Sisters were invited to take over this work and started at Leribe in 1962. They had invited the Sisters of S. Mary at the Cross to become members of CHN and the full amalgamation of the two communities was completed in 1964. As a multi-racial community, the witness against racism at a time when apartheid was in the ascendant in South Africa was an important strand of the Community's vocation. In succeeding years, the Sisters have continued the evangelistic and pastoral work which is also an important part of the CHN vocation. Sisters are involved in children's work, prison visiting, as well as other outreach in both Lesotho and South Africa. There is a church sewing room and wafer room. The Sisters in Leribe run a hostel for secondary school students. Some Sisters are 'Volunteers of Love' for families where there is HIV/AIDS. This work is enabled and strengthened by the daily round of prayer, both corporate and private, which is at the heart of the Community's Rule. A daily Eucharist at the centre of this life of prayer is the aim. There is a small guest house.
Name: Sister Julia CHN
Provincial Superior, assumed office April 2007
Address: Convent of the Holy Name,PO Box 22, Ficksburg, 9730, South Africa
Tel: +27 (0)22 400 249
Email: Click here for email
Website: ww.chnderby.org
Founded 1884
This Community was founded in 1884 by Bishop Allan Becher Webb and Cecile Isherwood to undertake pastoral and educational work in Grahamstown. These two types of work, and later Social Welfare work, have predominated throughout the Community?s history. The regular life of monastic Offices and personal prayer and intercession has always been maintained in all houses, wherever situated. Grahamstown is now the only centre where the Community life continues. The Sisters are involved in various ministries: at the Cathedral and other churches as needed; in the Raphael Centre for people suffering from HIV/Aids etc; in visiting at Old Age Homes and the hospital; soup kitchens; and needlework/banners. In April 2012, the Community opened an orphanage, named Ikhay Lethu, in our old convent. At present, it has two sisters and a brother, aged 1-6.
Name: Mother Zelma CR
Mother Superior, assumed office 24 November 2005
Address: St Peter's,PO Box , Grahamstown, 6140, South Africa
Tel: +27 (0)46 622 4210
Fax: +27 (0)46 622 4210
Email: Click here for email
Founded 1905
Five Sisters of the Society of the Precious Blood at Burnham Abbey went to Masite in Lesotho in 1957 to join with a community of African women, with the intention of forming a multi-cultural contemplative community dedicated to intercession. In 1966, this community at Masite became autonomous, although still maintaining strong ties of friendship with Burnham Abbey. In 1980, a House of Prayer was established in Kimberley in South Africa, which has developed a more active branch of the Society. Sadly, due to diminishing numbers, health issues and finance, the Lesotho Priory closed on 1 March 2014 and the sisters dispersed. The Kimberly house continues its ministry.
Name: Sister Elaine Mary SPB
Prioress, assumed office 24 September 1997
Address: St Monica's House of Prayer,46 Green Street, West End, Kimberley, 8301, South Africa
Tel: +27 538 331 161
Email: Click here for email
Founded 1913
The Oratory of the Good Shepherd is a society of priests and laymen founded at Cambridge (UK), which now has province in North America, Australia, Southern Africa and Europe. Oratorians are bound together by a common Rule and discipline; members do not generally live together in community. The brethren are grouped in 'colleges' and meet regularly for prayer and support, and each province meets annually for retreat and chapter. Every three years, the General Chapter meets, presided over by the Superior of the whole Oratory, whose responsibility is to maintain the unity of the provinces.
Consecration of life in the Oratory has the twin purpose of fostering the individual brother's personal search for God in union with his brethren, and as a sign of the Kingdom. So through the apostolic work of the brethren, the Oratory seeks to make a contribution to the life and witness of the whole Church.
In common with traditional communities, the Oratory requires celibacy. Brothers are accountable to their brethren for their spending and are expected to live simply and with generosity. The ideal spiritual pattern includes daily Eucharist, Offices, and an hour of prayer. Study is also regarded as important in the life. During the time of probation which is for two years, the new brother is cared for and nurtured in the Oratory life by another brother of his College. The brother may then, with the consent of the province, make his first profession, which is renewed annually for at least five years, though with the hope of intention and perseverance for life. After five years, profession can be made for a longer period, and after ten years a brother may, with the consent of the whole Oratory, make his profession for life.
Name: Jabulani Ngidi OGS
Provincial, assumed office 2013
Address: 16660 Luganda Road,Luganda, PO Box 846, Pinetown 3609, South Africa
Email: Click here for email
Website: www.ogs.net
Founded 1874
The Society has never been a large community, with just sixty professions over a century, and has always worked in Natal. Originally the community ran schools and orphanages. In 1994, after the death of the older Sisters, the four of us who remained moved to a house that was more central in Durban.
We moved to Umdoni Retirement Village in Pennington in 2003. Our involvement outside the village involves being on the Board of Governors of our school, St John's Diocesan School for Girls in Pietermaritzburg, and all our Associates, Friends and Oblates worldwide.
Name: Sister Mary Evelyn SSJD
Address: Marian Villa,282 Alexandra Road, Pietermaritzburg, Natal, South Africa
Email: Click here for email
Founded 1913
The Oratory of the Good Shepherd is a society of priests and laymen founded at Cambridge (UK), which now has province in North America, Australia, Southern Africa and Europe. Oratorians are bound together by a common Rule and discipline; members do not generally live together in community. The brethren are grouped in 'colleges' and meet regularly for prayer and support, and each province meets annually for retreat and chapter. Every three years, the General Chapter meets, presided over by the Superior of the whole Oratory, whose responsibility is to maintain the unity of the provinces.
Consecration of life in the Oratory has the twin purpose of fostering the individual brother's personal search for God in union with his brethren, and as a sign of the Kingdom. So through the apostolic work of the brethren, the Oratory seeks to make a contribution to the life and witness of the whole Church.
In common with traditional communities, the Oratory requires celibacy. Brothers are accountable to their brethren for their spending and are expected to live simply and with generosity. The ideal spiritual pattern includes daily Eucharist, Offices, and an hour of prayer. Study is also regarded as important in the life. During the time of probation which is for two years, the new brother is cared for and nurtured in the Oratory life by another brother of his College. The brother may then, with the consent of the province, make his first profession, which is renewed annually for at least five years, though with the hope of intention and perseverance for life. After five years, profession can be made for a longer period, and after ten years a brother may, with the consent of the whole Oratory, make his profession for life.
Name: Peter Hibbert OGS
Superior, assumed office August 2011
Address: 2 Blossom Road,Erdington, Birmingham, B24 0UD, England
Tel: +44 (0)121 382 7286
Website: www.ogs.net
Founded 1865 in UK and 1969 in Zululand
The Community of the Holy Name in Zululand was founded by three Zulu Sisters who began their Religious life with the Community in Leribe. All three Provinces of CHN have the same Rule of life, but there are differences of customary and constitutions to fit in with cultural differences. The daily life of the Community centres around the daily Office, and the Eucharist whenever the presence of a priest makes this possible.
The Sisters are involved extensively in mission, pastoral and evangelistic work. The Zulu Sisters have evangelistic gifts which are used in parishes throughout the diocese at the invitation of parish priests. Several Sisters have trained as teachers or nurses. They work in schools or hospitals, where possible within reach of one of the Community houses. Their salaries, and the large vestment-making department at the Convent at Kwa Magwaza, help to keep the Community solvent. The sisters also facilitate the care of many orphans in their extended families.
Name: Mother Nokubongwa CHN
Provincial Superior, assumed office February 2008
Address: Convent of the Holy Name,Pt. Bag 806, Melmoth, Zululand, 3835, South Africa
Tel: +27 3545 02892
Fax: +27 3545 07564
Email: Click here for email
Website: www.chnderby.org