Bannabikira Sister (Daughter of Mary Bwanda)

BANNABIKIRA SISTER –  Sister Irene Mercedes Stefani, D.M.                                                                                                                    (DAUGHTER OF MARY BWANDA)                                                                       † The first religious Congregation of indigenous African women south of the Sahara †

Founder:  Archbishop Henry Streicher, W.F,  (White Fathers Missionary of Africa Prelate)            Foundress and Formator:  Mother Mechtilde, W.S.  (White Sisters)  (Catherine Verkley)

Place:  Bwanda, Uganda, East Africa  (The ancestral home of the White Fathers)

Date:  December 3, 1910 A.D.

Her Charism:  In a nutshell:  The Motherhood of Mary.  Deeply rooted in Ignatian spirituality –  a woman of integrated prayer and action – this Sister is a pioneer not only in Christian virtues  (humility, fortitude, self-denial, and fraternal charity which cement her mission) but in her religious life.  Her sacred mission is to evangelize all people of Uganda through catechesis and the education of children.  Rooted in Christ and sent forth in hope, she takes as her model the Blessed Virgin Mary in self-giving and maternal love as she nurses the sick and suffering, the abandoned, the deaf, and the handicapped as well as counsels the downcast.  This Sister works tirelessly for the salvation of souls, serving the “Needy Jesus” with a motherly spirit of mercy, compassion, and kindness and fills the hospitalized with hope and a belief in Christ the Divine Healer by being His instrument.  In this way she generously dedicates herself to proclaiming Christ to the world by offering hospitality and comfort to patients who are whole persons, not simply defined by their illness.  In every situation she finds herself and in every circumstance, this Daughter of Mary discovers the Hand of God, His Love, His Generosity, His Mercy and Might, His Providence, Holiness, and Goodness.   In this way, society draws inspiration from Ignatian spirituality (contemplatives in action).                       †  “Bwanda” is the name of a small creeping plant that one can hardly destroy because it has roots at every joint.  It is a ground cover with small leaves, and beautiful purplish flowers.  In the noon heat, it opens its flowers creating a magnificent carpet of greenish-purple colors.  †