Three young sisters of the Congregation of Tertiary Sisters of Saint Francis of Assisi made final profession last month on two separate occasions in the Diocese of Kumbo. The two ceremonies took place at Elak Parish in Oku and at Sacred Heart Parish of Shisong.
Two days after seeing Sr. Magdalene in front of the alter at Elak-Oku at her final profession into the congregation of the Tertiary Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi (TSSF), it was the turn of two other sisters at the Sacred Heart Parish of Shisong-Sr. Delphine Dzekahu who hails from Tobin Quasi Parish and Sr. Jeroline Maimo from Jakiri Parish, who took the challenge to give their whole lives to Christ on January 25, 2007.
Bishop Gorge Nkuo, in his homily, thanked God for His gift of consecrated life which continues to enrich, enliven and sustain the Church in its demanding journey by providing for the people once more, the gift of two religious Srs Jeroline and Delphine. With this gift to the church, Bishop George called on the newly professed to be witnesses of a life transfigured by the profession of the evangelical counsels, giving witness to love through chastity which makes the heart grow stronger, poverty which breaks down barriers and obedience which builds communion in the community, in the Church and in the world.
He cautioned them to lead a life of holiness, being persons in the world as "salt which has not lost its flavour, as light which does not cease to shine on everything around it and as a city set on a hill that draws people's attention from afar. He reiterated that this is what the laity will expect from them and the church counts too on them in that regard. He warned them as religious to be careful in living a lie, adding that religious live a lie by not taking the vows they profess seriously, vying for individualism, scaring away from commitment and wanting independence. As expectations to the professed, the Bishop called on them to put the love for God first in their lives loving Him to their ability, being charitable, hardworking and loyal to their vocation no matter the difficulties they will encounter in this course.
The two newly consecrated vowed to always follow Christ, offering themselves like Mary and the Holy Father, St. Francis for the holy church and for the generous service of God's people. With this oath, Delphine and Jeroline each received a ring of faith, the seal of the Holy Spirit to qualify each of them as a true bride of Christ. They also each received a crown which through their work will merit them to share in the suffering of Christ on earth and in his glory in heaven. The Congregation of the Tertiary Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi (TSSF) is International, founded as far back as September 12, 1700, with Mother House in Brixen and Central Office in Rome. The five pioneer sisters came to Cameroon on October 16, 1935 and settled in Shisong.
This was in response to the request of Mgr. Peter Rogan, the then Apostolic Prefect of British Cameroon. Today, the number of the sisters has risen to 279, living in 36 communities in the dioceses of Bafoussam, Bamenda, Buea, Edea, Douala, Garoua, Kumbo, Mamfe, Ngoundere, Yagoua and Yaounde in Cameroon, with objectives being to attend to health and educational needs of the people in order to foster integral evangelisation.