Religious vocations in Namibia are on the rise, and this creates an urgent need for proper formation of the sisters. Responding to this call, Sister Anne Arabome has taken the initiative to establish the first theological and spiritual training center in Namibia to hold religious women responsible for their vocation.
Sister Michelle Njeri, OSF
Ongoing theological and spiritual formation is now available to Major Superiors in Windhoek, Namibia. According to the Annuarium Statisticum Ecclesiae 2023, there is a notable and sustained growth in religious vocations in Africa. While this growth is a grateful gift, it creates a profound need for theological and spiritual formation programs for Catholic religious women who do not have access to higher pastoral education. In order to provide adequate services to the marginalized and people living in poverty, these women who are giving their lives in the service of Christ, deserve to have a solid foundation in theology, Holy Scripture, spirituality and management skills. Sister Anne Arabome, SSS, a member of the Los Angeles Social Service Sisters, responded to this need for the formation of religious women in Africa by founding the Sophia Institute for Theological Studies and Spiritual Formation in Namibia. “The charisma of the Sisters of Social Services allows members to grow in their awareness of the Holy Spirit and the action of the Spirit in the world, actively engaging in the Social Mission of the Church. The Sophia Institute is the embodiment of this charism” stated Sr. Anne.
Return to África: a call for religious women
After many years of service and ministry in the United States, she returned to Africa to create innovative training opportunities for African religious women that are based on uniquely African values and principles of religious life and spirituality. “I have always had the strong feeling of being called by God; This call has taken me to Africa, in particular Namibia and southern Africa,” said Sister Anne regarding her motivation to create the Sophia Institute. “The nuns in this area of Africa have limited opportunities for training in theological studies and spirituality,” he stated. “There are many gifted, talented and competent religious women who are passionate about the Church’s mission of bringing the light of Christ to others. They need and deserve spiritual, theological and management capacity support.” She added that this is precisely the vocation of the Sophia Institute, which already offers a program for women that will train other young women for religious life. “This training is virtual and reaches these women in South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Lesotho. And this is done at a minimum financial cost”, stated Mr. Anne.
Experts con passion for ministry and social justice
Sister Anne’s experience and expertise in the field of spirituality and Ignatian theology includes an eight-year period as associate director of the Faber Center for Ignatian Spirituality at Marquette University in Wisconsin. She has been on the faculty at Hekima in Nairobi, teaching anthropology, spirituality and religious life as part of the Sister-Scholars program. Sister Anne holds a research doctorate in Systematic Theology from the University of Roehampton in the United Kingdom, as well as a doctorate in Ministry and Spirituality from the Catholic Theological Union of Chicago. Sister Anne’s initiative spans two continents, as she also coordinates a program of intercultural life and theological studies for African religious women in collaboration with the Ignatian Spirituality Center of Glasgow, Scotland. “I have a passion for ministry, social justice and scholarship, with particular attention to the spiritual life of African women and Ignatian spirituality,” Sister Anne stated. He added that he is inspired by the synodal model in the training of African directives, considering having “incorporated the values, principles and practice of synodality in my training mission.”
Reforczar and vindicate the dignity of African nuns
Reflecting on the journey so far, Sister Anne shared her ardent hopes for the Sophia Institute. “I have the dream that this initiative will be a means to enhance and vindicate the dignity and beauty of African religious women and their communities through creative and contextualized theological reflection, formation, renewal, spiritual accompaniment and retreats. Ignatians”, he wished. “This is an exciting adventure,” Sister Anne concluded. “I experience the presence of Him who is much greater than me and who has called me to walk with the religious. In this way, I am developing the social mission of the Church.”
