our Heritage

Mother Kevin founded the Little Sisters of St. Francis on 1 st
May 1923. Her activities, pertinent with early establishment of the Little Sisters,
were supported and encouraged by Mill Hill Fathers in Uganda. It was during
the Episcopate of Bishop Campling, then Bishop of Kampala Diocese that the
Institute was founded. He personally showed interest in this new enterprise and
became the spiritual guide of the young and enthusiastic community.
Realizing the need to expand her services to the people of Africa, Mother Kevin
founded her own Institute of the Franciscan Missionary Sisters for Africa in 1952
with its Motherhouse in Dundalk, Ireland.
Mother Kevin founded the Institute as a separate entity but from the beginning,
the Little Sisters were posted to missions where the Franciscan Missionary Sisters
were already at work and side by side they worked, sharing experiences and
seeking to follow Christ according to the Franciscan Rule of the Third Order
Regular.
On the 17 th October, 1957 at Boston, Mother Kevin was called to her final destiny
and thereafter buried at Mt. Olive – Dundalk, Ireland. However, upon request
from the Little Sisters, she was exhumed and flown to Nkokonjeru, Uganda, and
was laid to rest at Motherhouse Cemetery on 3 rd December, 1957.
From 1958, the Little Sisters were guided by three Mother Moderators who
succeeded Mother Kevin. The Franciscan Missionary Sisters for Africa, under the
guidance of the Superior General, played a great role in the spiritual and
education of the Little Sisters of St. Francis.
In January 1959, the Little Sisters of St. Francis held their 1 st General Chapter
where they elected the first African Superior General. The Institute was then
officially approved as an independent entity by Rt. Rev. Vincent Billington, Bishop
of Kampala Diocese by all Decree dated 10 th February 1959.
THE CHARISM
The era of Mother Kevin’s missionary work came face to face with various
challenges to mention but a few. The greatest of all these was the cultural
gendering of the African girl. She was held in subjugation and servility. Mother
Kevin aware of this was inspired by the Holy Spirit to found an indigenous
Institute to uplift the status of fellow women.
Therefore, the vision and charism of Mother Kevin for the Little Sisters was that,
they be well educated women, who are abreast with the signs of the time and
who are dedicated to the promotion and empowerment of the poor and
underprivileged particularly women. They do this by being missionary to their
own people and later extend their vision, mission and charism to other parts of
the world.
The aim of the Institute is to love and serve God in the Church and in the world
today. The Sisters’ vocation is to contemplate God in prayer and share the fruits
of this contemplation through the Apostolate, giving special attention to the
needs of all those who are physically, spiritual, psychologically, mentally and
materially poor.
ADMINISTRATION
The Ordinary authority of the Institute is the Superior General assisted by four
Councilors legitimately elected to this Office by the General Chapter every six
years.
For the better running of the Institute and due to gradual expansion of the its
membership and the great demand of the Sisters’ services in East African
Countries, five administrative Regions were established, namely Central Region–
Uganda, Jinja Region – Uganda, Eastern Region – Uganda, West of the Rift
Valley Region – Kenya and East of the Rift Valley Region – Kenya. Each Region
is under the guidance of a Regional Superior. East of the Rift Valley Region in
Kenya extends its services to Tanzania in the two Dioceses of Same and Arusha
where we work. At grass-root level each local community is animated by a local
superior.
EXTENT OF THE CONGREGATION
Mother Kevin died after establishing twenty-five Convents and one Novitiate.
About eighty Convents, two Novitiates and two Postulates have been established
since her death. To date the Institute has three Novitiates, in Uganda, Kenya
and Tanzania. The Institute has spread and has its presence and witness in 33
Dioceses in East African Countries with 145 houses situated in the various
Dioceses.