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Is God Calling You to Step Out in Faith?
A vocation to the Ursuline Sisters of the Blessed Virgin Mary is a call to a life of dynamic action, profound contemplation, and radical love for humanity. Our foundress, Venerable Anne de Xainctonge, was a woman who refused to let the restrictive norms of her century block the voice of God. She broke family bonds, faced down public trials, and braved hunger and exile to ensure that women could actively serve God's people.
If you feel a persistent desire inside your heart to teach the youth, console the suffering, and devote your life fully to prayer and service within the Mthatha Diocese, you may be experiencing an authentic call to join our religious family. We invite young, single Catholic women to come, see, and discern with us.
Prayer for Holy Boldness and Discernment
Lord Jesus Christ, You called Mother Mary to respond with holy boldness, trust, and total comprehension to Your divine message. Send Your Holy Spirit upon the young women of Southern Africa today, that they may listen closely to Your voice calling them to service.
Grant them the courage to embrace a similar boldness combined with deep humility. Empower them to utilize their unique gifts to witness Your love, lift up families, and serve those in need. If You call them to the religious life, give them the strength to break worldly attachments and follow You with joy. Amen.
“How can this be, since I’m only a virgin?” — Luke 1:34
A Living Future: Our Newly Professed Sisters
While we honor and mourn the pioneering generations of Swiss sisters who built our clinics and schools, the South African Province is fully alive, local, and growing. We are forever grateful to God for the beautiful gift of new vocations. Our recent 90th Jubilee was crowned by the radiant First Profession of Vows of our two youngest local members:
- Sister Francis Ngiba, SU: Consecrating her life to witness God’s love following her deep novitiate formation.
- Sister Augustine Mbanjwa, SU: Consecrating her hands to active ministries, stepping into her spiritual journey with community support.
The Province wishes our young sisters a sweet and loving journey with the Lord as they dedicate their efforts to the service of God’s people. Their courage stands as a living proof that God continues to call young South African women to step forward today.
Our Legacy in Action: How Formation Has Evolved
Over the past several decades, our formation program has evolved from a heavily Euro-centric monastic model into a dynamic, locally responsive incubator for indigenous African vocations. By blending rigorous Ignatian theological preparation with real-world pastoral deployments right here within the Eastern Cape, our process has successfully nurtured generations of resilient leaders, educators, and medical practitioners who understand the heartbeat of our local communities.
The Stages of Consecration and Formation
| Formation Stage | Spiritual, Intellectual, and Practical Dimensions |
|---|---|
| I. Aspirancy / Discernment | A period of initial mutual acquaintance. Young women remain at home or school while corresponding with our Vocation Directress, attending scheduled vocation discernment retreats, and examining their internal desire against our active Ignatian spirituality. |
| II. Postulancy | The initial step into formal community life. Postulants live within our convents, transitioning into regular community schedules, cultivating a deep interior love for community prayer, Eucharistic adoration, and standard religious discipline. |
| III. The Novitiate | An intensive spiritual crucible lasting two years. Novices dive deeply into the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. They master the foundational Ignatian spiritual exercises, closely study our congregation's history and spirituality texts, and absorb the structural rules left by Mother Anne. |
| IV. First Profession (Temporary Vows) | The joyful day of public consecration, beautifully exemplified by Sr. Francis and Sr. Augustine. The young sister pronounces her initial vows and is formally clothed in the religious habit. She is then deployed into active ministry across our educational, medical, or pastoral sectors. |
Our Vocation Directress is ready to walk with you as you seek to understand God's path. Contact us directly to receive copy files of our vocational brochures, request attendance at our next retreat, or speak personally with our sisters.
"Empowered by the Holy Spirit to witness God’s Love" • Acts 1:8
