After 25 years: a new birth
Great Bend Dominicans' Nigerian Daughter Congregation Becomes Independent

The Nigerian congregation gathers for Eucharist at the cathedral in Sokoto. In the front row are Sisters Faustina Jimoh, Prioress, and Augusta Nyong, Assistant Prioress.

SOKOTO , NIGERIA - The Dominican Sisters of Great Bend have a daughter congregation, the Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine of Siena of Gusau, Nigeria, who became an independent congregation of diocesan status. The event was celebrated on April 19, 2007, at Holy Family Cathedral, in the Diocese of Sokoto, Nigeria. This momentous occasion has been over 25 years in the making. Following a letter from Rome, the Most Rev. Dr. Kevin J. Aje, Bishop of Sokoto, issued the decree establishing them as a diocesan congregation with their motherhouse in Gusau.

The congregation's new independence does not sever the relationship of the Dominican Sisters of Great Bend and the Dominican Sisters of Gusau. The Great Bend congregation will continue  close ties, always attentive to ways in which it can assist the indigenous congregation with financial and advisory help for their life, growth, and ministry.

Sr. Franka Igweilo, OP, first Prioress of the Nigerian Dominicans, and Sr. Faustina Jimoh, OP, current Prioress.
At the reception following the Mass Bishop Kevin Aje, the Nigerian Leadership Team and Great Bend Srs. Lorena Bolte and Rene Weeks prepare to cut the cake.

Sr. Lorena Bolte, OP, Prioress, and Sr. Rene Weeks, OP, Assistant Prioress, represented Great Bend as the founding congregation. Sr. Rita Schwarzenberger, OP, a Great Bend Dominican who ministers in Nigeria, was also in attendance.

The Mass of celebration in the Cathedral was two hours in the 115° heat of the Nigerian hot season. More than 55 professed members of the congregation as well as the eight novices and two postulants attended the celebration. The heat did not wilt any of the enthusiasm of this truly Nigerian and Dominican celebration. In attendance was Fr Ignatius, Provincial of the Ghana-Nigeria Dominican men’s province, many priests of the Sokoto Diocese, Dominican Laity, and parishioners. Drums and native instruments accompanied the singing in Hausa and English, reflecting the culture of the people as well as the worldwide Dominican Family.

In the 800th anniversary year of the Dominican Family this new congregation is a new gift to the Family. At this moment in the story of the growth of the worldwide Dominican Family, the Nigerian sisters renewed their vows into the hands of Sister Faustina Jimoh, second Prioress of their congregation. Later, Sisters Lorena and Rene presented them with gifts, a letter from the nuns at Regensburg Germany (their great-grandmother congregation) and one from Amityville NY (their grandmother congregation). The Amityville congregation also gave them a small statue of Mary from Regensburg. Gifts from the Great Bend congregation included a large icon of Mary Magdalene, Patroness of the Dominican Family, and a small copy of the icon as a prayer card for each of the Nigerian sisters, as well as a packet of greetings from all the sisters back in Great Bend.

At the Mass, Sister Faustina thanked Sister Franka Igweilo who served as the first Prioress, Bishop Aje, the Sisters in Great Bend, especially Sisters Lorena and Rene, Fr. Ignatius, and all the priests and sisters who were there.

Elaine Osborne OP