NAIROBI PRIORY

In 1973, sisters from Peramiho Priory in Tanzania began missionary work in the Kerio Valley of Kenya. In 1981, the first African novitiate was opened in Nairobi. In 1987, the Sacred Heart Priory was erected in Karen-Nairobi.

ADDRESS : Sacred Heart Priory Windy Ridge 181, Karen – Nairobi / Kenya

TEL : 00254-20-388.2460
E-MAIL : mbssec@nairobi-priory.org

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We all know the sad fate of Karen Blixen, the main figure in the movie “Out of Africa”. The Nairobi Priory House stands on the property of her former farm called “Karen”. This is where our first native African novitiate was built for young women from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Angola.

A retreat center was built in the beautiful area next to it. The ever increasing group of young sisters with a large novitiate were and are still active in many fields such as parishes, groups, schools, kindergarten and clinics. A group of elderly persons is taken care of in the priory house.

In 1984 the Generalate established the Nairobi Region, with the regional house in Karen, and stations in Ruaraka and Chesongoch. The first profession of a native sister from Uganda took place that same year. Sacred Heart Convent was dedicated in 1985.

For many years initial formation members came from Peramiho, Ndanda, Uganda, Angola, Namibia and Kenya until they could receive formation in their own priories or regions. Nairobi became a priory in 1987 and a new Priory House with a larger chapel was built in 1990. From the start, the Kenyan foundations have been staffed with sisters of different nationalities.

A second dispensary was opened in 1988 and the sisters began community based health care in the surrounding villages. “Subiaco Center”, a retreat and guest house, was opened in 1995. It offers individual and group retreats, Christian courses and for religious communities, for Catholics and members of other churches.

We stand with awe and praise, thanking the Lord for his faithfulness and love as we marvel how once again an insignificant tiny seed had grown roots in a seed bed made fertile by the work and sweat of a few sisters at our origin: our Nairobi Priory, founded on 10. February 1987.

In 1973 Peramiho Priory had already planted a little corn into Kenyan soil in the Kerio valley with Sr. Ruth Greubel, domestic teacher, and Sr. Margret Maria Arnold, nurse and midwife. They started the community of the Child Jesus in Chesongoch. We owe it to their missionary zeal, their courage, and loving perseverance that the community grew roots amidst the wild thorn bushes and an army of goats.

In 1976 the two sisters were called back to Peramiho and replaced by Sr. Wilgard Lumpp, cook ( died at Karen in 2007 as the senior of our Priory); Sr. Heriberta Erhard, domestic teacher (died in Haus St. Benedikt in Tutzing 2021), and Sr. Maria Uhl, nurse and midwife (now retired in Peramiho). Other sisters joined them during the next years for short periods.

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