Catholic Religious Sisters have played a crucial role in education, particularly for girls and the marginalized communities. Founding Schools and Teaching is one of the greatest acts Sisters are engaged in across the globe.
Catholic Sisters have been instrumental in establishing Schools across the globe. As early as the 1600s, Priests and Nuns arrived in the colonies and set up Schools, orphanages, and hospitals. While Priests and Brothers focused on educating boys, it was often left to the Nuns to teach girls. These women dedicated themselves to education, even when their wages were extremely low.
The role of Empowering Immigrant Communities was a passion. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Catholic Sisters played a vital role in educating the children of Irish, Italian, and Polish immigrants. They helped these communities integrate into American society by providing quality education. Many immigrant families owe their upward mobility to the education provided by these dedicated religious educators.
Among others, the Championing of Women’s Education: Despite facing challenges within the male-dominated Catholic Church, Catholic Sisters opened doors to higher education for women. They believed that education could transform lives, broaden horizons, and deepen values. By establishing parochial Schools and Colleges, they empowered countless women to pursue knowledge and contribute to society.
Balancing tradition and independence was a challenge too. Catholic Sisters faced the delicate task of balancing traditional gender roles with young women’s desires for independence. They navigated this challenge by creating all-girls Catholic schools that reflected both the church’s teachings and the aspirations of their students2.
Religious Sisters make holistic impact in people’s life. Beyond education, Catholic Sisters have been involved in various other areas, including health care, pastoral services, and community development. Their impact extends far beyond the classroom, touching the lives of countless individuals.
In Ghana today, the narrative is not so different. Despite the challenges of forming the youth in contemporary world, Catholic Schools and Catholic Sisters have gone through the ranks in the education system to head Schools and most especially Catholic Schools.
It is heartwarming to see many Religious Sisters in leadership positions in our Catholic Schools in Ghana at the ongoing Conference of Association of Catholic Heads of Higher Institutions (ACHHI). One will be amazed to see the smiles and zeal on the faces of these Sisters to push the cause of Catholic formation to the next level.
It is equally worth noting that the National President of ACHHI is a Religious Sister and other Sisters are rallying behind their own to see education system work in good standing.
The slogan of ACHHI is ‘In your light we, see light’.
The Conference taking place in OLA Senior High School at Ho in Ghana’s Volta Region is deliberating on the theme: “Promoting Discipline in our schools: a shared responsibility.”
The Association of Catholic Heads of Higher Institutions (ACHHI) was founded by the late Archbishop Thomas Kwaku Mensah of blessed memory, of the Kumasi Archdiocese when he was the Rector of St. Peter’s Major Seminar in 1980. The purpose of starting this Association was to:
- Form Catholic heads into a strong unified professional body to deal with educational matters.
- Maintain and foster a Catholic identity and provide support systems to improve standards in our schools
- Nurture and develop the Faith of members so that they can truly have strong faith in God and in the Church as an institution.
- Offer suggestions and advise to the Ghana Catholic Bishop’s Conference in educational
In all of these, Catholic Sisters have been the unsung heroes empowering women, and uplifting communities. Their commitment to education has left a lasting legacy, and their influence continues to resonate today.
Sr. Gifty Anastasia Blewu, SMMC (Sister Communicator)
