30/07/2026
The African Conference for Catholic Sisters Canon and Civil Lawyers officially opened today in Nairobi under the theme: โProphetic Witness of Catholic Sisters in Canon and Civil Law Matters: Learning, Connecting and Building a Community of Practice for the Common Good.โ
Sr. Prof. Jacinta Adhiambo, ESM, Chairperson of the Association of Sisterhoods of Kenya (AOSK), challenged Catholic sisters to embrace their prophetic calling by using their knowledge of canon and civil law to uphold justice, strengthen governance, safeguard the vulnerable and protect the dignity of every person. She noted that today's complex realities call for women religious who are not only compassionate, but also legally informed and equipped to serve the Church with integrity and accountability.
Welcoming delegates, Sr. Luciana Wanyahoro, VDM, Catholic Sisters in the Legal Profession (CASILEP) Advisory Board Chairperson described the gathering as both timely and necessary, noting that religious congregations are increasingly faced with legal, governance and safeguarding matters that require sound legal knowledge and collaborative leadership. She encouraged religious institutes to invest in legal literacy as an essential part of good stewardship and faithful service.
The conference has brought together delegates from the Holy See, the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, the Dicastery for Evangelization, the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, AMECEA, ACWECA, the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, major superiors, canonists, civil lawyers, Catholic universities, safeguarding institutions and other partners committed to strengthening religious life.
At the centre of this conference are 55 Catholic Sisters trained in canon and civil law from 13 African countries; Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe who have come together to learn from one another, strengthen professional collaboration and build a community of practice that will continue serving the Church and society.
๐๐ง๐ข๐ญ๐๐ ๐ฐ๐ ๐๐ญ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฌ ๐ ๐๐ข๐ ๐ง ๐จ๐ ๐๐จ๐'๐ฌ ๐๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐๐ง๐๐
www.aoskenya.org