Founded by Bishop Etienne Larue, White Father in 1926, the congregation of Sisters of the Child Jesus celebrated its 75th Anniversary in 2001. The celebration provided an opportunity for members to reflect on the path of the congregation towards growth in pastoral work and apostolic service to the people.

The Vatican Council II, which called for a renewal of religious life, compelled the congregation to prepare the First General Chapter in 1970. The general chapter is the periodical meeting of a religious body to review its life and to make laws. Therefore, it is the highest decision making authority of the congregation.

During the 1970 General Chapter, a number of developments took place, which included change of name of the congregation from Servants of the Infant Jesus to Sisters of the Child Jesus. In addition, the realisation that the Vatican Council’s call for renewal and adaptation required the revision of constitutions and directory, the congregation drew up Capitular Document and Custom book for use during the period of experimentation since time was inadequate to revise everything during the chapter.

Committed to maintaining the founding spirit in the process of renewal, the third chapter in 1982 was significant because it was preceded by two seminars during which four pioneer sisters shared with sisters their experiences and more importantly on the Charism as they learned it from the founder himself. The seminars became a source of inspiration and a basis for a deeper understanding of the congregation’s Charism. The chapter, which closed in January 1983, recommended the preparation of the constitutions and a commission was appointed to work on the project.

The fourth general chapter, which took place in 1988 completed and adopted the constitutions. In 1994, the fifth general chapter gave the mandate to officially print and distribute constitutions to members and other authorities.

In the process of renewal, the congregation has continued to commit itself to growth through initial and ongoing formation. In this regard, the sixth ordinary general chapter of 2000 put emphasis on self-evangelisation and “Reading the signs of the times”.

“Reading the signs of the times”

In apostolic service, the congregation runs regular and special schools, hospitals and rural health centres, home craft centres, early childhood learning schools, and other projects aimed at increasing people’s accessibility to services that underpin integral human development.

Further, the congregation has actively been involved in pastoral work and various aspects of evangelisation at parish and diocesan levels. Through this and other social activities, sisters understand challenges that people face at grass root level.