The people there yearned for places of worship where there were no schools or hospitals. Due to a lack of transportation, many mothers delivered their babies on the side of the road before reaching medical care. Some mothers died, leaving their children without support.
On Sept. 14, 1958, the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, four girls from Burundi joined the Congregation of the Franciscan Sisters of St. Bernadette. This remarkable moment was vivid evidence of God responding to the needs of the people in Rulenge Diocese (today Rulenge-Ngara Diocese) who were facing a flood of refugees from neighboring Rwanda and Burundi who were fleeing their countries’ civil wars.
The Franciscan Sisters of St. Bernadette were formed in 1958 under the leadership of Bishop Alfred Lanctot from Canada, who belonged to the White Fathers. The bishop put the community under the care of the Sisters of Queen of Angels from Canada who guided them through religious formation until the 1970s, when the community secured native formation directors.
The bishop founded the community to live the Franciscan spirit, which is to love and accept all God’s creatures as gifts. As it was for St. Francis of Assisi, the sisters strive to bring Franciscan happiness to marginalized people. The sisters provide pastoral and social services such as taking care of orphans, the sick in hospitals and those with HIV/AIDS; assisting refugees; empowering women; teaching children; and caring for the disabled.
Poverty and the location of the sisters’ community have challenged their mission. They serve people living on less than $1 a day. They depend mostly on subsistence agriculture, and that relies on rainfall. The rainfall, however, is unreliable, leading to drought that can result in severe famine.
Also, Tanzania borders Rwanda and Burundi, countries that have experienced civil wars that led to floods of refugees and an increase in orphans in the area. The Franciscan Sisters of St. Bernadette have cared for these people by providing food, clothing, shelter and medical aid.
The sisters cannot accomplish their mission without your support. Impelled by St. Francis who believed in God’s providence and lived Jesus’ words of seeing people as brothers and sisters, the Franciscan Sisters of St. Bernadette believe in that, too. They hope that you will be a part of their mission through your support.