CSM—The Malawian Way:
Reflections on Developing Community Life
by Mother Miriam, CSM
2007
My third trip to Malawi to see our Sisters at Luwinga felt like a coming home last July. I now have two homes. Like any family member observing growth and change after a long time away (25 months for me this time), I needed a time for reflection to make sense of all the various details that I experienced.
Change at Luwinga has come in three forms: 1) growth in numbers of Sisters, 2) adapting the monastic Rule and customs of the Community into a more intelligible form for Malawian culture, and 3) improvements to the physical plant, thanks to financial help from America and Australia and also from the Sisters’ maturing management skills.
I was delighted to see every bed in the old Convent, including the Guesthouse, taken by Sisters. I had the last one in the Guesthouse with the two postulants, Silvia and Tionge. They laughed to know that I was a “postulant” or more accurately a “postulant mistress.” I am glad to say that they were quiet as church mice during the Great Silence and very prompt in coming to chapel and meals. A good sign for beginners.
Toward the latter part of my visit the Sisters worked diligently together to prepare for the Service and Feast for Sisters Mary Emily and Jane Chifundo making their Junior Promises to follow the Evangelical Counsels. It was understood by everyone in the church community around Mzuzu that it was to be a “small” ceremony and party, just at the Convent, because it was a marking of new responsibilities and not their final life’s oblation at their profession. So we prepared enough food for a hundred people and fitted fifty into their little chapel for the Mass with Bishop Christopher Boyle, Diocesan of Northern Malawi and their Visitor, celebrating. That was real Africa: the first Sisters’ profession had over 400 participants coming from not only all over the Diocese, but also all over the country and even Sisters from another Community in Tanzania. Solidarity is the heart of African culture and survival, and being present at the important rites of passage in a community’s life is both a privilege and a duty. We have much to celebrate as Sisters of St. Mary in Malawi. Our Malawian Sisters represent many tribes and families of the country, but are of one Church and are learning and living every day the meaning of one family of the nations. They work hard to understand and encourage each other when differences arise from different family and regional customs and assumptions.
When I first arrived, I asked Sr. Monica if they had begun using their Chichewa Diurnal yet. No, she said, they prefer to use our English one, and they push themselves to have all the novitiate classes in English and much of their conversation in English. At first I thought that was for my benefit, but I rapidly realized the wisdom in the Community’s decision. All their spiritual reading except the Bible is in English. All their training had been in English, but just as importantly, it formed a common bond among all the Sisters because they all had to work at comprehending English as a second and sometimes third language, rather than the Chichewa-as-a-first-language speakers having the advantage of coasting along while others struggled. This was a good lesson for me to leave such decisions in their capable hands. I in my ignorance of their culture would have continued to encourage them to use Chichewa, and they would have lost their way toward a facet of community life that is very important.
Hospitality is as much valued in African society as in Benedictine spirituality. So it was not surprising to see customs begin to evolve around how to welcome guests and admonitions among the Sisters to be sure that all guests feel welcomed. As St. Benedict says, let all be received as Christ. Daily tea is a good example. Here in America we are very casual and visitors feel more comfortable if we don’t make a lot of fuss and everyone serves themselves from the common tea cart. In Luwinga the conversations and crochet hooks fly just like at tea in Greenwich, but a different Sister is assigned to serve her Sisters and any guests their beverage and snack of choice.
How the Sisters wear their habits and make their own habits is another small indication of the stability of the house. At the beginning they wanted to do everything just like we did in Peekskill. Now they are both proud to continue to wear the habit as we do, but feel free to modify it slightly for their tropical climate and to use the ubiquitous chitenje that all the women of all classes in Malawi wear to protect their clothes while working. To Westerners it makes them very unusual and colorful, but to Malawians it is a sign of solidarity with the other women of the Church. But chitenjes are NEVER worn in chapel. That is their way of showing respect to God, just as American Sisters would never wear an apron to chapel unless we are the sacristan cleaning it.
Having the novitiate at Luwinga is changing customs in the house also. The Sisters know how important stabilitas is for new Sisters. Professed and Junior Sisters are obligated to spend time in meditation and lectio divina each day, but have the latitude to choose the most convenient time during their work day hours. Novices are assigned time to do this so that it becomes a habit for a lifetime. Novices also rarely leave the convent grounds to engrain a sense and appreciation for enclosure as a safeguard to their relationship with God in prayer. In the past the Sisters had the custom of going out to St. Mark’s Church, Mzuzu or Holy Trinity Church, Luwinga for their Sunday Mass. It was more convenient for the clergy, and the Sisters were few. Since the novitiate has come to Luwinga, the Bishop has agreed to send clergy on a rota to the convent for Sunday Mass so that the novices are not distracted by meeting many people on Sunday morning. This is one example of change in Luwinga by going back to monastic custom as they grow in number and maturity.
Lastly, I was impressed with my Sisters’ ability to cope with the routine maintenance issues of the physical plant. It is a real challenge in Africa to keep electrical lights functioning when the city’s power plant constantly runs rolling blackouts. The Sisters have managed to find electricians and plumbers who can repair these things without taking advantage of them. They manage their own funds and account for their expenditures to the penny. They also manage to be generous with the surrounding village with in-kind sharing—maybe some “Malawi roofing iron” (thatch from the fields), or water at the gatehouse or extra vegetables from the garden. In emergencies they are learning how to respond charitably but without creating dependencies and bleeding the convent funds away from their designated purposes. I was pleased to see the well and water system, funded from several parishes and Associates in America, working well and providing a source of clean water sufficient for the whole compound and future growth. This was not an easy task. Their contractor tried two drilling sites before reaching the required depth to maintain water pressure, and the Sisters had to cope with the consequences of thieves stealing and damaging their solar panels powering the water pump. The Sisters’ determination to see the project through in due time succeeded.
These seem to be strong indicators of a stable Community, but that does not mean that life is now easy. I have learned that the best gift we in America can give them is encouragement. The financial boosts are necessary because their country’s economy has essentially collapsed--no one has cash. As the convent matures into a community center, American Sisters, Associates and friends need to give support through prayer and understanding of a life different from America as well as financial generosity. The Sisters’ mission of hospitality and teaching Christian faith, basic farming skills, and caring for orphans in many ways will become a stable foundation to rebuild a greater Christian community around them in the Diocese of Northern Malawi. And it will be done in a way that is understandable and compatible with other Malawian Christians.
Change at Luwinga has come in three forms: 1) growth in numbers of Sisters, 2) adapting the monastic Rule and customs of the Community into a more intelligible form for Malawian culture, and 3) improvements to the physical plant, thanks to financial help from America and Australia and also from the Sisters’ maturing management skills.
I was delighted to see every bed in the old Convent, including the Guesthouse, taken by Sisters. I had the last one in the Guesthouse with the two postulants, Silvia and Tionge. They laughed to know that I was a “postulant” or more accurately a “postulant mistress.” I am glad to say that they were quiet as church mice during the Great Silence and very prompt in coming to chapel and meals. A good sign for beginners.
Toward the latter part of my visit the Sisters worked diligently together to prepare for the Service and Feast for Sisters Mary Emily and Jane Chifundo making their Junior Promises to follow the Evangelical Counsels. It was understood by everyone in the church community around Mzuzu that it was to be a “small” ceremony and party, just at the Convent, because it was a marking of new responsibilities and not their final life’s oblation at their profession. So we prepared enough food for a hundred people and fitted fifty into their little chapel for the Mass with Bishop Christopher Boyle, Diocesan of Northern Malawi and their Visitor, celebrating. That was real Africa: the first Sisters’ profession had over 400 participants coming from not only all over the Diocese, but also all over the country and even Sisters from another Community in Tanzania. Solidarity is the heart of African culture and survival, and being present at the important rites of passage in a community’s life is both a privilege and a duty. We have much to celebrate as Sisters of St. Mary in Malawi. Our Malawian Sisters represent many tribes and families of the country, but are of one Church and are learning and living every day the meaning of one family of the nations. They work hard to understand and encourage each other when differences arise from different family and regional customs and assumptions.
When I first arrived, I asked Sr. Monica if they had begun using their Chichewa Diurnal yet. No, she said, they prefer to use our English one, and they push themselves to have all the novitiate classes in English and much of their conversation in English. At first I thought that was for my benefit, but I rapidly realized the wisdom in the Community’s decision. All their spiritual reading except the Bible is in English. All their training had been in English, but just as importantly, it formed a common bond among all the Sisters because they all had to work at comprehending English as a second and sometimes third language, rather than the Chichewa-as-a-first-language speakers having the advantage of coasting along while others struggled. This was a good lesson for me to leave such decisions in their capable hands. I in my ignorance of their culture would have continued to encourage them to use Chichewa, and they would have lost their way toward a facet of community life that is very important.
Hospitality is as much valued in African society as in Benedictine spirituality. So it was not surprising to see customs begin to evolve around how to welcome guests and admonitions among the Sisters to be sure that all guests feel welcomed. As St. Benedict says, let all be received as Christ. Daily tea is a good example. Here in America we are very casual and visitors feel more comfortable if we don’t make a lot of fuss and everyone serves themselves from the common tea cart. In Luwinga the conversations and crochet hooks fly just like at tea in Greenwich, but a different Sister is assigned to serve her Sisters and any guests their beverage and snack of choice.
How the Sisters wear their habits and make their own habits is another small indication of the stability of the house. At the beginning they wanted to do everything just like we did in Peekskill. Now they are both proud to continue to wear the habit as we do, but feel free to modify it slightly for their tropical climate and to use the ubiquitous chitenje that all the women of all classes in Malawi wear to protect their clothes while working. To Westerners it makes them very unusual and colorful, but to Malawians it is a sign of solidarity with the other women of the Church. But chitenjes are NEVER worn in chapel. That is their way of showing respect to God, just as American Sisters would never wear an apron to chapel unless we are the sacristan cleaning it.
Having the novitiate at Luwinga is changing customs in the house also. The Sisters know how important stabilitas is for new Sisters. Professed and Junior Sisters are obligated to spend time in meditation and lectio divina each day, but have the latitude to choose the most convenient time during their work day hours. Novices are assigned time to do this so that it becomes a habit for a lifetime. Novices also rarely leave the convent grounds to engrain a sense and appreciation for enclosure as a safeguard to their relationship with God in prayer. In the past the Sisters had the custom of going out to St. Mark’s Church, Mzuzu or Holy Trinity Church, Luwinga for their Sunday Mass. It was more convenient for the clergy, and the Sisters were few. Since the novitiate has come to Luwinga, the Bishop has agreed to send clergy on a rota to the convent for Sunday Mass so that the novices are not distracted by meeting many people on Sunday morning. This is one example of change in Luwinga by going back to monastic custom as they grow in number and maturity.
Lastly, I was impressed with my Sisters’ ability to cope with the routine maintenance issues of the physical plant. It is a real challenge in Africa to keep electrical lights functioning when the city’s power plant constantly runs rolling blackouts. The Sisters have managed to find electricians and plumbers who can repair these things without taking advantage of them. They manage their own funds and account for their expenditures to the penny. They also manage to be generous with the surrounding village with in-kind sharing—maybe some “Malawi roofing iron” (thatch from the fields), or water at the gatehouse or extra vegetables from the garden. In emergencies they are learning how to respond charitably but without creating dependencies and bleeding the convent funds away from their designated purposes. I was pleased to see the well and water system, funded from several parishes and Associates in America, working well and providing a source of clean water sufficient for the whole compound and future growth. This was not an easy task. Their contractor tried two drilling sites before reaching the required depth to maintain water pressure, and the Sisters had to cope with the consequences of thieves stealing and damaging their solar panels powering the water pump. The Sisters’ determination to see the project through in due time succeeded.
These seem to be strong indicators of a stable Community, but that does not mean that life is now easy. I have learned that the best gift we in America can give them is encouragement. The financial boosts are necessary because their country’s economy has essentially collapsed--no one has cash. As the convent matures into a community center, American Sisters, Associates and friends need to give support through prayer and understanding of a life different from America as well as financial generosity. The Sisters’ mission of hospitality and teaching Christian faith, basic farming skills, and caring for orphans in many ways will become a stable foundation to rebuild a greater Christian community around them in the Diocese of Northern Malawi. And it will be done in a way that is understandable and compatible with other Malawian Christians.
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