Since the last Quinquennial Report, the communities of the Tertiary Sisters of St. Francis have grown from eight to nine, the youngest being Ntasen. They have a total of 91 sisters, 60 finally professed and 31 in temporal vows who live and work in the Archdiocese of Bamenda.
New developments within the congregation comprise:
Health:
Njinikom hospital: Construction of Project Hope – Centre for HIV/AIDS patients; a new theatre, a new pharmacy; a new physiotherapy department; a new maternity; and a new surgical ward. The hospital has a new Matron, four resident doctors and 235 beds.
Bafut Health Centre; 105 beds and two resident doctors and a new Matron.
Ntasen Hospital: Construction of a new maternity.
SAJOCAH (St. Joseph’s Children and Adults Home) which serves as centre for the handicapped and rehabilitation presently has two 200 beds.
Education:
St. Maria Goretti’s Vocational/Technical College, Njinikom was upgraded to a Comprehensive High School.
Formation:
The Postulancy was moved from Shisong to Bafut.
A new building with 60 beds was constructed at La Verna Spiritual Centre to host renewal courses, meetings, retreats, and rest.
The Congregation held a Provincial Chapter in 2019, all at La Verna Spiritual Centre. For the first time in the history of the congregation, no expatriate was elected to the Provincial Council – the new Provincial Council is made up only of indigenous sisters.
Unfortunately, up till now, there has not been a proper Contract between the Archdiocese of Bamenda and the Tertiary Sisters of St. Francis concerning all the works of the apostolate they are carrying out in the Archdiocese of Bamenda, whether they have been entrusted to them or they are works proper to their Congregation. It is absolutely necessary that this is done as soon as possible according to the regulations of the Code of Canon Law.
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