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History and Heritage

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History of our Province of Our Lady of Peace

A short history of our Province of Our Lady of Peace: Lesotho, South Africa, Zambia (AFM)

At the request of the South African Cardinal Owen McCann, bishop of Cape Town, the first five Salesian Sisters arrived by ship in Cape Town, on the 2nd November 1961. In 1983, a new FMA community was opened in Lesotho. Our presence in Zambia started in 1984 with Project Africa. Today, the 72 sisters in our Province continue to hope, dream, dare and forge ahead with faith, trust and determination to build together the “house that evangelizes” and to carry on being a prophetic, bold and courageous community that does not let itself be robbed of joy and hope. Every year a number of volunteers from different countries help in all our missions and some girls join us for Religious Life.

History of Salesian Sisters in South Africa and Lesotho

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Arrival - 1961
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Arrival - 1961
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Arrival - 1961
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Arrival - 1961
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First Mission - 1961
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Booysens - 1966
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15 Anniversary - 1994
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Belhar - 1996
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Belhar - 1996
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Belhar - 1996
 
 
1961 - Salesian Sisters arrived in Cape Town

Sr. Maria Lord, Sr. Margaret Alting, Sr. Kathleen O’Callaghan, Sr. Mary Hughes and Sr. Maura Hickey arrived by ship, in Cape Town, on the 2nd November 1961 and opened the first Salesian community in Bellville. The sisters moved to Paarl approximately two years after their arrival, and ran a Primary School there up to December 2009.

 
1966 - Second community started in Booysens, Johannesburg

The sisters started a second community in Booysens, opening a Pre-School which grew into a Junior Primary school in 2009. Booysens became our first Provincial Office. In 2010, this community took over the Lerato Crèche, started in 1999 in Jackson’s Drift by Sr. Mary Hughes. Over the years it developed into a Junior Primary School, with social outreach in the surrounding squatter camp and now has about 500 children. Unfortunately, it closed down in November 2020, due to reasons beyond our control.

 
1983 - FMA community was opened in Lesotho

In 1983, a new FMA community was opened in Lesotho and in 1984 we were invited to run Saint Boniface High School in Maputsoe, a Salesian Priests’ mission belonging to the diocese Saint Luke’s Mission. In 1990 our sisters opened the Mazzarello Skill Centre for girls in the same premises. South Africa and Lesotho were part of the English and later the Irish Salesian Sisters Province.

 
1988 - Second community started in Kuils River

This community started with Catechetics, Pastoral work, and education of the little ones in Delft, a very impoverished area. Delft mission continues today with the Don Bosco Educare Centre and Don Bosco Skills and Training Centre, but the community moved to Belhar in 1999.

 
1991 - Second house opened in Ennerdale, Johannesburg

The Sisters became involved in the Parish, in the very poor area of Fine Town. In 1994 the Sancta Maria ECD Centre (Early Childhood Development) was started.

 
 
1995 - Province of Our Lady of Peace was established

In 1995, South Africa and Lesotho were detached from Ireland and the new Province of Our Lady of Peace (AFM) was established. The province includes South Africa, Lesotho and Zambia and had 45 sisters, including six Zambian, five South African and two Lesotho Sisters with temporary vows. The rest were Missionary Sisters, mainly from Ireland, England, Holland, Portugal and Italy. Sister Geraldine Reakes was the first Provincial.

 
1996 - Provincial Office established in Walkerville

The Provincial Office in Booysens had limited facilities, and in 1996 the Salesians Priests offered us their property in Walkerville as a Provincial House.

 
1997 - Post of National Co-coordinator of Catechetics established

Sr. Patricia Finn was employed by the Catholic Bishops Conference as National Co-coordinator of Catechetics. She continues to develop programmes and animate leaders and co-coordinators throughout the dioceses of South Africa.

 
2002 - Open Community School started in Fine Town

This school was started for children who could not attend government schools, or had dropped out. In 2011, it was already a full Primary School and it was moved to Extension 6 of Ennerdale, as a joint project with the Salesian Priests (SDB) under Don Bosco Educational Project.

 
2010 - Salesian Sisters take over Malamulele Primary School

In 2008, the Bishop of Tzaneen Diocese in Limpopo Province in northern South Africa, invited us to take over a primary school from the Holy Rosary Sisters in Malamulele. We took over in January 2010.

 
2013 - Provincial Office established in Boksburg

In January 2013 the Sisters left Walkerville and established their own Provincial House in Boksburg.

 

History of Salesian Sisters in Zambia

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New province starts in Lusaka - 1995
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First novices in Lusaka - 1995
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City of Hope, Lusaka - 1995
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City of Hope, Lusaka - 1995
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Religions Profession - 1996
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Kasama - 1996
 
 
1984 - Salesian Sisters start in Zambia

Our presence in Zambia started in 1984 with Project Africa. Zambia was part of the Africa East Province (AFE). The first 5 sisters were Polish and one of the pioneers, Sr. Ryszarda Piejko is still there. Our first Zambian community was in Luwingu, where the Sisters worked in the parish, taught in the secondary school, opened the Mazzarello Skills Centre, and worked with women in surrounding villages. Later, an open community school was started, for children who did not have the opportunity to go to school or who had dropped out. From 2012 the Valponasca Learning Farm is a source of education and development to the many surrounding communities.

 
1986 - Second community opened in Thorn Park, Lusaka

This community served as a regional house and soon became a formation house for aspirants. When Zambia joined the Province of Our Lady of Peace in 1995, this house became the Novitiate before it was moved to South Africa and later to Kenya.

 
1990 - Third community opened in Northern Zambia

The Laura Vicuna Centre was opened in Kasama in Northern Zambia. This house soon became and remains, a formation house for aspirants and postulants. The Sisters are involved in parish pastoral work with youth, supporting women in Katongo Village, Laura Secondary School, and Boarding facilities for 45 girls.

 
1995 - Fourth community started in Lusaka

This community started with a Home for Girls at Risk (GART), named City of Hope, our largest ministry in Zambia. There, we also developed an Open Community School (which is now a full Primary and Secondary School), a Pre-School and a Vocational Skills Training Centre.

 
1996 - New community started in Mansa, Luapula Province

In January, 1996 a new community was started in Mansa, in Luapula Province, where we have now a Pre-School, Primary School and a Skills Training Centre.

 
2008 - Salesian Sisters start City of Joy

In response to a request from the Bishop of Monze, Rev. Emilio Patriarca, who had invited us to take care of Girls at Risk in Mazabuka, we started started City of Joy.

 
2011 - Seventh community opens in Lusaka, Makeni

In 2011, our seventh community opened within the premises of City of Hope: Mornese Spirituality Centre. Here groups of religious people, youth, lay people and others, seek silence, reflection and times of intimacy with God.

May God help us to be evermore impassioned for the proclamation of Jesus to the little ones, to the young people, to the poor, and to those who do not count in society. May Mary, our Mother and Teacher, keep awake in us the passion of the ‘da mihi animas cetera tolle’ of Don Bosco. (give me souls and take all the rest).

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Founding of Salesian Sisters

We were founded in 1872 by by St. John Bosco and St. Mary Mazzarello.

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Our Congregation

We are the largest Congregation of religious women with 11,000 sisters worldwide.

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Global Presence

We have sisters serving in 98 countries across the globe.

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Arrival in Southern Africa

The Salesian Sisters arrived in South Africa in 1961; in Lesotho in 1983 and in Zambia in 1984.

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