The Church’s work in many countries is being supported by more advanced means of communication, digital channels and social media, especially among younger generations. A notable example is the Communications Network of Catholic Sisters in Kenya.
Today, the Catholic Church of Kenya represents an established presence in Africa, having experienced uninterrupted growth in terms of both numerical expansion and pastoral activity. The 30 ecclesiastical districts (four archdioceses and 26 dioceses) that comprise the Church of Kenya are home to over 13 million Catholics, accounting for 25% of the country’s population of over 40 million.
This Church has made significant progress toward achieving complete self-sufficiency in ministry, economics, and missionary outreach. At the same time, it has seen its influence on Kenyan society at large grow significantly, with an important impact on public opinion, civil society, and the government.
The official voice of the Church, led today by over 30 bishops, plays a vital role in addressing the challenges of the present time, not shying away from intervening to denounce situations of injustice and oppressive policies by civil authorities.
An important service in the country’s ecclesial media sector has been promoted by the Association of Sisters of Kenya (AOSK), an organisation comprising 175 of the country’s 210 congregations, divided into diocesan units and sub-units to facilitate better operations.
Among the most recent initiatives organized by AOSK in the media sector, a conference held in the Archdiocese of Nairobi at the end of August is noteworthy. This conference, organized by the Communication Network of Catholic Sisters of Kenya (CNCS), was held at AOSK Chemichemi ya Uzima College, where a five-year strategic development plan (2025-2030) was drawn up.
Among those speaking at the plan’s launch was Father Andrew Kaufa, Kenyan coordinator of the Department of Social Communications of the Association of Eastern African Bishops’ Conferences (AMECEA): “Content creators today must encourage people to tell their stories in new ways; this is the path we must take in the digital age,” Father Kaufa observed, addressing a group of nuns from various institutes of consecrated life and societies of apostolic life who are members of AOSK.
“It is important”, he added, “to pay attention to the experiences of ordinary people and not to focus solely on relevant and prominent figures in the Church. Therefore, let ordinary people tell their stories, and commit yourselves not so much to telling stories yourselves, but rather to encouraging those who have had powerful personal experiences to tell them. Stories in which they may have found hope through the closeness and solidarity of consecrated women who have shared their experiences.”
AOSK launched the Communications Network of Catholic Sisters of Kenya (CNCS) in June 2024. A group of nuns from various institutes of consecrated life and societies of apostolic life, members of AOSK, participated in the network. The primary goal of the CNCS network, and of all the sisters involved, is to continue to give media visibility to the services of Catholic nuns in the country and beyond, making their voices heard as widely as possible.
The network primarily serves as a platform for evangelisation, advocacy, the defence of fundamental rights, and social transformation. After establishing its administrative centre in Nairobi, the CNCS leaders appointed a specialised consultant to oversee and facilitate the development of the five-year strategic plan.
Sister Michelle Njeri, of the Institute of the Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Conception (OSF) and director of the CNCS, stated, among other things: “We need to diversify our funding by creating media services that generate income for those who request them: communications consulting, web design, graphics, photography, video, and social media management for religious congregations and other organisations.”
The introduction to the document describing the strategic plan states: “As a newly established entity, the CNCS recognised the importance of establishing a clear direction, based on realistic goals and informed priorities, to effectively carry out its mission of serving Catholic nuns throughout Kenya.”
Given the awareness of the increasingly widespread and, in many cases, dangerous and negative influence of digital media, social media, and artificial intelligence, it is urgent, as the CNCS seeks to do, to raise awareness and train people in the use of these technological platforms.
“For our part”, observed Sister Michelle, a former student of the Institute of Social Communication (ISC) at the University of Tangaza, “we will continue to cover stories of social interest in different parts of the country, especially in marginalised areas, and we will continue to strengthen our presence on social media, using them for evangelisation and advocacy.” (Open Photo: Courtesy CNCS) – (G.C.)
