A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE “SISTERS OF

THE ASSUMPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN

MARY OF NAIROBI."

The History refers to how the A.S.N.

Institute came into being. Its
Founder, Foundation, vision,
spirituality, development,
challenges and how all this is
actualized. The Institute is
commonly known as:
“THE ASSUMPTION SISTERS OF
NAIROBI”.(A.S.N.)

The Official Name of the Institute is:

“SISTERS OF THE ASSUMPTION OF THE
BLESSED VIRGIN MARY OF NAIROBI."
The Archdiocese of Nairobi is The
Principle Seat where the A.S.N . Started or
Founded.
The Institute was named as "The Sisters of the
Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Nairobi ” in
honor of our Mother Mary, whose Dogma of being
Assumed into heaven body and Soul had been
proclaimed by Pope Pius XII in November 1950.

GOD IS THE ORIGIN OF ALL MANKIND

In the A.S.N. History, we learn and believe that it’s
Foundation was God’s intervention. Therefore, the
Origin of the Institute is attributed to God. The
Founding of the Assumption Sisters of Nairobi
Congregation was an inspiration from God to The
Archbishop John Joseph McCarthy.
 ARCHBISHOP JOHN JOSEPH McCARTHY
THE FOUNDER

His Brief History:

• John Joseph McCarthy was born in Miltown Malbay,
Ireland in April 27th 1896.
• He studied and graduated at the University College of
Dublin.
• After his studies, John Joseph McCarthy joined the
Order of the Holy Spirit (Holy Ghost Fathers) at
Kimage Manor– Dublin, Ireland in 1915.
• On 24th June 1925, He was Ordained a Priest and right
after His Ordination, He was sent for Mission to Central
East Africa, Morogoro Catholic Mission in Tanganyika
(Tanzania), where he started the Missionary work.
 • On 11th July 1946, Fr. J. J. McCarthy was appointed as
Vicar Apostolic of Zanzibar. Originally, Zanzibar
covered the off shore Islands of Zanzibar and Pemba, a
large section of the mainland which included the fast
growing city of Nairobi.

EAST AFRICAN REGION AND INDIAN OCEAN

• In 1953, Diocese of Nairobi became a Metropolitan

Archdioces. (Metropolitan means, International community
Church).
• On 25th March 1953, He was appointed Archbishop of Nairobi by
His Holiness Pope Pius XII.
• In the same year 1953, Archbishop J.J. McCarthy made a
request from Rome to start a Congregation of the
Assumption Sisters of Nairobi, elected as of diocesan rite,
which was to become Pontifical in due time.
• The intention of the Archbishop J. J. McCarthy was to
have an African religious women congregation who would
have profound relationship with Jesus Christ and are
filled with Zeal to give themselves for the service of the
Church under the patronage of Our Lady Queen
Assumed into Heaven.
• In 1955 Archbishop J. J. McCarthy found the
Congregation of the Assumption Sisters of Nairobi. He
hoped that this Religious Women Congregation would
show some compassion to down trodden people. And who
would try to fulfill his desire of helping all people so that
they may have life and have it to the full. (Jn. 10:10).

The new Institute whose Principal Seat is established in

the Archdiocese of Nairobi, was found and created as
of Diocesan Rite on February 2nd 1955.
In 1953, the Assumption Sisters of Nairobi were found and
were under their Founder, Archbishop John Joseph
McCarthy. He was the Father Founder and officially
referred to all that pertained to their life as Religious in his
Archdiocese and the Church.

In the year 1998, the Assumption Sisters of Nairobi was

Officially recognized as a Pontifical Rite Institute, meaning
That all that pertains their life as Religious is referred to
Rome.
A Religious Congregation is known as a Diocesan
because it is under the Ordinary Bishop of the Diocese
Canonical
Pontifical Congregation/Institute is known to be
Canonical because it is under Rome. (Congregation
for Institutes of Consecrated Life and for Societies of
Apostolic Life) (CICLSAL).
THE SPIRIT OF HIS GRACE J.J. McCARTHY

“UT VITUM HABEANT”

THAT THEY MAY HAVE LIFE & HAVE IT TO
THE FULL”. (Jn. 10-10)
As mentioned before, Archbishop John Joseph McCarthy
believed in the dynamic power and resources of African
Religious women who would understand their own people
better and witness the love of God from within the local
church. This was the driving force in starting the
Assumption Sisters of Nairobi. They were expected to live
by this vision of their founder by trying to IMMERSE
among their people and were expected to serve people in
their various needs. For example:-
 CORRABORATORS:
MISSIONARY SISTERS OF OUR LADY OF AFRICA
(MSOLA)
The first Formaters who received the first Aspirants in
1953 were:- Rev. Mother Majjela, (MSOLA) assisted by Rev.
Sr. Luise Charles (MSOLA).
Sr. Louise Charles was one of the early members of the Missionary
Sisters of Our Lady of Africa (MSOLA) community in Holy Family
Convent in 1954–1963. On 29th December, 1954 she came from
Uganda for the training of the aspirants of the new Congregation.

Rev. Mother Winifred (MSOLA)

1st Supeior General &
From 1956 - 1968

Rev. Sister Johan-W.S. was a third member of the MSOLA

Community in ASN Formation House. She took charge of the ASN
Formation House affairs especially making the Aspirants and
Postulants dresses as well as the Religious Habits for Novices and
Professed Sisters. (No Photo)

The Assumption Sisters of Nairobi Logo

The Logo symbolizes Christ’s Paschal Mystery.
>The Cross – Christ’s Love – symbolizing the love of Jesus who died
on the cross for the salvation of all people. Thus the

cross symbolizes Christ’s love to each ASN member.

This love is the reason why Jesus gave his life for
the salvation of the individual sister who is called
to respond to this great gift of love
>Shadow of the cross–Self-Sacrifice- the individual
ASN sister has been drawn to respond to the call
of Jesus Christ and through self-sacrifice she
abandons all in order to enter into a deep
relationship with him. The sister is willing to self-
sacrifice a lot of comforts in order to respond to
mission needs of bringing the good news of
salvation to all people as required by our charism
>An African drum–Service – a drum is a symbol of service calls for
attention in order to communicate important messages to the
community. The drum therefore symbolizes the ASN sister’s
readiness to announce the good news of salvation, and to be
available to offer service to God‘s people unreservedly.
 During the commemoration of 40 years of
congregation’s foundation the leadership of the time looked back to
the great manifestations of God’s love with gratitude. The reflection
inspired a need to enrich the logo further and this was done by some
members. The new logo included a shield with red and blue colors.
This is the logo being used currently.
>A shield – symbol of protection as security. Christ is
our Shield, our protection as we go out to serve the people. It
envelopes the other three symbols – to signify that the ASN is secure
and well protected by Christ as she endeavours to respond to her
Religious vocation and to fight the forces of evil through service in
spreading the good news of salvation
>Red colour – symbol of love of Jesus Christ who gave his life as a
sacrifice.
White: sign of purity and new life that the ASN embraces in
response to the call of religious commitment. Union with Christ
purifies the ASN sister and gives her a new beginning.
>Black: symbol of African identity of ASN.
>Blue: symbolizes ASN Institution color and is also a color
associated with Mary who is the patron of the congregation.