DAUGHTERS OF OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL HELP

Historical Background

The Daughters of Our Lady of Perpetual Help (in Swahili, Mabinti wa Bikira Maria Mama wa Msaada wa Daima – BMMMD) was founded on March 5, 1978 by Bishop Emeritus Nestor Timanywa, by then, the Bishop of Bukoba Catholic Diocese. The official declaration of the starting of the Institute of Our Lady of Perpetual Help was given by His Lordship Bishop Nestor Timanywa in 1990 when the first group of Postulants became Novices.
To date, the Association has sixty one (61) professed members including two deceased sisters, 3 novices (2nd Year), seventeen postulants (7 in the first year and 10 the second year) and eleven (11) aspirants. Among the 61 professed members, including the deceased; 40 Sisters have already done their perpetual profession of vows, while 21 Sisters have temporal vows.

Name of the Association

The Daughters of Our Lady of Perpetual Help (in Swahili, Mabinti wa Bikira Maria Mama wa Msaada wa Daima – BMMMD)

Charism of the Association

The Charism of the Daughters of Our Lady of Perpetual Help is Service to the Needy.

The Spirit of the Association

The Daughters of Our Lady of Perpetual Help seek to imitate Christ the Compassionate inspired by the Spirit of St. Francis of Assisi.

Apostolate

The call to religious life entails a mission. The Daughters of Our Lady of Perpetual Help are actively engaged in different areas of apostolate in the local church. Their apostolate include taking care of the aged clergy; offering spiritual and pastoral service to the needy in society: the orphans, the handicapped, and the aged; offering health care and professional medical service to the sick in homes hospitals, clinics, dispensaries as well as offering other services in various ecclesiastical institutions.

Formation

The association receives to the formation interested young girls who have at least successfully completed Form Four or any equivalent level of education. The whole formation takes five years: one year as aspirant, two years as postulant and other two years in the Novitiate.