Welcome Maria Hueber, the New Province of the Tertiary Sisters

Launching the new administrative unit, the Maria Hueber province and the final profession of three tertiary sisters of Saint Francis.

The new chapter unfolds in the life and mission of the tertiary sisters of Saint Francis of the Maria Huber province, one of the recently created three provinces from the previous one Cameroon province of the tertiary sisters of Saint Francis.
On May 31st this memorable 2024 the 53-year-old Cameroon Province give birth to triplets: St Francis in Shisong - Kumbo, St Clare Province in Buea and Maria Hueber in the Archdiocese of Bamenda.
The Tertiary Sisters of St. Francis constitute part of consecrated persons in the Church. Though their presence in Cameroon dates back to 1935, precisely in Shisong in the Diocese of Kumbo, the newly created Maria Hueber Province was inaugurated on May 31, 2024. The Congregation that owes its origin to Venerable Maria Hueber in 1700 in Brixen, South Tyrol, Italy, is divided into 6 administrative units called Provinces under one Superior General and a General Council of five. In fact, among the 6 Provinces, three are in Africa, two in Europe and one in Bolivia. Newly created, the temporal seat of the Maria Hueber Province is in Laverna Spiritual Center, Foncha Street, Bamenda. Besides the first TSSF Province created in 1971 with seat in Shisong, another new Province has been created in Kombo—Diocese of Buea.
Irrespective of functioning in Provinces, the Tertiary Sisters of St. Francis remain committed to the same mission, charisma and values of contemplation, humility, Penance and Joy; following the Gospel life through the example of their pillars—St. Francis of Assisi, St. Clare of Assisi and Venerable Maria Hueber. In fact, discovering and carrying out the will of God is our peace!
The Maria Hueber Province, like other Tertiary Sisters of St. Francis, are missioned to be an empowering presence in everything they undertake, upholding the values of integrity and service of the underprivileged. The segments of communities that make up the Maria Hueber Province are in the North West and West Regions of Cameroon, Nigeria and Italy.
The members, who number 112 are engaged in several apostolic services; such as healthcare, education, pastoral and social works and resource management. SAJOCAH Bafut, the rehabilitation Center for persons with physical disabilities, is a treasured place where God’s miracles are experienced as the blind see, the dumb speak and the cripples are made to walk. We are humbled to enhance the healthcare of the huge populations from birth to death in specific communities such as Njinikom, Bafut, Bali, Wum, Fuli-Kom, Baham, Adikpo, Gboko and Takum in Nigeria. The pharmaceutical production unit, being set up in Ntasen is another missionary effort to make medications readily available and affordable to our people. As Venerable Maria Hueber dedicated her life to the care of the young girls, we seek to impact the youth in formal and informal education such as in St. Joseph Comprehensive College, Mambu-Bafut; St. Maria Goretti Comprehensive College, Njinikom; Queen of the Holy Rosary College, Gboko; Centre Ste. Mere Therese and College Polyvalent St. Francois d’Assise both in Bangang. We also reach out to children in the Primary and Secondary Schools in Baham and Gboko. Like St. Francis of Assisi, who prayed and become prayer, we promote a life of contemplation and spaces for divine encounter in Laverna Spiritual Center and in the Pastoral Center in Lafia Diocese, Nigeria. Every work we carry out is mission, but we are more focused on pastoral services in a Parish in the Diocese of Milan and in Baham. Our social services are covered by our NGO called Choose Life Generation whose seat is in Bangang, with other seats in Bafut. The objective of Choose Life Generation is to cater for the underprivileged persons at all levels.
Under the leadership of Sr. Angela Ngube, pioneer Provincial Superior, we invite everyone to gather in St. John the Baptist Church, Ntaghem, Foncha Street Bamenda on August 30 to thank God for this new Province and pray for God’s blessings on its members, mission and on all the people entrusted to us. Standing with Sr. Angela will be other Provincial Councilors—Srs. Anna Kiven, Jethro Nkenglefac, Ignatia Asoh and Gabriela Nene. In attendance will be the Superior General, Sr. Theodosia Baki and General Councilors, the Archbishop of Bamenda, priests, religious, companions, collaborators, family members, friends and the entire corpus of the people of God. The occasion will be marked by final profession of vows by three of our young sisters: Neris Ndi, Gisele Kai Yong and Francisca Kunse.
We wish everyone can be part of the occasion in one way or the other so that by joining hands in thanksgiving for God’s blessings, we may also receive his abundant favours especially justice and peace on our land.