Obituary Notice
Sister Marie Stanislaus
Sister Camilla Nchapi
entered Eternal Life on December 22, 2009
at age 64 years
in religious life 44 years
+ 3234
Sister Marie Stanislaus, the beloved daughter of Mr. Valentinus Paramente Sooso Libe Nchapi and Mrs Micellina ‘Mamosothoane Nchapi, was born on the 24th November, 1945 at Nokong in the District of Berea. The eldest daughter of ten girls and three boys, she was raised in a family of deep faith.
Camilla attended Primary School at Immaculate Conception Mission (Liphookoaneng), and at that time her parents used to take her to Saint Rose Mission for the Profession feast of the Sisters of the Holy Names. She loved to attend those feasts and consequently she felt a call to the religious life. Thereafter, she asked her parents for permission to join the Congregation of the Holy Names in 1959. Unfortunately at the end of that year Camilla became very sick and asked Mother Provincial (of the Holy Names Sisters) to allow her to return home. That was in early 60s. From that time on, she attended treatment at Hlotse Government Hospital regularly. Her father realized it was very tiring for her fragile daughter, since the Hospital was very far from home. So he asked the Grey Nuns Sisters who were stationed at Mount Royal to accommodate her daughter. She was welcomed by the late Sisters Blandina Maria and Rosa Maria who gave her love and motherly care by forcing her to drink skim milk which helped her a lot. They were always next to her to ensure that she was taking her medication accordingly.
It was at that time when Camilla felt the profound love for the Sisters and wanted to become one of the Grey Nuns of the Cross. Therefore, she told Mother Superior, the late Sister Marie Agnes, together with the Sisters, about her vocation. The arrangements were made for her to join the Grey Nun Sisters. In 1962 she went to Our Lady of Pontmain where she continued with her studies. She was admitted to postulancy in 1963. Camilla was very much dedicated in her religious life, she learned very hard about the life of the Grey Nuns of the Cross, and always wanted to follow the footsteps of the foundresses Saint Marguerite d’Youville and Mother Bruyère by living fully the compassionate love of service and education. All this was revealed in her dedication to her prayer life.
Camilla made her first profession in 1965 and was named Sister Marie Stanislaus. She was assigned to teach at 'M'a Mohau Primary School. She worked there for a year; the following year, 1966, she was sent to the then St. Mary’s Training College to train as a Primary School teacher (LPTC) which was Lesotho Primary Teacher’s Course for three years. Towards the end that year, 1968, Sister Marie Stanislaus was sent to Saint Paul Primary School where she worked as Principal and in 1970 she was called back to Our Lady of Pontmain Primary where she also continued teaching. In 1971, Sister Marie Stanislaus did her Doctrinal year and the following year, she pronounced her final vows. She was appointed Principal at Kindergarten, now called Guardian Angel School until 1974 when the government of Lesotho, through the ministry of Education, sent her to Israel for the Pre-School education for six months.
In 1975 Sister Stani (as she was called) returned home and was sent to Marguerite D’Youville Residence, Maseru, she was one of the foundresses of Saint Bernadette Nursery School where she spent eleven years. In the meantime she became a part time student at the National University of Lesotho. She obtained a Bachelor of Educa-tion in 1986. In 1988 she was sent to Guardian Angel School where she continued teaching.
In 1992 she received a transfer to Hlotse (Divine Providence Provin-cial House), where she was assigned Provincial Bursar. She worked very hard for the economical growth of the Congregation, by tra-velling from convent to convent teaching local Superiors the proper way of financial recording. It was through her influence that the Congregation started to have some small projects of income activities such as agriculture production units.
In July 1995 Sister Stani was sent back to teaching at Mount Royal High School. At this time, Newport University, in Johannesburg in the Republic of South Africa, offered courses in Maseru, during school holidays, so Sister Stani was given permission to do her second degree from 1996 to 2000 as part time student. She received her certificate on 10th November 2000. On February 2001 Camilla was assigned to Saint Joseph Convent to pursue teaching at Mount Royal High School until 2005.
In order to respond to the call of the Church Sister Marie Stanislaus worked with the Lesotho Catholic Bishop’s Conference (LCBC) which requested a nun who could work in the Department of Religious Education, at the Catholic Schools Secretariat Maseru. Sister Stani was a qualified person available for the job at the time, she was appointed to the Catechetic office in 2005. She worked with determination in solidarity with the teachers of different schools in Lesotho. She travelled through the various catholic schools in the rural and urban areas, training and introducing new syllabus of catechism to the teachers.
Sister Stani was a very brave and noble person; she had a profound love for her Country, to prove that she joined the different teachers’ unions/ associations in order to fight for the teachers’ rights, as well as of the Catholic Schools from being taken by the government but rather to remain the Church property. Sister Stani was very passionate and protected the Catholic Church doctrine. She wanted everything to be done accordingly. She and her colleagues used to rebuke the new systems brought by the government which suppressed the Church schools, in order to introduce common religious education which entails various beliefs to be taught in every school. Sister Marie Stanislaus and her colleagues fought and protested for the Catholic schools to continue practicing their own curriculum.
Sister Marie Stanislaus was always neat; she dressed well and inspired many young girls to join our congregation. She also used to encourage the Sisters to wear a habit appropriately. She hated to see a habit being mingled with other colours. Sister Stani was also very much innovative as she could compose nice poems in most congregational special events.
Sr Stani was also in charge of the ACSCO in the Southern Region. She attended several meetings with other Sisters in charge of the Associates, as well as with the Associates themselves. She liked to join them in prayer pilgrimages in many special occasions. Sr Marie Stanislaus was a prayerful person who was always present for both common and private prayers. She was in the prayer committee of the Congregation leading prayer sessions in different occasions. She was always present in many prayer pilgrimages of the Church and within the Congregation. This seems to be what she inherited from her family because her father was always leading prayer processions on the feast day of our Lady of Fatima, at Our Lady of Pontmain Parish.
Sister Marie Stanislaus, had been appointed provincial Councillor and Secretary, begin her mandate in January 2010. The Lord took her away from us on December 22, 2009; she was 64 years of age of which 44 had been generously given to her consecrated life.
As the Congregation of the Sister of Charity, we will always keep her in our prayers.
