Catholic sisters from the Sisters of Emmanuel congregation gathered at the Subiaco Retreat Centre for a communications training organized by the Communications Network for Catholic Sisters (CNCS), aimed at strengthening their capacity to share the mission and impact of religious life in today’s digital age.
The one-day workshop focused on equipping the sisters with practical skills in storytelling, digital communication, and social media engagement, tools increasingly essential for Catholic institutions seeking to reach wider audiences and remain visible in a rapidly evolving media landscape.
The training also served as a follow-up to a communications strategy earlier developed by CNCS for the Sisters of Emmanuel congregation. The strategy is part of CNCS’s broader effort to support Catholic sisters’ congregations across Kenya in establishing communications offices and building strong digital platforms that can effectively communicate their ministries and social impact.
Participants described the training as both eye-opening and empowering, particularly in helping them appreciate the importance of telling their own stories.
“I have been able to learn a lot, especially writing stories and letting the world know what I am doing as a Catholic sister,” Sr. Consolata Gakure said.
Another sister, Sr. Anastasia Ngugi, emphasized that communication involves more than simply speaking or writing, it requires intentionality, responsibility, and awareness of the audience being addressed.
“It has reminded me that whenever I am communicating, I need to know who my audience is, what kind of content I need to deliver, and the impact it has. As a religious person, I should remember that it is not just about me, I represent the whole umbrella of religious in Kenya.”
The growing importance of social media in evangelization and public engagement was also highlighted during the training. Participants noted that digital platforms provide religious congregations with unprecedented opportunities to reach people beyond traditional ministry spaces.
“I love the whole idea of social media platforms, and I feel the platforms help us to communicate,” Sr. Rosemary Ndege shared. “As religious, we should embrace them more. Through social media we can evangelize and reach a large number of people compared to ground activities, and we can also share what religious are doing in our social ministries and even the small things we do in our communities.”
Speaking during the training, CNCS Director Sr. Michelle Njeri expressed appreciation to the congregation’s leadership and the participating sisters for their commitment to strengthening communication within religious life.
“What has been running in my mind throughout the sessions is gratitude to your superior for granting you the permission and support to attend this training,” she said. “When we started this project of helping congregations come up with communication strategies, your superior was receptive, and our training today is the fruit of what we did.”
Sr. Njeri also encouraged the sisters to continue building on the knowledge gained during the session, noting that their congregation could serve as a model for others.
“I desire to see this continue so that we as CNCS can use your congregation as an example,” she said. “We ask for your commitment and cooperation. We want to engage you more so that we build you and grow together.”
As Catholic congregations increasingly recognize the role of effective communication in sharing their mission and engaging the public, initiatives such as the CNCS training highlight a growing effort to ensure that the work of religious sisters remains visible, relevant, and impactful in the digital era.
Thank you Sr Michelle and team for the incredible training on Communication to the Emmanuel Sisters .
God bless CNCS .
We are sincerely grateful to CNCS, through the leadership of Sr. Mitchelle Njeri, for the wonderful and insightful training. We, the Sisters of Emmanuel, are now well equipped to use technology effectively for evangelization.