By Sr. Maureen Kamau -Sisters of Emmanuel (SE)
From the quiet countryside to the convent, and now into active mission, the journey of a young religious sister is often filled with questions, sacrifice, and grace. In a world where many young people are searching for identity and purpose, some hear a different call, one that leads them to a life of service, prayer, and love.
In this interview, Sr. Maureen Kamau shares her experience of discovering her vocation as a young woman, the challenges of formation, and what it means to live as a Gen Z religious sister today. Her story is one of courage, surrender, and the deep conviction that true fulfillment is found in belonging completely to God.
Q: When did you first sense your calling?
A: “Five years ago, I began a journey I didn’t fully understand. Deep within me was a longing, a thirst that neither friends nor family could quite comprehend. Unknown to them, I had already fallen in love with the Invisible, the Divine.”
Q: What was your background before joining the congregation?
A: “I was raised in a simple countryside where little seemed extraordinary, but the light of Emmanuel reached me as an ordinary village girl. Drawn by curiosity and love, I followed that light, hoping it would lead me to my calling, and it did.”
Q: How did your family react when you entered the convent?
A: “I still remember the day I stepped into the convent with my parents. Excitement filled my heart, but watching my parents leave pierced me with sorrow. In that moment, I understood a boundary had been drawn between me and the world.”
Q: What was the formation like?
A: “Formation was not easy. It was a process of being trimmed, moulded, broken, and reshaped. The first two years were full of struggle; my expectations, fears, ambitions, and desires clashed with the reality of a disciplined, structured life. Letting go of my past was painful; both internal and external battles tested me deeply.
“But through prayer, discernment, and accompaniment, something began to change. Slowly, I found peace. I began to belong.”
Q: What deepened your vocation during novitiate?
A: “Novitiate opened my eyes to the depth of my vocation. Silence, contemplation, a 30-day guided retreat, experiences in hospitals, schools, and community life all deepened my relationship with Emmanuel. I came to understand the cost of discipleship is love expressed through sacrifice, humility, honesty, and detachment.”
Q: How did religious profession change you?
A: “The day I stood at the altar for my religious profession was the day my life truly changed. Consecrated to God, I embraced poverty, chastity, and obedience not as burdens but as a priceless gift, a treasure given by God Himself.”
Q: What is life like now as a Gen Z sister?
A: “Now, two months into active mission, I serve in a Catholic bookshop in Murang’a town. Along the streets, whispers follow me: ‘She is too young to be there.’ In the eyes of the world, I may seem to have nothing, but I carry a conviction: I have everything, because I belong to the One who is everything.”
Q: What is your mission in simple terms?
A: “To share love, to be compassionate, to serve, to witness. One day, at a bus station, a group of teenagers called out to me playfully, “Hello, Sr Gen Z!” I walked up to them, smiled, and looked each one in the eye. We all laughed not because of a joke, but because of something deeper: a shared moment of humanity, of connection, of love. That is my mission.
Parting shot
“I love what I do. Anything done out of love pleases the Heart of Emmanuel. I am an Emmanuel Sister; it is God, Emmanuel, who gives the truest identity of all.”
Thanks Sr. Maureen for sharing your beautiful journey of faith and your encounter with Jesus Emmanuel.
May God accompany you in your mission.
To Godwho calls even before we know Him be the Glory 🙏
Proud of you Sr Maurine
Very encouraging
My prayer is that may Lord guide you in this noble vocation
I thank God for you Maureen. May God strengthen you in your call and mission
It’s such a beautiful thing watching someone grow into their calling 💕
I met Maureen ( now sister Maureen)a couple of years ago during a church program, long before this journey began. Seeing her now as a religious sister, living with such conviction, peace, n purpose,it honestly fills me with so much pride.
Not many people have the courage to choose a path of sacrifice n l love in a world that pulls in so many other directions. But she did, n she’s become such a beautiful example of what it means to truly belong to something greater than yourself.
I’m so proud of you, Sr. Maureen AKA the Gen Z sister doing it with grace, strength, n love. Keep shining ✨
It’s such a beautiful thing watching someone grow into their calling 💕
I met Maureen ( now sister Maureen)a couple of years ago during a church program, long before this journey began. Seeing her now as a religious sister, living with such conviction, peace, n purpose,it honestly fills me with so much pride.
Not many people have the courage to choose a path of sacrifice n l love in a world that pulls in so many other directions. But she did, n she’s become such a beautiful example of what it means to truly belong to something greater than yourself.
I’m so proud of you, Sr. Maureen AKA the Gen Z sister doing it with grace, strength, n love. Keep shining ✨
It’s such a beautiful thing watching someone grow into their calling 💕
I met Maureen ( now sister Maureen)a couple of years ago during a church program, long before this journey began. Seeing her now as a religious sister, living with such conviction, peace, n purpose,it honestly fills me with so much pride.
Not many people have the courage to choose a path of sacrifice n l love in a world that pulls in so many other directions. But she did, n she’s become such a beautiful example of what it means to truly belong to something greater than yourself.
I’m so proud of you, Sr. Maureen AKA the Gen Z sister doing it with grace, strength, n love. Keep shining ✨
It’s such a beautiful thing watching someone grow into their calling 💕
I met Maureen ( now sister Maureen)a couple of years ago during a church program, long before this journey began. Seeing her now as a religious sister, living with such conviction, peace, n purpose,it honestly fills me with so much pride.
Not many people have the courage to choose a path of sacrifice n l love in a world that pulls in so many other directions. But she did, n she’s become such a beautiful example of what it means to truly belong to something greater than yourself.
I’m so proud of you, Sr. Maureen AKA the Gen Z sister doing it with grace, strength, n love. Keep shining ✨
Great story about your encounter with Jesus Emmanuel. May God accompany you as you manifest the Compassionate love of the Sacred Heart
It’s such a beautiful thing watching someone grow into their calling 🤍I met Maureen ( now Sr. Maureen)a couple of years ago during a church program, long before this journey began. Seeing her now as a religious sister, living with such conviction, peace, n purpose,it honestly fills me with so much pride.Not many people have the courage to choose a path of sacrifice n love in a world that pulls in so many other directions. But she did, she’s become such a beautiful example of what it means to truly belong to something greater than yourself. I’m so proud of you, Sr. Maureen AKA the Gen Z sister doing it with grace, strength, and love. Keep shining ✨
It’s such a beautiful thing watching someone grow into their calling 🤍I met Maureen ( now Sr. Maureen)a couple of years ago during a church program, long before this journey began. Seeing her now as a religious sister, living with such conviction, peace, n purpose,it honestly fills me with so much pride.Not many people have the courage to choose a path of sacrifice n love in a world that pulls in so many other directions. But she did, she’s become such a beautiful example of what it means to truly belong to something greater than yourself. I’m so proud of you, Sr. Maureen AKA the Gen Z sister doing it with grace, strength, and love. Keep shining ✨
Very creative very demure
Congratulation sister. Keep the fire of love, service, compassion and witness burning till more heart and souls are converted.
Am so proud of you sis
A nice piece, may God continue to work in you.