CENTRAL EASTERN PROVINCEHandmaids of the Holy Child Jesus

Inaugurated on August 26, 1997, to the glory of God.

Heritage

Progression

Central Eastern Province of the Congregation of the Handmaids of the Holy Child Jesus was inaugurated on the 26th day of August, 1997 to the glory of God, at the Maria Assumpta Cathedral, Owerri by the then Superior General, Mother Mary Langley. And mass was officiated by the Archbishop of Owerri, Most Rev. Dr. A.J.V Obinna. The inauguration was preceded by an annual retreat and a two day seminar/workshop which took place at the Seat of Wisdom Seminary, Ulakwo.

At the beginning of the Province, Central Eastern Province consisted of 250 sisters that were spread in 12 Dioceses, (136 finally professed and 36 temporally professed living and working in the Provinces). The remaining 78 sisters were either studying abroad or on mission outside the Province. As at 29th December, 2022, sisters numbered 242 (204 finally professed and 38 temporary professed sisters). At present, there are 32 temporally professed, 221 finally professed, and 62 inactive sisters (old, young, sick).

At their first Provincial Council Meeting which took place from 26th to 28th September 2000, Sr. Celestina Anukam was appointed the Provincial Secretary and Sr. Francisca Opara, the Provincial Bursar while Sr. Irene Agbor was appointed sister in-charge of Temporal Professed.

The first Provincial Chapter took place at Maria Assumpta Pastoral Centre, from August 21st to August 26th 2000. At the end of the, the new provincial team included:
Sister Maria Providentia Igwe - Provincal Superior
Sister Philomena Madu - Provincial Vicar
Sister Bibiana Okoro - First Councilor
Sister Stella Chibuoke - Second Councilor
Sister Margaretta (SH) Isinenyi - Third Councilor

Sr. Magaretta (SH) Isinenyi was not present at the installation as she was on mission in Kenya. She came back to begin her work as a Councilor in January, 2001. After the first council meeting, Sr. Celestina Anukam was retained as a Provincial Secretary while Sr. Francisca Opara was appointed as the Provincial Bursar. Sr. Bernadette Ezenyi became the Liaison General Councilor until after the General Chapter in March, 2002 when Sr. Regina Essiet took over from her as the Liaison General Councilor.

The team had their recollection at Okpuno Retreat Centre from 6th – 8th October, 2000. This recollection was marked with hooding of five postulants on the 7th of October, 2000, on the feast of our Lady of the Holy Rosary.

Pioneer Provincial Council Members

Sister Maria Providentia Igwe

Provincial Superior

Sister Philomena Madu

Provincial Vicar

Sister Viviene Okereke

Councilor

Sister Patricia Osineme

Councilor & Bursar

Committees

Various Committees were formed to help in the smooth running of the Province.

Committee	Chairperson	Councilor In-Charge
Formation	Sr. Philomena Okonkwo	Sr. Philomena Madu
Education	Sr. Roseline Anyanwu	Sr. Philomena Madu
Ceremonial	Sr. Theresa Nwanruo	Sr. Viviene Okereke
Health care/ Delivery	Sr. Gertrude Iheanacho	Sr. Viviene Okereke
Finance/Fund Raising	Sr. Victoria Anyaechie	Sr. Patricia Osineme
Project	Sr. Stella Nworji	Sr. Domina Okere
Editorial Board	Sr. Theresa Nwanuro (Editor)	-

Additional Committees

Later on in years, two other committees were formed to address evolving needs:

Heritage Committee
Justice & Peace Committee

Zones

Communities in the Province were initially grouped into three zones: Okigwe, Owerri, and Awka.

By the end of 2003, Ahiara, Port Harcourt, and Abakaliki zones were added. In 2023, Bomadi and Enugu zones were created for proximity.

Spiritual & Community Life

According to LG 40, our vocation is primarily a call to holiness. The sisters allow the Eucharistic presence of Christ and his word in the sacred scriptures to animate, guide and direct their lives in their quest for holiness.

Sisters of Central Eastern Province appreciate community living and work together to uphold it. They participate actively in community exercises and avail themselves of workshops/seminars organized both at the zonal and provincial levels.

In summary, there is spiritual, physical and structural growth in our communities and there is healthy competition on how to make one’s community better.

Our Apostolates

Education

Teaching, training & preparing pupils and students to meet life's challenges.

Medical

Serving the sick and suffering with love, patience and sympathy in hospitals and clinics.

Social Services

Prison Apostolate, Motherless Babies Homes, and economic empowerment of women.

Pastoral

Serving as Eucharistic ministers, advisers to pious societies, and catechism teachers.

Formation

The Province has a formation team that is responsible for the recruitment of aspirants and candidates into the congregation through the Province. Our formation is very effective; the members screen our candidates, give them orientation before they are posted to communities and monitor their progress when they are on live-in-experience.

The young professed sisters have defined programme they follow through the sister that is in-charge of them. There is ongoing formation for all the sisters in the Province through retreats and seminars. Some of these seminars are organized at zonal and provincial levels.

At the creation of the Province, there was no formation house for the Pre-Novices and so Pre-Novices from all the Provinces were together at Eriam until 15th September, 2001 when a Pre-novitiate was established at Owerri.

Governance Timeline

1997 – 2000

Sr. Providential Igwe - Provincial Superior
Sr. Philomena Madu - Provincial Vicar
Sr. Viviene Okereke - First Councilor
Sr. Domina Okere - Second Councilor
Sr. Patricia Osineme - Third Councilor & Bursar
Sr. Celestina Anukam - Provincial Secretary

2000 – 2003

Sr. Provindentia Igwe - Provincial Superior
Sr. Philomena Madu - Provincial Vicar
Sr. Bibiana Okoro - First Councilor
Sr. Stella Chibuoke - Second Councilor
Sr. Margaretta Isinenyi - Third Councilor
Sr. Celestina Anukam - Provincial Secretary
Sr. Francisca Opara - Provincial Bursar

2003 – 2006

Sr. Marth Kalu - Provincial Superior
Sr. Stella Chibuoke - Provincial Vicar
Sr. Stella Maris Nworji - First Councilor
Sr. Ann Obiora - Second Councilor
Sr. Patricia Madufor - Third Councilor
Sr. Rosemary Edom - Provincial Secretary
Sr. Virginia Obike - Provincial Bursar

2006 – 2009

Sr. Justina Obiajunwa - Provincial Superior
Sr. Caroline Muo - Provincial Vicar
Sr. Patricia Madufor - First Councilor
Sr. Eunice Okafor - Second Councilor
Sr. Domina Okere - Third Councilor
Sr. Rosemary Edom - Provincial Secretary
Sr. Virginia Obike - Provincial Bursar

2009 – 2013

Sr. Philomena Madu - Provincial Superior
Sr. Caroline Muo - Provincial Vicar
Sr. Eunice Okafor - First Councilor
Sr. Mary Okwuosa - Second Councilor
Sr. Brigid Kpeden - Third Councilor
Sr. Fidelia Osonwa - Provincial Secretary
Sr. Priscilla Ogbonna - Provincial Bursar

2013 – 2016

Sr. Philomena Madu - Provincial Superior
Sr. Mary Okwunosa - Provincial Vicar
Sr. Brigid Kpeden - First Councilor
Sr. Florence Ugochukwu - Second Councilor
Sr. Eucharia Ekpo - Third Councilor
Sr. Fidelia Osonwa - Provincial Secretary
Sr. Mary Uzoma - Provincial Bursar

2016 – 2019

Sr. Eunice Okafor - Provincial Superior
Sr. Stella Maris Nworji - Provincial Vicar
Sr. Virginia Obike - First Councilor
Sr. Clarice Orji - Second Councilor
Sr. Fidelia Osonwa - Third Councilor
Sr. Geraldine Emegw - Provincial Secretary
Sr. Mary Uzoma - Provincial Bursar

2019 – 2022

Sr. Eunice Okafor - Provincial Superior
Sr. Stella Maris Nworji - Provincial Vicar
Sr. Virgina Obike - First Councilor
Sr. Clarice Orji - Second Councilor
Sr. Fidelia Osonwa - Third Councilor
Sr. Geraldine Emenyeonu - Provincial Secretary
Sr. Mary Uzoma - Provincial Bursar

It was a great shock for the Province when one of the councilors, Sr. Virginia Obike died in a ghastly motor accident on 12th April, 2001. At the end of the 11th General Chapter, Sr. Fidelia Osonwa, a serving Councilor was appointed the Secretary General of the Congregation.

New Foundations

HHCJ Convent Aladinma, Owerri

27th February, 2005

HHCJ Convent, Alor Anambra

20th September, 2021

HHCJ Pre-Novitiate, Owerri

15th September, 2001

HHCJ Convent Iyiowaidaekpe, Anambra

September, 1999

HHCJ Convent Amansea, Anambra

7th October, 2007

HHCJ Convent, AKOKWA

11th November, 1997

HHCJ Convent, Neni

6th September, 1997

HHCJ Convent Igwuruta, River State

30th September, 2013

HHCJ Convent Bomadi, Balyelsa

12th February, 2013

HHCJ Convent Immiringi, Bayelsa

2011

HHCJ Convent, Independent Layout

28th April, 2009

HHCJ Ancilla Medical Center

March, 2002

HHCJ Convent Immiringi Annex, Bayelsa

Unknown

HHCJ Convent Oroigwe, River

17th December, 2017

HHCJ Convent Amarata, Bayelsa

15th September, 2019

HHCJ Convent Udo, Mbaise, Imo

14th September, 2023

Projects Established After Provincialization

HHCJ Assumpta Girls’ Model Sec. School, Prefab Aladinma, Owerri
Handmaids Girls’ Secondary School, Area G, Owerri
Handmaids N/P. School, Isiochi
Handmaids N/P. School, Azuiyiokwu
Ancilla N/P. School, Nunya
Ancilla Home, Emekuku
Handmaids, N/P Sch., Obube
Handmaids Schools for the Sighted & Visually Impaired, Igwurita
Handmaids Day Care, N/P. School, Independence L/out, Enugu
Bread Factory, Provincialate, Ogidi
Altar Bread factory, Pre-Novitiate, Owerri
Handmaids Inclusive N/P. and Secondary, Amaechi, Ezzamgbo
Ancilla Bookshop, Awka
Ancilla Ventures, Ogidi
Handmaids Montessori N/P. School, Ogidi

Diocesan Projects Managed by the Province

Holy Spirit N/P School, Omagba
Holy Child N/P School, Fegge
St. Mary’s N/P School, Alor
St. John’s N/P. School, Neni
Holy Innocent N/P. School, Umuchukwu
St. Paul’s N/P. School, Eke
St. Rose’s N/P school, Ihitte, Mbaise
St. Barnabas Jubilee N/P. School, Akokwa
St. Brendan Secondary School, Bomadi
St. kizito N/P. and Secondary, Immiringi Annex
CKC Hospital, Immiringi
St. John N/P. School, Port Harcourt
Fatima N/P. School, Borokiri, Port Harcourt
St. Matthias Catholic Group of Schools, Amarata, Yanegua
All saints Model N/P. School, Udo, Mbaise
Lucius Memorial Secondary School, Udo, Mbaise

Since the creation of the Province, a number of sisters were dismissed and some have been called to eternity.

We thank God for the creation of the Province which has brought a lot progress and development to the Congregation. We thank all the past and present Superior Generals and Councils, and present Provincial Superiors and their Councils and all those who have contributed to growth of the Province; the Bishops, Benefactors, Benefactresses, Affiliates, Philanthropies and members of our Families.

Despite all the progress and achievement made, there were some challenges encountered but by the special grace of God, we are able to scale through to the glory of God.