Towards the Beatification of Sister Irene Stefani – NYAATHA (The Merciful One)

By Charles Muchiri

During the pre-independence era in Kenya, most locals (a huge number of them illiterate) could hardly pronounce European names correctly. So, they would coin the names, mostly of the many Italian missionaries, at the convenience of their tongues.

Say for example; The Agikuyu of Central Kenya could gladly call Father Cammisasius - 'Batha Kamithathi'; Sister Agnes would be called 'Thithita Anyethi', and so on and so forth.

But enter Sister Irene Stefani, and the locals around Gikondi Catholic Parish at the Archdiocese of Nyeri, just had to search for a brand new name for the young woman, whom according to them was so full of mercy.

They called her NYATHA – Loosely translating to the Merciful one! And that name stuck, all the way to her death, at a tender age of 39. To them, Nyaatha became one of their own.

 

Sister Irene was born at Anfo (Brescia, Italy) in 1891. She was baptized with the name Mercedes.

She joined the Consolata Sisters in Turin, Italy in 1911 and went to Kenya in 1915. While in Kenya, she gave herself whole heartedly to the work of God, until her death at the age of 39 during an epidemic.

She met all the difficulties of life with a cheerful heart and moral strength. The memory of her zeal, obedience, humility, deeply rooted on prayer and faith, is still very much alive to these present days.

During the first World War that happened in 1915- 1918, Sister Irene worked as a Red Cross Nurse among thousands of wounded and sick men of the Carrier Corp.

These men were many, poor and hospitals were hurriedly set up in Kenya and Tanzania.

The young sister continuously assisted her patients, who would lie on the bare floor. She would stay with them for as many as sixteen hours a day, lovingly serving them in what the untrained and unkind soldier nurses would not do.

Sister Irene always displayed a motherly care for the sick and the dying. When every hope of recovery had faded away for them, the Sister would still comfort the dying with the grace of Baptism. In fact, she baptized 3000 Carriers during this time of war.

After the war, Sister Irene stayed at the Nyeri Consolata Convent for one year, training young sisters of the newly established congregation of Mary Immaculate Sisters.

In 1920, she was appointed to Gikondi Mission. While she was here, she portrayed the spirit of a true Missionary sister by consistently forgetting herself to help the others.

She taught the youth, footed for miles to visit the people in their villages with a dedicated zeal to care for the sick and the needy.

Being well aware that the Salvation of Jesus Christ is meant for everybody, Sister Irene comforted and evangelized everybody she met, in spite of the many difficulties that she had to face; like poverty, famine, dangers, tiredness, misunderstandings and ultimately, a plague that took away her life.

Her few photos, project the image of a sister with a smiling face and a serenity that simply can not be told in any words.

The Agikuyu people living within the jurisdictions of Gikondi Parish at the time, and who knew her closely, described Sister Irene as “the great and joyful preacher of the Gospel.” Hence the name, ‘NYATHA’ the Merciful one, thus summarizing her style as a missionary sister.

In October 1930, a deadly plague epidemic came knocking on the doors of Gikondi. On that occasion, inspired by her characteristic zeal; which had carried her all along, Sister Irene offered to treat a sick person from a little location known as Gathiriti in Gikondi, who was suffering from the plague.

She knew that the plague was highly infectious and fatal upon contact with those infected. By extension, her decision to get into contact with someone who was down with the plague was an act of sacrifice: A sacrifice of her own life to God for the good of mankind. God accepted this sacrifice. She died a few days later, on October 31, 1930.

Sister Irene Stefani (Nyaatha) is now all set for Beatification in the nearest future, and therefore placing Gikondi Parish of the Archdiocese of Nyeri, on the World map.

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