Ministries

“Education- the only education worthy of the name – means the formation of the mind, will and character in such a way as to fit our pupils for the Christian life in this world and the next.

Education takes in the whole compass of human life – emotional, spiritual, intellectual, moral, individual, domestic and social in order to elevate, regulate and perfect it. The best educators are those who have a twofold love- love of knowledge and love of children. They aim at teaching love of beauty and goodness and forming of character by example rather than by precept.

 The sisters have come in answer to the call by the Divine Teacher to work for your girls, to teach them the highest ideals of womanhood the exalted vocation of a woman as a home builder, the dignity of work in the home and the responsibility of women as shapers of the nation’s destiny both in time and in eternity.”

(Extract from address of Mother M. Columbanus Greene, Superior General of the Sisters of St Louis at the opening of St Louis Secondary School, Ondo).

Education: Education was the major apostolate of the sisters in the early years, but here in Nigeria, the education of girls was still looked at askance. It required much courage and trust in the Lord for the future. Though the main focus of the Catholic Church at the invitation of the sisters was education of girls, the needs subsequently extended to medical and social apostolates as well. Sisters had to train as Nurses and Midwives in order to meet the arising needs of caring for children and pregnant women especially in rural areas.

Health: The sisters are involved in the running and staffing of hospitals. There is a school of midwifery in Zonkwa and in later since the 1980s the sisters have set up and are involved in Primary Health Care in many rural areas.

Louis Bautain Farms: The sisters started a farm in 1986 in Ewulu, Delta State. This arose from a need in the Province to have an income-generating project. It took years of toil and hard work but it is a well-grounded project

• Presently, there are about 2000 palms at various stages of development and production
• Piggery with about 350 pigs.
• Pineapple plantation
• Plantain plantation

Women empowerment centre: Sisters are working with various women's groups within Ewulu and its environs, empowering and improving their standard and quality of life. They are presently in the process of setting up small-scale industries among these groups and also developing their potential through training and workshops. A water project is in place where purified water is packaged and sold.

Vocational Training Centres: These were set up in response to the need to cater for young girls who have dropped out of school or are not able to cope with academic work in school.

Social Work:  Sisters have been involved in Social work at the Samaritan Project in Lagos, Ile-Aanu (Home of Mercy) in Ondo and Ile- Alafia (Home of Peace) in Ibadan where they attend to the sick, the poor and the destitute.

Pastoral Work: All the sisters are involved in the life of the local Church, animating women and youth groups in the church, teaching catechism and preparing various groups for the sacraments.