What are the main differences with religious life in Africa?
Bekono: In my experience, the way of life within religious communities is influenced by the broader society in which they’re situated. When I visited our congregation in Canada, for example, I had the sense that it had a somewhat relativized approach to a few traditional aspects of our life, which probably is shaped by the culture. It’s the same in the States. There, for example, you can sometimes find a sister who lives in an apartment. Here, that would be impossible. Togetherness is important – we have to live as a community, we have to be together. That’s given far more value here than what I saw abroad. Habits are another example. Here, when a young sister joins the order, she wants to wear the habit. It’s not the same in the West; if you put on a head covering, for example, they’ll probably tell you to take it off because it’s unnecessary. Here, when I go to the village, in order not to scandalize the faithful I have to dress as a nun. They expect it. Some critics say that sisters
