Condoms and alcohol smuggled into nunnery

By DAVID ODONGO

Our investigations reveal that cunning city traders are illegally supplying errant nuns with booze and condoms. A trader who did not want to be named for fear of losing business said he makes good money from the trade. “I supply them with top whisky brands, which they hide in their habit,” he says. “Most nuns call me for a stiff one and condoms,” he adds. 

We also contacted city-based parish driver Timothy Mburu (not his real name) who opened the lid on not so pious nuns. The 41-year-old man who joined the church as an altar boy in 1985  sees no reason to get married.

“Yes, it’s true, I have been well taken care of. That’s why I don’t need a wife,” reveals Timothy with a chuckle. He started as an altar boy.

“When I joined, I didn’t look at the nuns as women because I knew they were holy. Even the thought of having an affair with one never arose. But within weeks, that perception had changed dramatically because of this trainee nun in her second year who was hardly 21,” he explains.

Timothy says their friendship blossomed and within weeks she began sneaking out of the dormitory to his house, which was at the far end of the parish.

“She used to come at eleven and stay for two hours. It was scary but fun,” says Timothy.

During his stay in the convent, nearly half of the nuns would troop to his little house, he claims. “To be frank, some were very pious and never even looked at me. Some were not very pious although they worshipped and did everything by the book, but in the day or even at night, they would be in my house,” Timothy reveals.

A convent can have as few as ten sisters and their daily routine includes getting up at 5.30am, communal prayer seven times a day, cleaning, cooking, hymns, and they are not usually allowed to leave the convent unless they are going out to run an errand.

Their daily life is characterised by praying periods which is supposed to form and fructify their actions. The prayers are divided into Lauds – the Morning Prayer, a short Midday Prayer, Vesper – the Evening Prayer and Compline – with the night’s prayer the church ends the day.

Nowadays they allow even widows or older women under 50 to join the convent. A woman with children can be allowed to join but the children must be old enough to fend for themselves.

Once you apply to join a convent, you will have to go to church register as a member of the parish and attend for three months at the least and you will need to have all your sacraments, Baptism, Confirmation, first communion before anything can begin. Then you can join the convent and you are deemed a ‘Novice’ and Church law requires this to be a one-year period, though many communities take two. Some congregations of sisters ask a Novice to choose a Saint’s name, upon taking your public vows, but not all. You may also keep your Baptismal name.

-Additional information by Ted Malanda, Sister Agnes Laura Adhiambo, and chicagotribune.com