Team starts collecting testimonies for canonisation of Sister Ann

Catholic clergy lead faithful in prayer during a procession to mark Sister Ann Ali's 11 memorial services at Burnt Forest in Uasin Gishu County on Thursday, June 8, 2023. [Peter Ochieng, Standard]

A committee overseeing the canonisation process of the most Holy Eucharist Sister Ann Ali has started a collection of information that may qualify her as a saint.

The committee will complete interrogating all testimonials from the faithful, who claim to have witnessed Sister Ann's miracles.

"This journey of Sister Ann started with the late Bishop Cornelius Korir, but following the unfortunate death of the bishop, the process derailed for a while, but we have taken over to complete his mission," said Eldoret Diocese Bishop Dominick Kimengich.

According to the Catholic Church doctrines, four steps are lined up when a candidate to be made a saint dies before being canonised.

Some rules and regulations which must be followed include committing oneself as a servant of God by showing dedication spiritually, being venerable, and being blessed by the church before being granted sainthood.

Sister Ann was born on December 29, 1966, at Kipkelion in Kericho County. She was the firstborn of Ali Abdulralmani and Prisca Nyambura, both Muslims.

She had two brothers and two sisters. Her mother and siblings later converted to the Catholic Church from the Islamic faith.

Ann went to Kipkelion Primary School and Koru Secondary School before joining the convent in 1986 in the Pious Union of Jesus the Good Shepherd Congregation.

Until her death, the Catholic Church and religious communities had witnessed numerous spiritual miracles Ann is said to have performed while still alive, prompting many people to call for her canonisation.

Bishop Kimengich said the church does not rely on rumours or testimonies, saying those who claimed to have seen or witnessed miracles from anyone must prove it right.

The late Sister Ann Ali. [Peter Ochieng]

"For the case of Sister Ann, as the Bishop, I can confirm that a woman got healed after praying at her gravesite. I met the woman while using crutches in the evening, the following day I saw her walking without them. She claimed she got healed from the blessed woman, do you still need any testimonies?" Kimengich said.

Sister Ann's sister, Miriam Wamai, said they have been receiving different people from within and outside the country claiming to have witnessed miracles from her.

"As a family, we're praying for the church to complete their work spiritually, and we believe God willing she will be granted blessed power meant for a real servant of God," she said.

At Burnt Forest, Christians from all walks gathered at St Patrick's Catholic Church from Wednesday, singing and dancing in honour of Sister Ann's services in the church.

The clergy, accompanied by hundreds of worshippers, marched from the church to the Burnt Forest trading centre, where they blessed the streets where Sister Ann used to pass.

After the blessings, the procession then took its way back to the gravesite few metres from the church building for final prayers.

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