Resilience Among the Religious During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Perspectives of Catholic Sisters in Kenya, Uganda and Zambia

The COVID-19 pandemic affected many sectors of humanity across the world. Personal and organizational lives were affected by the pandemic in diverse ways, such as loss of lives, strained relationships, and reduced income for some organizations and imminent closure for others. Studies have begun focussing on the effects that the pandemic had on religious groups, for example Catholic Sisters, and their congregations. The current qualitative study, anchored on resilience theory, investigates the views of Catholic Sisters in Kenya, Uganda and Zambia on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on their personal lives and social ministries. Data for the study was collected online via interviews and focus group discussions with Sisters from identified congregations in the three countries. Emerging data was then analysed thematically, and findings revealed three emerging themes: fear, loss and pain; resilience, creativity and new beginnings; spirituality and reflection. While the loss of close family and congregational members exposed the Sisters to fear of possibly contracting and dying from the COVID-19 virus, many also reported being resilient during this season in handling the virus and dealing with the arising opportunities. The COVID-19 season also offered many Sisters opportunities to reflect on their lives and spirituality in ways that were enriching. Their social ministries also benefitted as the congregations were forced to re-strategize on their day-to-day operations as the pandemic hindered their planned events and activities. Implications from the study, in line with resilience theory, include the need to strengthen social support and ties - these proved instrumental in Sisters' withstanding the adversities they faced.