Society of St John the Divine SSJD Founded 1874 Cottage 252 Umdoni Retirement Village Pennington South Coast Natal South Africa Email: nuns@telkomsa.net

The Society has never been a large community, with just sixty professions over a century, and has always worked in Natal. Originally the community ran schools and orphanages, but handed the last of its institutions to the diocese in 1968, and moved from Pietermaritzburg to Durban. The Sisters still have a presence on the Board of St John’s Diocesan School and St Martin’s Home for Children. For a time after 1968, the Sisters were involved in parish work, and then in retreat work. After the death of the older Sisters, the remaining members moved to the present house.

Mother Margaret Anne and Sister Mary Evelyn are lay ministers, licensed to preach in any parish of the diocese. In our own parish, Sister Mary Evelyn takes sick communions, and is involved at the hospice and with AIDS patients. Sister Sophia visits a hospice for homeless women. Mother Margaret Anne is a member of the Diocesan Synod.

Mother Margaret Anne SSJD
(Revd Mother, assumed office May 1994)

For further details, obtain a copy of
The Anglican Religious Communities Year Book.