Four religious Sisters killed in crash in Ethiopia

Four Daughters of St Anne Sisters, including the provincial superior, were killed when their van was hit by a truck

Four Daughters of St Anne Sisters – including the provincial superior – were killed in a crash about 80 miles south of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Catholic Near East Welfare Association has reported.

Four other Sisters were travelling in the van when it was hit by a truck en route to Hawassa on Tuesday. One of these remains in a critical condition, CNEWA reported.

Mgr John Kozar, president of CNEWA, had visited the Sisters last April.

“The news of the traffic death of four Sisters in Ethiopia, the Daughters of St Anne, touches our hearts and souls very deeply,” Mgr Kozar said. “Having met the superior and many of the Sisters in previous pastoral visits, I know the Church of Ethiopia has lost some very devoted servants.”

“To their community and the entire Church of Ethiopia and its people, we offer our collective prayers and support. May God welcome these servants into his heavenly kingdom,” he said.

The provincial who died in the crash was Sister Weinshet Gebru. The other victims were Sisters Motu Baba, Hanna Bekute, and Gedena Weldu.

The Daughters of St Anne have served in Ethiopia and Eritrea for more than 50 years. They run schools, health facilities, cutting and sewing schools, vocational training centres, orphanages, and a school for the visually impaired. They work with Catholic Near East Welfare Association on several projects. Read more here