Sister Marie-Thérèse Gnamazo of Cameroon made first profession of vows as a Sister of Providence in a multicultural liturgy on Nov. 23, in the chapel at St. Joseph Residence, Seattle.
Mass was presided by Rev. Fr. Peter Ely, S.J., concelebrated by Rev. Fr. Jack Walmesley, Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Mbock Mbock of Cameroon, and Rev. Fr. Colleen Nsame, S.J. from the Seattle-area Cameroonian community.
The ceremony was attended by guests from the West Coast, Canada, El Salvador, the Philippines, Chile, France and Cameroon. Those from Cameroon who couldn’t attend in person celebrated virtually via livestreaming on WhatsApp.
Originally from the rural village of Lomié in Cameroon, Marie-Thérèse first felt called to religious life at age 14. After completing her education she moved to Seattle for a Come & See with the Sisters of Providence in 2008.
Because she was not certain of her calling, Marie-Thérèse chose to become a Providence Associate and return to Cameroon. In the ensuing seven years, she made a significant impact in villages around Lomié, Abong-Mbang, through a nonprofit she founded called African Solidarity in Action. She raised funds to build a well, provided tuition support and job training for youth, and built a clinic.
Despite this, Marie-Thérèse felt “God was asking me to do more,” and returned to the Sisters of Providence in 2017.
Her ministries include working with immigrants and people experiencing poverty through the Immigrant and Refugee Committee and the St. Vincent de Paul Committee at Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish, Seattle.