Pietermaritzburg – Twins have just celebrated 60 years since they took their vows together and became nuns.Sisters Dorothy and Johanna Fourie, 87, who have served at various convents across the country, were the daughters of a conservative Dutch Reformed Church family from Johannesburg and educated in Heidelberg.
“My sister was working at a hospital and I was working in child welfare when the nuns from a Johannesburg convent that ran a child welfare organisation approached us and asked us to visit them,” said Sister Dorothy.
“Well, at first our hair stood straight up because we belonged to the Dutch Reform Church but then we decided we would give it a bash and go and visit them.”
Dorothy said they soon became “very fond” of the sisters at the child welfare and through their example learned all about Catholicism.
“They asked us if we wanted to join the convent and my sister and I looked at each other and said yes.”
The sisters entered a Johannesburg convent in 1953 and in 1955 took their final vows, and never looked back.
“I think it nearly broke our father’s heart but all he wanted was for us to be happy.”
The two said they have lived happy, fulfilling lives, and are both trained nurses and midwives.
Dorothy said her twin had become quite dependent on her in recent years but she did not mind because “she is my darling twin”.
“We have shared our whole lives together. We are very lucky twins.
“God led us to this life through other people and we regret nothing because we love the life we chose and people are so good to us.”
Dorothy said Pietermaritzburg’s Villa Assumpta, a convent for elderly sisters, was their home and everyone living in the convent was “their family”.
“We are all sisters here and everyone is family.”
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