Turning Points on my Prayer Journey 1943 – 2017 (PE nr. 1078)

I was born in 1938, the oldest of 10 children, 9 boys and 1 girl. At that time, my father was a Protestant and my mother a non-believer. However, 3 years later both were led in separate ways to join the Catholic Church. In 1943, two of my brothers and I, who as babies had received Baptism in the Lutheran Church, were taken by our parents to the Catholic Parish to receive a conditional second Baptism (in case the Lutheran one had not been valid). Continue reading “Turning Points on my Prayer Journey 1943 – 2017 (PE nr. 1078)”

Welcome

Welcome to the brand new International Website of the Missionaries of Africa. It has taken more time than expected. Please excuse me. And yet, you will realize very quickly that it is far from complete. This is obviously not the purpose of a website to be complete because it is at its best when it is dynamic. Yet there is some static information that take a long time to create anew or even to transfer from the old site. Do not worry, the old site will still be reachable for two or three months, although it will progressively become less and less updated.

This new website will continue to grow, ideally with your active participation. Not only with articles from you, but also with pictures or even videos. If you have photos which you think can find their rightful place on one of the pages of this site, do not hesitate to send them to the webmaster. Beware, however, of the copyrights. Only send photos that belong to you or that you are sure are not protected. Please also give a brief description.

There is no more intranet as such on the new site. Yet, there will always be some content that is reserved to specific actors. For now, these actors are “Missionaries of Africa”, “Students MAfr”, “MSOLA”, “Friends of MAfr”. Later on, there may be some other actors, such as “Provincials”, “Formators”, etc. You must therefore register with the login information (credentials) you have received. You can then change your password. Do not choose too simple a password, put at least eight signs, of which one uppercase letter and one digit.

Another important novelty is that the site can now be consulted on a smart phone or a tablet. This means, among other things, that confreres who do not have a reliable internet connection in their parish, for example, can read the Petit Echo online, for example, when they are in a more favorable location.

Do not hesitate to inform me of any error or failure and to suggest any improvement.

Philippe Docq 

Mini-Lien nr. 460 of the French Sector (in French)

Le mois de mars coïncide exactement avec le début du carême.  Le Pape François intitule son message de Carême en disant : « La parole est un don, l’autre est un don » et demande une conversion sincère. Pour nous-mêmes Missionnaires d’Afrique, nous pouvons réfléchir sur ces deux volets : la Parole …

Téléchargez le Mini-Lien du mois de Mars :

Remaining united to God, Growing in holiness and going forward together (Petit Echo nr. 1078)

Dear confreres,

I am delighted to be writing these few words to you from Ougadougou. I came here to take part in a training workshop for the Safeguarding Delegates for the Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults offered by our Committee for the Integrity of Ministry. This workshop takes place in the context of my first year as a member of our General Council, a year where I had a lot to discover and a lot to learn. Continue reading “Remaining united to God, Growing in holiness and going forward together (Petit Echo nr. 1078)”

Your credentials

Our server didn’t manage to send the 902 emails which contained the credentials of each one of you. Well, it’s not only human beings that can be overworked !

A certain number of confreres already have access to their account. Others, not yet. Be patient. As soon as possible we’ll send again to all of you the initial credentials, even if you’ve already got them. But we must wait for a new sending quota, probably after 24 hours.

As for the students who have not yet taken their oath, it will be for a bit later in the week. 

However, the main content is available on the website even without being logged in. I remind you that when you are connected, there is no INTRANET anymore, you just have access to more ontent.

Have a good Lenten period and a good discovery of the website !

Philippe

Intention of the Pope

MARCH : Support for Persecuted Christians.

That persecuted Christians may be supported by the prayers and material help of the whole Church.

Continue reading “Intention of the Pope”

Sister Andrée Bellière (Thérèse Françoise), R.I.P.

The Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Africa
invite you to share in their hope and to pray for

Sister Andrée Bellière (Thérèse Françoise)

from the Diocese of Tournai, Belgium
who has entered into Eternal LIFE at à Evere (Campus Eureka)
on the 25th February 2017
à the age of 90 years, of which 62 years
of Religious Missionary Life in Congo, in Rwanda et in Belgium.

South Sudan: a journey under study for the Pope, under the ecumenical sign

Visite à l'église anglicane de Rome All Saints Church, capture CTVA pontifical journey to South Sudan, of ecumenical significance, is currently under study. Pope Francis himself spoke about this project, which would also include the leader of the Anglican Communion, during his visit to the Anglican Church of All Saints Church in Rome on the afternoon of February 26, 2017.

Read more about it (in French) on the website of Zenit.

Lent 2017 – A Lent of Union

Herman Bastijns, MAfr

When we were small, our parents and catechists invited us to ‘do’ something for Lent, to make an effort or sacrifice such as not eating sweets or to eat less. Later, the accent was put more on sharing than on sacrifice and I think that passage from a Lent of deprivation to a Lent of sharing was progress. Even today, my first reflex at the beginning of Lent is to ask myself, what am I going to ‘do’ for Lent?

Continue reading “Lent 2017 – A Lent of Union”

Henri Valette, R.I.P.

Father Patrick Bataille, Provincial Delegate of the sector of France,
informs you of the return to the Lord of Father

Henri Valette

on Wednesday the 22nd of February 2017 at Bry-sur-Marne (France)
at the age of 88, of which 63 years of missionary life
in Ouganda and in France.

Let us pray for him and for his loved ones.
Continue reading “Henri Valette, R.I.P.”