Patient Nshombo R.I.P.

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Society of the Missionaries of Africa

Father Arsène Kapya, Provincial of Central Africa,
informs you of the return to the Lord of Brother

Patient Nshombo

on Sunday, 7th April 2024 in Bamako (Mali)
at the age of 61 years, of which 30 years of missionary life
in Mali, Burkina Faso, France, Italy and DR Congo.

Let us pray for him and for his loved ones.

Download here the announcement of Brother Patient Nshombo’s death

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Violence and insecurity, past and present

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Panzi Foundation

“Homo homini lupus est” is a Latin proverb that means “man is a wolf to man”. In the past, human beings behaved like wolves towards their fellow creatures, and this behaviour continues to this day. The violence and insecurity that are spreading around the world are a case in point.

What is violence?

In its 2002 report on violence and health, the WHO defines violence as “the intentional use of physical force, threats against others or oneself, against a group or community, that results in or has a high risk of resulting in trauma, psychological harm, developmental problems or death”.

“The intentional use of physical force or power, threatened or actual, against oneself, another person, or against a group or community, that either results in or has a high likelihood of resulting in injury, death, psychological harm, maldevelopment or deprivation.” (Pg. 5, Krug E, Dahlberg L, Mercy J.et al.  World report on violence and health. Geneva : World Health Organization, 2002)

Types of violence

When one person attacks another to cause harm, it is called aggression. When a person kills another, even for legally justifiable reasons, it is called homicide. Robbery, pillage, rape and the sexual abuse of minors and vulnerable adults are other types of violence. Violence can also be psychological, verbal and passive. There is also structural violence. According to Galtung, this “violence is ‘structured’ and is characterised by inequality in the exercise of power, and consequently leads to unequal opportunities”. Nepotism – a political, social, cultural or ethnic grouping that oppresses or excludes others – is part of structural violence.

Violence and insecurity

The prevalence of violence creates fear to the point that people feel unsafe; this is known as insecurity. We could, therefore, deduce that insecurity is a consequence of violence. There are many causes of insecurity: people are said to be socially insecure when their environment is dangerous and threatening. For example, Goma (in the province of North Kivu, D.R. Congo) is an insecure city where, around 9 pm, there are few pedestrians or vehicles on the road. A worker whose job is precarious would be living in a situation of insecurity. The uncertainty of a confrere’s next appointment may cause insecurity. We note that the underlying cause in the province mentioned above is the economic war that has been going on for over two decades.

Violence and insecurity have a negative impact on individuals and their communities. They lead to mass displacement, isolate people from each other and cause trauma, depression and eventually death.

Can violence be prevented?

It is possible to put in place measures to prevent violence, such as promoting people’s rights and duties and measures against harmful alcohol consumption and drug use, especially among young people. Reducing access to firearms and knives, promoting gender equality, and preventing greed, pillage, and illicit extraction of natural resources by the mafia and multinational systems would all help to create non-violent communities and a non-violent world.

Where do we place non-violence and empathy?

If, in simple terms, empathy is the ability to identify with the feelings of others, and non-violence is the abstention from and exclusion of all violence, then both concepts have a role to play in situations of violence and insecurity. Thus, refusing all cooperation, complicity and participation in violent actions, denouncing violent words and actions, and promoting interculturality and peace can encourage non-violence. Putting yourself in other persons’ shoes, trying to understand them without judging them, getting close to them, helping them to express their feelings, and listening with concern are some of the behaviours that are empathetic towards the victims of violence and insecurity.

Which programmes are needed to combat violence and insecurity?

Societies torn apart by violence and insecurity often have NGOs and United Nations agencies trying to find solutions to these scourges. In our environment and elsewhere, these organisations are sometimes accused of ‘creating’ wars and claiming to end them through their programmes. In the provinces of North and South Kivu, programmes to combat gender-based violence (GBV) have been set up to provide health, moral and psychological care and to integrate victims into society. Doctors Without Borders, for example, offers medical care for war casualties. MONUSCO (United Nations Organisation Mission for the Stabilisation of the Congo), FAO, UNICEF, WHO, UNHCR, UNDP, etc. have set up programmes to support stabilisation and conflict prevention, gender equality and the empowerment of women, assistance for children and refugees, development, etc. At the national level, there are also projects such as the PRVBG (Projet de Prévention et de Réponse Basées sur le Genre – Gender-based Prevention and Response Project) and the Children’s Parliament to assist child victims of violence and abuse and to bring their perpetrators to justice

At the local level, there is the Panzi Foundation, set up by Nobel Peace Prize winner Dr Denis Mukwege, which deals with maternal health and genital mutilation of women who have been raped. There are also Christian self-help networks and counselling centres such as the diocesan Caritas and the Nyota centre in Bukavu (where our confrere, Father Bernard Ugeux, is involved), which takes in illiterate young girls who have been raped and abandoned children to help them regain their self-esteem. Night patrols by the police and military and street lighting in the neighbourhoods and avenues of the city and its surroundings are all part of the programme to combat violence and insecurity.   

Peace is possible

Violence and insecurity are realities that remain with us and in us. They have been and still are the cause of many ills in society. But they can be avoided and eradicated. Peace is possible; a lasting peace would be a solution to violence and insecurity.

By: Jean-Paul Cirhakarhula, M.Afr.

Jesus Christ is Risen 2024

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Mt 28:1-7, Ravenna, Sant’Apollinare nuovo (493-526)

“Mary came to the tomb. She came to the womb of the resurrection, she came to the birth of life, so that Christ might again be born to faith from the tomb, as he had been born from a womb of flesh […] The angel descended and rolled the stone… not to offer a passage to the Lord who was coming forth, but to show the world that the Lord had already risen. Let the angel descend and testify that Christ is risen also from our souls.” (Peter Chrysologus). 

BLESSED AND JOYFUL EASTER SEASON

Violence and insecurity : an obstacle to development, peace and prosperity

Posted on by Vitus Danaa Abobo
Crédit image: Generative AI, https://firefly.adobe.com/

Violence is a behaviour that hurts physically or damages someone or something. Violence refers to force used to subjugate someone against his will. Violence is an extreme form of aggression against a person or it is a quarrel that results in injury and death of a person. It is an abominable and horrible act, which can lead to the worst (injury-death of a person). Gandhi, theorist of non-violence, has said, “Violence should not be confused with force or conflict. There is violence only when force is in action”.

Mali is going through a deep crisis because of insecurity due to conflicts that are leading to violence such as inter- and intra-community tensions in the country. Acts of violence against the civilian population continue to increase in different regions of Mali and civilians continue to pay the heaviest price for conflicts, violence and attacks by armed groups that are causing great loss of lives and properties.

There are different types of violence in our society today

Gender-based violence: there are many forms of gender-based violence, which we experience in our communities today.

  • Physical violence: physical abuses like punching; spitting, pushing; slapping; biting and even using weapons etc.
  • Sexual violence: sexual violence takes place in many forms and it can take place under very different circumstances. It can include sexual slavery, sexual harassment, trafficking for sexual exploitation, forced pregnancy and forced marriage.
  • Violence against women: women are always the victims in our societies. Excision, early marriage and conjugal violence are forms of violence against women. All these cause a lot of physical and psychological health problems in a woman’s life. Many girls withdraw from school because of these and other types of violence against them. It is important to know that there are multiple forms of violence in our society that people face and that they have serious consequences on individuals, families and communities.
  • Inter- and intra-community violence: there is violence between farmers and breeders. This is a territorial conflict, causing the destruction of lives and properties in our communities today. There are also armed attacks against people, villages and public infrastructure, which continue to undermine the protection of civilians and cause numerous losses of human life. Violence in all its forms constitutes an obstacle to the sustainable development, peace and prosperity of a country. Territorial conflicts lead to destruction of lives and property. There is also verbal and moral violence which provokes hatred.

In Nioro of Sahel

Here, in our region, Nioro du Sahel, we experience violence between ethnic groups and also between different communities. Islam is a dominant religion in the region; many also follow African traditional religions. Or they may follow cultures and traditions that harm individuals and society as a whole. Such violence is at the origin of the destabilisation of the country and causes poverty and unemployment in the society. It seems that the society does not want or accept some of these cultures and this causes physical and psychological harm both to individuals and to society at large. Some religious leaders and parents still seem to support practices like excision and child marriage. That’s why these practices continue to exist though now reducing slowly. We get to know this, when we, as church, participate in different sessions organized by some NGOs and by the Government projects that promote and tackle the issues of violence and insecurity. In our towns and villages, violence such as female genital mutilation and underage marriages are causing a lot of physical and psychological health problems to young girls. These different types of violence can be the cause of destabilisation of the communities and the country at large. And that can cause economic insecurity, preventing a country from developing.

Attacks by armed groups

The humanitarian consequences of attacks in the villages, killings, kidnappings, burning of harvests in the fields and setting fire on barns and houses as well as livestock theft are many. In such a climate of insecurity, it is difficult to think about the economy and stability of one’s country.  In the region, from time to time few NGOs try to bring peace and raise the awareness of the communities about the consequences of violence. Inter- and intra-community violence and attacks by unknown armed-men against the population, villages and public infrastructure continue to undermine the protection of civilians and cause numerous losses of human lives. This is the situation in many villages and regions in Mali, and many of these displaced people are children and women. Faced with this situation, survivors of these attacks flee from their villages in large number to places seemed safer. This forced displacement makes them victims of famine. The government intervenes by following the law of the country. The increase in attacks in the villages subsequently causes forced displacements. The number of internally displaced people (IDPs) is increasing day after day due to persistent insecurity in the country. The situation is complex for carrying out mediation activities, reconciling the different communities, strengthening social cohesion and encouraging the return of basic social service personnel. The fields, granaries and houses are set on fire by groups of armed men. From time to time, there are NGOs which provide humanitarian aid like providing cereals, agricultural materials and also moral help.

The region of Nioro du Sahel is mostly dry desert. It has a short rainy season. Because of that there is not enough harvest. This problem causes economic insecurity in the region. Unknown armed men attack and rob transport buses. That limits people from moving from one place to another. There are territorial conflicts that lead to violence such as peasants against breeders; violence between ethnic groups etc.

Violence is causing loss of life and properties. Child marriage and female genital mutilation have been a big challenge in the area. Many underage girls withdraw from school and lead a life they are not yet prepared for. These conflicts and violence are causing great economic insecurity in the region and are an obstacle for the development of the country. In a real sense, it is difficult for the people to live in peace while things are not working. It is evident, that many people are not at peace but they have no choice. Some of them are losing their family members, because of the way others are mistreating them.

By: Gidey Mekonnin Girmay, M.Afr.

Southern Africa Province (SAP) stagiaires’ meeting in Lusaka

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‘No pain no gain’, ‘no sacrifice no opportunity’ and ‘no discipline no results’

On the 26th February 2024, the Stagiaires of the Southern Africa Province (SAP) convened at FENZA (Faith and Encounter Centre Zambia) in Lusaka, Zambia for a one-week meeting. It was a gathering of sharing stage experiences in their different communities and apostolates. During the opening Mass, the main celebrant invited the Stagiaires to reflect on their role in the apostolate. He insisted that his principle of no pain no gain, no sacrifice no opportunity, no discipline no results, has guided him throughout his years as a missionary. Fr. Martin Onyango energized the Stagiaires with his touching sermon.

Eight stagiaires were from the Malawi Sector, three from the Mozambique Sector and twelve from the Zambia Sector. The sharing, guided by Fr. Martin Onyango M.Afr. and Fr. Marcellin Mubalama M.Afr., was enriching. The meeting began with welcoming remarks from Fr. Benjamin Itungabose M.Afr., the Sector Delegate of Zambia. He encouraged the Stagiaires to be creative and innovative to meet the demands of the apostolate.  Groups according to sectors were formed for sharing. Later, the entire group met to listen to a report from each group.

The Stagiaires shared the common joy of apostolic zeal. They all witnessed to have received a warm welcome from the people in their places of apostolate. “The Christians are so good; they are supportive and encouraging. Despite the language challenges, they understand and welcome us with joy”, they remarked. Many of the Stagiaires reported how they ride hundreds of kilometers to reach various outstations crossing rivers, forests, valleys and hills. This has added to their zeal towards becoming Missionaries of Africa.

However, there was a general complaint about conflicts in their host communities. Stagiaires continue to be victims of unstable communities with conflicts, which are having a bad impact on them. “We notice conflicts brought about by the fact that confreres come from different countries with their own stereotypes and prejudices”, they said. “Therefore, all should be aware of this and steps should be taken to combat such ‘viruses’ eating up our communities”, they added.

Your vocation must be rooted in Jesus Christ, the one we serve

The Provincial of SAP shared with the Stagiaires about the current financial situation of the Society of the Missionaries of Africa. He commended the efforts they make in their various communities to contribute towards the running of their communities and cutting down costs. He agreed with sadness that in almost all the Provinces of the Society, there have been some scandals involving money. The Provincial and Sector leaders are setting up ways to end these problems. The Provincial concluded with words of hope. “We are setting up different projects in order to ensure self-sustainability of our Province. We currently have assets amounting to lots of money that has been invested, but we have less cash. We do all we can to ensure transparency and accountability of what we own as a Province”. He advised the Stagiaires that their determination to pursue their vocation must not depend on the financial situation of the Society, but rather be rooted in Jesus Christ, the one they serve.

The Stagiaires had an outing and visited the new provincial house in IBEX. On the closing day there was an open forum, which included the suggestions Stagiaires themselves raised to improve the apostolic experience period. For example, they proposed that the members of the receiving communities should consider a self-introduction once the Stagiaire has been welcomed. They also requested the leaders of the Province and Sectors to write letters of appointment and clarify the communication channels with the Stagiaires while still in the spiritual year.

They ended this meeting by extending thanks to the Provincial for allowing the meeting to take place. “Despite all the financial challenges the Society is facing, you extended your solidarity an extra mile and allowed us to meet. A meeting like this kills multiple birds with one stone. It strengthens our bonds, ensures that we learn from one another and adds morale to our vocation as missionaries”, their representative said. He added, “we thank you endlessly and wish you all God’s Blessings.”

By: Justus Wednesday, Stagiaire

Working Session on African Traditional Religions:  the Way Forward

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Cinquième journée de la session de travail sur les religions traditionnelles africaines au Centre Kungoni, Malawi

From left to right : Mathew W. Banseh (Centre for Social Concern (CfSC)), Bernhard Udelhoven (Lumimba parish) Zambia, Ignatius Anipu (Institut de Formation Islamo-Chrétienne (IFIC)) Mali, Philip Meraba (Faith and Encounter Centre, Zambia (FENZA)) Zambia, Anselme K.A. Tarpaga (Assistant General) Rome, Prosper Harelimana, Rome, Brendan O’Shea (Kungoni Centre of Culture and Art, Malawi), Malawi, Bruno Ssennyondo (Centre de Recherche pour la Sauvegarde et la promotion de la Culture Senoufo (CRSPCS)) Mali

The Missionaries of Africa concluded their working session on African Traditional Religions (ATRs) at Kungoni, Malawi this Friday 22nd March 2024. It was a week of sharing of experiences, insights, ideals and perspectives for the future. There remains a question to be asked. What next? Intense reflection on ATRs has led to five areas of focus: (1) animating confreres, (2) initial formation, (3) creating a synergy between centres and parishes, (4) research and publications, and (5) visibility and communication.

The first area of focus will target the following: sessions and workshops, build up a repertoire of issues of concern through modern technology, and establish core groups (commissions) to enrich pastoral activities in line with ATRs. The second area will encourage candidates in formation to intentionally research and investigate contemporary issues of  ATRs. It will also nurture candidates’ talents, encourage the teaching of  African Philosophy and Theology. It intends to introduce sessions on ATRs into our formation system, review the Stage Vade mecum on ATRs to help stagiaires go deeper on specific topics, etc. The third area will ensure that modern technology is well used to store and share materials on ATRs. It shall subscribe to Jstor, Ebscom and other academic websites for quality research. It shall source expertise to enhance our centres. Furthermore, it shall aim at improving collaboration between centres such as Kungoni, FENZA, IFIC, etc., and parishes. It shall enhance professionalism in our centres, enlighten younger generations in the area of ATRs, and empower personnel through capacity building programmes. The fourth and fifth areas will promote academic publications on ATRs issues, create a  platform where publications of Missionaries of Africa on ATRs can easily be accessed. It will ensure that the websites of our various centres are linked with the main website of the  Society. It shall encourage sharing of events on ATRs that take place in our different areas of mission.

The above-mentioned activities entail creativity, dedication and team work. They also call for rigorous monitoring and evaluation. Looking back to appraise our performance and activities remains a fundamental exercise to be constantly carried out. It shall be done by ourselves, and if need be,  involve experts. All is being done to accomplish, respect and  promote what our founder Cardinal Charles Lavigerie urged us to do. He strongly advised us to cherish the language, culture and tradition of people. 

By: Prosper Harelimana, M.Afr.

Passing on skills for a better understanding of African Traditional Religions

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Fourth day of the Working Session on African Traditional Religions at Kungoni Centre, Malawi

Understanding African Traditional Religions (ATRs) entails willingness to be with people. It also calls for rigorous academic work, with acknowledged scientific methods.  Research methods and modern technology are necessary tools to explore and understand better ATRs. Which type of skills?

Our today’s discussion was on how to make use of practical skills, research methods and modern technology. We need such skills to discover, understand and make known the cultural heritage imbedded in ATRs. Practical skills focus on people’s (human) actions, i.e., their behaviour and actions that affect or are affected by great passages of life such as practices at the time of birth and death, observing religious and cultural expressions during happy or sad moments, etc. Research methods investigate patterns of African thinking and understanding of good and evil, cosmology, hermeneutics, theodicy, what it means to be a “human person” (‘Ubuntu’ concept), etc. Rigorous methods point to research gaps – what have not been discovered, answered or explored – in the realm of ATRs. Modern technology helps in creating a repertory of African cultural heritage. There are so many materials on ATRs that need to be well preserved according to modern standards. Technological is tool to preserve what we already have. It is also used to discover what we do not know yet.

Early missionaries had awe-inspiring skills. They left us a legacy. We learnt a lot from them. It is time we gradually pass on to younger generations what we received and know about ATRs. «Happiness is not perfected until it’s shared.» Let us share what we have, know and cherish about the African heritage. Those being born in our times crave for identity and authenticity. Are we ready to help them discover who they really are?

By: Prosper Harelimana, M.Afr.

Towards a consolidated strategic plan for encounter and dialogue with African Traditional Religions (ATRs)

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Third day of the Working Session on African Traditional Religions at Kungoni Centre, Malawi

African Traditional Religions (ATRs) embody spiritual, social and moral values needed to live a better and dignified life, both at individual and societal levels. The Missionaries of Africa are aware of this fact. They consider it as a great opportunity to enrich their pastoral endeavours. How to access people’s values? This short reflection intends to offer some answers.

Firstly, we need to learn the local language. Today’s discussion has made us understand that learning the language and culture of the people is a gateway to the realm of their beliefs and values. Through daily interactions, one gets access to what people value and respect most. For instance, interacting with the young reveals their aspirations and ideals for the future. In this way, one discovers what motivates and challenges them. If need be, one can find with them some answers to their preoccupations, being spiritual, mental and psychological.

Secondly, as missionaries, we need to reach out to the people and spend time with them. Being with and for the people is another avenue to be treasured. A missionary discovers more about the people when he is in solidarity with them in their daily happiness and struggles. There are events that help in discovering and understanding people’s traditional and cultural values. For instance, attending important events such as marriages, naming ceremonies, harvest festivals, funerals, reconciliation ceremonies, etc., remain key avenues to discover, understand, appreciate and respect people’s traditions and customs. Such events open mutual enrichment between the Gospel and people’s traditions.

Last but not the least, we need to allow ourselves to be formed by the people and their way of life. Sometimes we get worried about what to offer and teach the people. Do we allow ourselves to be formed by the people’s cultures? Do we take time to be fascinated by their songs, dances, poems, artefacts, myths, worldview, understanding of the origin of life and the afterlife?

To effectively live such proximity with the people, we need a strategic plan. It will clarify contemporary manifestations of ATRs that call for attention. It will also point to what we can really do as confreres in our parishes, formation houses, cultural and social centres. It intends to open a window for rigorous research and publications that will enrich us and the people we are called to serve.    

By: Prosper Harelimana, M.Afr.

Finding a Common Understanding of African Traditional Religions

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Second day of the Working Session on African Traditional Religions at Kungoni Centre, Malawi

After discovering in depth the cultural beliefs of the Chewa, Ngoni and Yao tribes, today our discussion was about our understanding of African Traditional Religions (ATRs). Dr. Rodian Munyenyembe of Mzuzu University focused on “Understanding and engaging with contemporary configurations of African Traditional Religions”. Ignatius Anipu, M.Afr., elaborated on the “Engagement of the Missionaries of Africa with African Traditional Religions”.

Dr. Munyenyembe highlighted some pointers to fruitful dialogue such as “cultural sensitivity, patience and persistence, clarifying misconceptions, Gospel contextualization, education and learning, and being bridge-builders.” Anipu, in his presentation emphasised some crucial or priority areas for a meaningful dialogue with ATRs. He argued that learning of the local language and the culture of the people, practising a diversified dialogue with ATRs, promoting human life, fostering reconciliation and peace-building, etc., are prerequisites for a true encounter with ATRs.

Confreres had time to ask questions, make comments and offer their well-reasoned out insights in line with the topics presented. It was noticed that the Society of the Missionaries of Africa has contributed and still has a lot to offer in the area of encounter with ATRs. However, there still exist some conceptual and missionary gaps: not having a unified nomenclature of ATRs, modern overlook of traditional beliefs and cultural values, detaching encounter and dialogue with ATRs from the ordinary parish ministry, not paying attention to realities of the ‘invisible world’ that affect people’s daily life, etc. Associating ATRs with what is evil, mysterious or dangerous for Christian living is another challenge calling for attention. 

In the coming days, participants will try to find sustainable solutions to the already identified problems. By the close of the week, a road map would have been designed to enhance missionary effectiveness and efficiency in matters of encounter and dialogue with ATRs.

By: Prosper Harelimana, M.Afr.

The Missionaries of Africa Open a Working Session on African Traditional Religions at Kungoni Centre, Malawi

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Monday 18, March 2024, the Missionaries of Africa opened a one week working session on African Traditional Religions (ATRs) at Kungoni Centre, Malawi. Confreres from Rome, Mali, Zambia and Malawi are gathered to work and share experiences. In his opening remarks, Anselme Tarpaga, Assistant Superior General in charge of Encounter and Dialogue (ED), welcomed the participants and thanked them for having spared their time for the session. He reminded them that the purpose of the session is to revisit the 29th General Chapter recommendations on ATRs. It is also a follow up of suggestions that were given during the 17 June 2023 online meeting on ED.

It is an opportunity to create a synergy between Kungoni Centre of Culture and Art, Malawi; Centre Sénoufo de Sikasso, Mali; Institut de Formation Islamo-Chrétienne (IFIC), Bamako, Mali; Faith and Encounter Zambia (FENZA); and Centre for Social Concern (CfSC), Lilongwe, Malawi. The confreres vested with a considerable knowledge and understanding of ATRs and other experts are sharing ideas on how to promote the interaction between the Christian Faith and ATRs. All is being done to promote a culture of dialogue, social cohesion and peaceful coexistence.

It is worth noting that Kungoni Centre of Culture and Art is part of the Mua Mission, founded by the Missionaries of Africa in the year 1902. Claude Boucher Chisale, M.Afr., started the centre in the 1970s. It inhabits a great cultural heritage of the Chewa, Ngoni and Yao tribes. People from all walks of life visit the centre to learn about the Chewa culture, language and other important events within the Malawian history. The session is expected to bring about new ideas that enhance interaction between the Gospel, people’s identity, richness and traditional values which sometimes are overlooked. 

By: Prosper Harelimana, M.Afr.