News archive

Sister Jeannine Garitte, R.I.P.

Posted on by Vitus Danaa Abobo

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

Sister Jeannine GARITTE

of the Evere Campus Eureka community,
who entered life in Brussels on May 7, 2019
at the age of 85,
of which 58 years of missionary religious life.

Her missionary life took place in Burkina Faso and Belgium.

Joris Vankrunkelsven, R.I.P.

Posted on by Vitus Danaa Abobo

Father Luc Putzeys, Provincial Delegate of the sector of Belgium,
informs you of the return to the Lord of Father

Joris Vankrunkelsven

on Wednesday 8th May 2019 at St. Augustin Clinic Antwerpen (Belgium)
at the age of 91 years, of which 67 years of missionary life
in Congo and Belgium.

Let us pray for him and for his loved ones.

Download here the announcement of Fr. Joris Vankrunkelsven’s death Continue reading “Joris Vankrunkelsven, R.I.P.”

Roman celebrations 150° anniversary – SYMPOSIUM

Posted on by Vitus Danaa Abobo

Like all the provinces of the Society, Rome celebrated its main event at the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the foundation of the Lavigerie Family, namely the White Fathers, Missionaries of Africa, founded in 1868, and the White Sisters, Missionaries of Our Lady of Africa in 1869.

The Symposium had long been planned to be in line with the International Conference of Major Superiors (UISG) in order to encourage the participation of the Superiors General of the 21 African women’s congregations often founded by a White Father confrere (bishop) but especially “accompanied” by the White Sisters.

The success of this symposium would not have been as spectacular without their extremely energizing presence; if the preparation of the 150th anniversary celebrations of our foundations brought our two congregations/society closer together, this symposium confirmed their complementarity, already present in the vision of evangelization of sub-Saharan Africa of our founder Cardinal Charles Martial Lavigerie: Africa will not be evangelized without the presence of women apostles who will accompany African women and families to know, love and follow Jesus.

The main purpose of this symposium was to raise the visibility of the Lavigerie family in the maze of congregations present in Rome. The invited audience was essentially composed of men and women religious present in Rome, who regularly rub shoulders with us, without necessarily knowing us in our specific charism. The theme was: “The significance of 150 years of Mission in Africa for the Universal Mission of the Church”. While the date chosen favoured the participation of African women’s congregations, it was less favourable to the presence of many members of general councils visiting their congregations at this time of the year. The 210-seat auditorium at Urbaniana University, which we had rented for the occasion, was nevertheless almost full.

The conference began with the intervention of the two main speakers. Our confrere, Archbishop Michael Fitzgerald, spoke non-exhaustively about the “Contribution of our two institutes to the missionary work of the Universal Church”, noting in his conclusion that, from the very beginning of our foundations, the encounter – initially with Islam, then with all Africans and all religious realities – has always been essential in our charism, as well as the struggle for Justice and Peace for and with the people in whose service we work. You will find the link to the text of his speech at the bottom of this page.

Sister Carmen Sammut, Superior General of the White Sisters, presented the essential characteristics that make the White Sisters Missionaries especially to women and for Africa, initiators who will allow the Africans themselves to continue the work of evangelization in Africa. She then drew the portrait of 7 women, missionaries of Our Lady of Africa, all models of women missionaries in the service of the universal Church. The link to the text of his speech is at the bottom of the page.

 

After a 30-minute break, three speakers took part in a roundtable discussion with public interaction after the presentations. Through the account of some recent encounters with very simple people in his diocese, Bishop Richard Baawobr, M.Afr., spoke of the urgency of sharing the person, the lifestyle and the message of Jesus in the human encounter. It is in the Word of God, shared within human-sized Christian communities, that our efforts to evangelize are rooted. The link to the text of Bishop Richard’s speech is available at the bottom of this page.

In a very theological intervention, Don Antoine de Padou Pooda, a priest from the diocese of Gadoua, Burkina Faso, teaching missiology at the Urbaniana and declaring himself heir to the White Fathers, then spoke to us about the heritage and spiritual fruitfulness of the “Lavigerie Family” in Africa.  The link to the text of Don Antoine de Padou’s speech is available at the bottom of this page.

Sister Lea Belemsaga, Superior General of the Sisters of the Annunciation of Bobo Dioulasso, concluded the Round Table presentations by presenting a Power Point on three of the 21 congregations founded and/or accompanied by the Lavigerie Family. Sister Lea’s Power Point can be downloaded here and the link to the Power Point text (in 3 languages) is available at the bottom of this page.

The Symposium participants then gathered to share, in a spirit of conviviality, the evening meal around an excellent buffet before returning to the audience for the last part of the Symposium, a concert given by a Togolese artist who came with his family from Milan, in northern Italy. At the bottom of this page, you can enjoy a compilation of this concert.

The Symposium was moderated with great talent by our Confrere, Diego Sarriò, who summed up the event by quoting Don Antoine de Padou Pooda: “The Lavigerie family, by its international and intercultural character, extends Pentecost as a cenacle where the Kingdom of justice and peace is already in action.” Father Stan Lubungo, Superior General of the White Fathers, closed the Symposium shortly after 8:30 pm.

Philippe Docq, M.Afr.

Intervention of Archbishop Michael Fitzgerald

Intervention of Sister Carmen Sammut

Intervention of Bishop Richard Baawobr

Intervention of Don Antoine Padou Pooda

Intervention of Sister Lea Belemsaga

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Celebration of the Blessed Martyrs of Algeria

Posted on by Vitus Danaa Abobo

Tomorrow, May 8, we will commemorate for the first time in the Church the Blessed Martyrs of Algeria. Recently, we organized ourselves in Rome to standardize the rare photos we have of our four blessed confreres by having them drawn by a street artist. Below, you will find a reproduction of it. You can download the same photo in A3 format (42cm x 29,7cm) by clicking on the photo, which you can print and frame if you wish. Below you will find links to individual high-resolution drawings that the Missionaries of Africa (White Fathers and White Sisters) and the families of the Blessed Missionaries can use as they see fit. Note that all rights belong to the Missionaries of Africa, Via Aurelia 269 in Rome (Italy).

Small leaflets were printed for each of the blessed with their pictures, a short biography and a prayer. These leaflets are currently on their way to all the provinces with the Petit Echo n° 1100. We wish you a good reception.

Finally, you will find (unofficial) translations of the liturgy of the day and the reading office (only in French).

Portrait Jean Chevillard HR (15 Mo)

Portrait Alain Dieulanguard HR (20 Mo)

Portrait Christian Chessel HR (23 Mo)

Portrait Charles Deckers (16 Mo)

Liturgy of the day (French)

Office of readings (French)

Liturgy of the day (English)

 

Guy Theunis interviewed by RCF

Posted on by Vitus Danaa Abobo

During the stay of RCF (Radio Chrétienne Francophone) Sud Belgique in Rome, Anne-Sophie Montoisy met Father Guy Theunis, a Belgian missionary, White Father and Superior of the Generalate in Rome. A very interesting meeting to discover. IN FRENCH ONLY!

A symposium in Rome for the 150°

Posted on by Vitus Danaa Abobo

On the occasion of the 150th anniversary, the Missionaries of Africa, together with our Sisters MSOLA, are holding this Saturday a SYMPOSIUM at one of the Universities of Rome. The General theme is the “Significance of 150 years of service to Africa for the Universal Mission of the Church”.

At 3pm, two personalities will make a 20 minute presentation. Our confrere, Mgr. Michael Fitzgerald, will speak on the “Contribution of the two institutes to the Missionary Work of the Universal Church”. As for Sr. Carmen Sammut, Superior General of the MSOLA, she will present a talk on “Women apostles: some portraits”.  There should be time for interaction with the 200 guests that are expected to attend.

At 5pm, there will be a Round Table with three speakers who will introduce their topics in 10 minutes to start off interaction with the public. Don Antoine de Padoue Pooda, a priest of the diocese of Gaoua in Burkina Faso, teaching missiology at the Urbaniana University in Rome, will speak on the “Inheritance and spiritual fecundity of the ‘Lavigerie Family’ in Africa”. Our confrere, Mgr. Richard Baawobr, will deal with the question “Why evangelize? The contribution of the Bible and Small Christian Communities”. As for Sister Lea Belemsaga, general superior of the Annunciation Sisters of Bobo, she will speak, in the name of all the congregations sponsored by the Lavigerie Family, about “The ‘FIAT’ of the african woman: fundation of 21 female congregations for the Mission”.

After sharing a buffet, we will come back to the Hall for the last part of our symposium, a concert by a Togolese singer and composer, Arsène Duevi, who lives with his family in Milan. He will take us to a singing journey to the very roots of humanity: Africa!

Following are a few video clips made on various themes, which will be shown during the 30 minutes before the beginning of the symposium. You will also see the programme advertised in between, with a glimse on our Togolese artist.

Jean Fisset, R.I.P.

Posted on by Vitus Danaa Abobo

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

 

Jean Fisset

on Thursday 25/04/2019 at Bry-sur-Marne (France)
at the age of 95 years, of which 71 years of missionary life
in Algeria and in France.

Download the announcement of Father Jean Fisset’s death Continue reading “Jean Fisset, R.I.P.”

Feast of Our Lady of Africa

Posted on by andreasgopfert@gmail.com

The feast of Our Lady of Africa is celebrated every year on the 30th of April. This feast if a Solemnity in North Africa and, of course, a major Solemnity for all the Missionaries of Africa.

Unfortunately, the feast is so little known elsewhere that it can be very difficult to find the texts for the celebration of Mass for the Solemnity.  

The Coordination of JPIC-ED of the General House of the Missionaries of Africa in Rome has prepared five documents for the use of any community, which wants to celebrate the Solemnity.

In English:

Feast of Our Lady, Mother of Africa – Texts to celebrate the Mass

Feast of Our Lady of Africa – Universal Prayer

In French:

Fête de Notre-Dame d’Afrique – Les textes de la messe

Fête de Notre-Dame d’Afrique – La prière universelle

Ensemble avec Marie, vivons la rencontre entre musulmans et chrétiens

Bishop Willy Ngumbi becomes bishop of Goma

Posted on by Vitus Danaa Abobo

Rome, 23rd April 2019

Resignation of the Bishop of Goma (Democratic Republic of Congo) and appointment of his successor

The Holy Father Francis accepted the resignation from the pastoral government of the diocese of Goma (Democratic Republic of Congo), presented by H.E. Mons. Théophile Kaboy Ruboneka.

The Pope appointed Bishop Willy Ngumbi Ngengele, M. Afr., until now Bishop of Kindu, Bishop of the same diocese.

Official Bulletin of the Vatican

To know more, visit the website of Zenit.  The article is in French. Please accept this rough translation:

Strengthen youth movements and work with schools

APRIL 23, 2019 12:26 ANITA BOURDIN NOMINATIONS

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, Pope Francis appointed Most Reverend Willy Ngumbi Ngengele, 54, Missionary of Africa (White Fathers), as Bishop of Goma. Since 2007, he had been bishop of Kindu, in the east of the DRC.

He succeeds Bishop Théophile Kaboy Ruboneka, 78, whose resignation has been accepted by the Pope as having reached the canonical age limit: at 75, the Bishops submit their resignation to the Pope.

Bishop Willy Ngumbi Ngengele participated in the Youth Synod in October 2018 in Rome: in his former diocese of Kindu 51% of the population is made up of young people. He then spoke about his concern for young people on Vatican Radio.

In particular, he said he wanted to “strengthen and revitalize” youth movements and work with schools. “We will work on education and return to Christian values, ethics, in order to enable the young people of the diocese to become artisans of their future, actors in the Church, and missionaries to other young people. We will also encourage exchanges between young people in the city and those in the villages.”

He also wanted young people to be trained in “discernment” with regard to everything they can find on social networks.

He also hoped for new priestly vocations “for the future of the Church”.

EAP : Flashes from the East African Province

Posted on by Vitus Danaa Abobo

With their best wishes fro the Easter Season, here come the News from EAP.

Before you print these 10 pages, please consider reading them from the screen and save the trees.