News archive

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.

PEP : EUR-ECHO Spring 2019

Posted on by Vitus Danaa Abobo

With the best wishes from the Province of Europe :

EUR-ECHO Spring 2019

Before printing this newsletter, please consider reading it from the screen and save the trees.

PAO Newsletter – Baobab n° 32

Posted on by Vitus Danaa Abobo

Here comes the newsletter (in French) from the West African Province BAOBAB n° 32.

Please try and read it from the screen and spare the trees.

Sister Charlotte Couture (Jean-Guy), 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 Charlotte Couture (Jean-Guy)

Entered the fullness of Life on April 15, 2019
at the infirmary of the Sisters of Charity of Quebec, Beauport (Canada).

She was 95 years old and had spent nearly 68 years of her religious missionary life in Ghana, Burkina Faso, Italy, Chad and Canada.

Paschal triduum

Posted on by Vitus Danaa Abobo

From all of us in the General House

to all of you, wherever you are,

we wish you a holy and prayerful

TRIDUUM

 

 

 

Lenten meditation 2019 – week 7

Posted on by Vitus Danaa Abobo

The German branch of AEFJN – Netzwerk Afrika Deutschland – has prepared a series of meditations in preparation for the “Extraordinary Month on Mission” that Pope Francis has announced for next October. Here is the introductory text. Every Monday of Lent, the following meditation will be posted.

“With the Lenten impulses we want to invite you to enter into a personal and communal reflection on the different dimensions of the mission of the Church:

  1. A personal encounter with Jesus Christ living in his Church: in the Eucharist, in the Word of God, and in personal and communal prayer.
  2. Testimony: the witness of missionary saints, martyrs, and confessors of the faith as an expression of the Church throughout the world.
  3. Missionary formation: biblical, catechetical, spiritual, and theological.
  4. Missionary charity: The witness of selfless love and of lived solidarity with the poor and the suffering to make God’s love for all people visible.“

Week 1: The Extraordinary Missionary Month 2019 – An overview

Week 2: The Extraordinary Missionary Month 2019 – Papal documents

Week 3: The Extraordinary Missionary Month 2019 – Resources

Week 4: The heart of mission: the encounter with Jesus Christ

Week 5: Mission through witness of life

Week 6: Mission at the service of people

Week 7: Mission needs ongoing formation