News archive

The Generalate in festive mode

In Rome, as part of the commemorations of the Jubilee Year of our Foundation and of that of the Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Africa, Cardinal Filoni, Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, will preside over a Solemn Mass in the Saint Louis des Français Church on Saturday, January 26 at 11 hours. On this occasion, a commemorative plaque in memory of Cardinal Lavigerie our Founder will be placed in the same Church where he was ordained Bishop in March 1863.

On February 8, Pope Francis will receive us together with the Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Africa in a private audience.

Stay tuned!

The Mission as a transmission

As part of the 150th anniversary of the Lavigerie Family Foundation (MAfr and MSOLA), we welcomed, on the 19th January, Father Antoine de Padoue Pooda, priest of the diocese of Gawa in Burkina Faso. He was successively a professor in a small seminary, a parish priest and then was sent to Rome to study Missiology. After obtaining his PhD, he returned to Burkina before being called back to teach Missiology at the Roman Urbaniana University. This conference is in French only.

René Van Gansbeke, R.I.P.

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

René Van Gansbeke

on Wednesday 23rd January 2019 at St John’s Hospital in Bruges (Belgium)
at the age of 90 years, of which 64 years of missionary life
in (DR) Congo and in Belgium.

Let us pray for him and for his loved ones.

Download here the announcement of Father René Van Gansbeke’s death Continue reading “René Van Gansbeke, R.I.P.”

Jérusalem – Semaine de l’Unité des Chrétiens

Regard œcuménique sur l’année 2018 avant la semaine de prière pour l’Unité

JERUSALEM – Le mercredi 16 janvier 2019, l’Ecole Biblique et Archéologique de Jérusalem a accueilli la traditionnelle conférence que donne le Père Frans Bouwen, M.Afr., avant la Semaine de prière pour l’Unité. Le père blanc, spécialiste des Églises orientales et du dialogue avec les Églises chrétiennes d’Orient a présenté l’actualité œcuménique de l’année 2018 aux fidèles et religieux de Jérusalem qui se retrouveront à partir de samedi pour vivre un temps de communion à travers des célébrations quotidiennes.

La semaine de l’unité est un événement de grande importance à Jérusalem, la présence des différentes Eglises chrétiennes a encouragé celles-ci à s’accueillir les unes les autres chaque jour pour partager un temps de prière. Ces célébrations attirent de nombreux fidèles et certains d’entre eux sont même des pèlerins qui viennent tout spécialement dans la Ville Sainte pour participer à cette Semaine si particulière.

Chaque année, à cette occasion, la commission pour le dialogue œcuménique propose une conférence sur l’actualité œcuménique des derniers mois, une façon d’inviter les fidèles à prier en ayant connaissance du chemin parcouru et à parcourir pour vivre l’Unité. C’est le président de cette commission épiscopale, le père Frans Bouwen qui se charge de donner les dernières nouvelles de ces chemins de rencontre entre les différentes Eglises. Le Missionnaire d’Afrique, membre de la Commission mixte du dialogue théologique entre l’Eglise catholique et l’Eglise orthodoxe a une très grande connaissance des Eglises orientales. Cependant, le Père Frans en début de conférence n’a pas manqué de préciser que sa présentation était, par la force des choses, portée par un regard subjectif, celui d’un théologien catholique installé à Jérusalem.

Lisez l’article complet de Cécile Klos sur le site du Patriarcat Latin de Jérusalem.

Jubilee Year : Letter of our two superiors

The superiors of our two Lavigerie families wrote a letter to us at the beginning of this new year. Your find this letter nr. 9 under Jubilee 150th>Theme & Logos.

Peter van den Heuvel, R.I.P.

Father Jozef de Bekker, Provincial Delegate of the sector of the Netherlands,
informs you of the return to the Lord of Father

Peter van den Heuvel

on Monday the 21st of January, 2019 at Heythuysen (Netherlands)
at the age of 83 years, of which 58 years of missionary life
in Uganda and in the Netherlands.

Let us pray for him and for his loved ones.

Download here the announcement of Father Peter van den Heuvel’s death Continue reading “Peter van den Heuvel, R.I.P.”

Antoon Vanden Avenne, R.I.P.

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

Antoon (Toon) Vanden Avenne

on Tuesday January 15th, 2019, at Bruges (Belgium)
at the age of 92 years, of which 67 years of missionary life
in Rwanda, DR Congo and in Belgium.

Let us pray for him and for his loved ones.

Download here the announcement of Father Toon Vanden Avenne’s death. Continue reading “Antoon Vanden Avenne, R.I.P.”

Georges Hugot, R.I.P.

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

Georges Hugot

on Friday January 11th, 2019 at Ste-Foy-Lès-Lyon (France)
at the age of 92 years, of which 67 years of missionary life
in Guinea, Burkina Faso, Mali and France.

Let us pray for him and for his loved ones.

Download from here the announcement of Father Georges Hugot’s death. Continue reading “Georges Hugot, R.I.P.”

Pierre du Suau de la Croix, R.I.P.

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

Pierre du Suau de la Croix

on Wednesday 9th January 2019 in the hospital of Pau (France)
at the age of 95 years, of which 69 years of missionary life
in Burkina Faso, Rwanda, South Africa and France.

Let us pray for him and for his loved ones.

Download here the death announcement of Father Pierre du Suau de la Croix. Continue reading “Pierre du Suau de la Croix, R.I.P.”

Allah mahabah

On the stole received by the priests who went to the beatification of the 19 martyrs from Algeria (and the 200,000 Algerian peacemakers!) it is noted: Allah mahabah = “God Love” May these words bring our year 2019 to light: there is so much to do to ensure each other’s happiness!

(taken from the New Year’s greetings of a priest friend on Facebook)