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Organised by Philippe Docq, a session on communications, which brought together delegates from the different Provinces of the Missionaries of Africa, was held at the Generalate in Rome from the 27th May to 2nd June 2018.

Topics included: Strategic Planning (with the drawing up of a five year plan) led by Sr. Marides Santos; Identity and Branding led by Professor Sean Patrick Lovett; Telling stories and marketing the Gospel by Fr. Fabrizio Colombo; and Communications and fundraising with Doctor Fortunat Mambulu.

The 10 participants were: Vitus Abobo, Michel Agoh, Patient Bahati,  Venance Bharotota, Serge Boroto, Pawel Hulecki, Pawel Mazurek, Dennis Pam, Jacques Poirier, and Johnson Singarajan.

They all left with the feeling of having acquired a sufficient amount of baggage to give a new boost to the ministry of communication in each one of our Provinces. They also recognised the challenges of passing on these skills to as many confreres as possible.

Freddy Kyombo

Sister Marides (in the back row) with participants of the session

Professor Sean-Patrick  directing his workshop

Father Fabrizio Colombo and Father Janvier Yaméogo address the participants.

On Friday May 25th, in the late afternoon, the Generalate of the Missionaries of Africa was honoured to host the Episcopal Conference of Burkina Faso and Niger which was in Rome for its Ad limina visit and an audience with the Holy Father.

About 20 archbishops, bishops, priests came. They wanted to visit the Missionaries of Africa because they have missions in both countries.

They had a meeting with the General Council, who welcomed them in the good traditional manner and showed them around the house. They visited the chapel of the martyrs of Uganda and the tomb of our founder, Cardinal Charles Lavigerie. It was an opportunity to pray for the Church-Family of Burkina Faso and Niger, who face the challenges of terrorism and insecurity. Then they were invited to share a meal with the whole Generalate community.

It was obviously a moment of joy for all, as when the time came for saying goodbye; the farewells seemed to last forever. A sure sign of the enjoyment everybody took in this meeting.

Let’s see the rest in pictures.

Freddy Kyombo

Here is a little book that can easily become a bedside book for many of our seniors. The author tackles some aspects of the life of our older confreres in a number of short chapters.

Right from chapter two, he addresses the inactivity which strikes those who now have nothing to do. Then, in chapter three, comes the suitable moment to return to a more intense prayer life. In the church, the elderly feel at home. In this way, they proclaim by their daily lives that being present to God fits into the deepest essence of man (p. 15). Of course the elderly have to deal with young people, their children, who can be a source of joy (Chapter 4) or of suffering (Chapter 5). These children can sometimes be a real cross. All old people know it, “but how painful it is to have to live it” (p. 24). Chapter Seven deals with questions that old people ask when they are faced with a problematic or uncertain future. They are invited to hope, “A strong hope gives the conviction that the night will not prevail and that the day will come eventually” (p. 34). Our author continues sagaciously that, «The night speaks of the day – the darkness speaks of the light” (P. 36).  Chapter 8, at 18 pages, and entitled “The elderly and their past” is the longest in the book. The author asserts that “managing the past is an art in itself” (p. 37), the trick is to live in the present “which is heavy with the past and stretching out to the future” (P: 54). It is absolutely essential not to scratch old wounds “even if that is not an easy thing to do” (P. 44). Chapters 9 and 10 do not concern us too much as they deal with the art of being a grandparent and being a widow/widower. However, they are interesting from the pastoral point of view especially when one is involved pastorally with retirement homes. Chapter 11 is called, “Preparing one’s eternal future.” In it, we are invited to look at death as a birth. This is easy to say but difficult to live. The author adds, “The Christian knows where he is going, that is his strength” (p. 77).

The books ends with an invitation to take heart from the Patriarchs of the Old Testament who were given a promise, “they believed it – they did not see it coming –  they persevered, advancing in the faith as if they saw the invisible” (p. 92).

A book to read and reread so that all these thoughts pass from our heads to our hearts and may be able to guide us as we advance in age. Why not find a little place for it in our libraries?

One day, while I was visiting our Provincial House in Montreal, I was invited to be the principal celebrant for morning mass. After my short homily and a time of silence, I began the offertory. Then just as I was going to offer the bread and the wine, a confrere signalled to me to read some names of confreres of the Province which were written on a little piece of paper lying on the altar with the day’s date on it. I thought that I was meant to read the names of dead confreres but in fact those mentioned were very much alive and one of them was even before me sporting a large smile!  I then understood that I was meant to read the names of the confreres of the Province who were celebrating their birthdays on this particular day. This simple gesture touched me and the idea of knowing that the confreres of Montreal pray for me and with me each year on my birthday warmed my heart.

So I invite you all, wherever you may be and if the heart tells you, to offer a daily prayer for our confreres celebrating their birthday. It is a simple and tangible way of expressing and nourishing a family spirit in our Missionary Society and to encourage us to persevere in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving (cf. Col 4, 2).  

To facilitate this, you can download from our Internet site, (https://mafrome.org) a catalogue with all the dates of birth of our confreres for each day of the year

Moreover, on the day of their birthday, why not offer them one of these blessings from the Bambara people of West Africa:

May God give you a long life!

May God make you a person of faith!

May God bring us here again next year to celebrate you!

United in prayer!

Martin Grenier, M.Afr.

Alger, 5 May 2018

In 2016, the young Rector of the Our Lady of Africa Basilica, Fr. Anselm Tarpaga, M.Afr from Burkina Faso launched a project that was somewhat daring and risky. He organised an Islamic-Christian Marian Day. Convinced of the importance of creating a space for conviviality and reflection, he wants to live fully the charism of the White Fathers without adopting a wait-and-see attitude or playing a minor role: he wants, with all these confreres, to become a committed player and to. give a taste for dialogue  to others.

By 2018, this initiative of the White Fathers has already been confirmed as a friendly meeting place, open to all who, in Algeria, want to promote friendship between Christians and Muslims. In Algiers, the Basilica of Our Lady of Africa with its exceptional surrounding and its reputation as a place of peace and open spirituality was the ideal location. Many thanks to the civil and religious authorities who cooperated in one way or another to the success of the day.

The ‘Farmers’ Market’ foreseen for the Esplanade in front of the Basilica could not take place for scheduling reasons. Maybe it was a bit of luck because a strong wind and intermittent showers would have seen off any possible buyers and maybe even the produce on display!

Information about the event was spread by posters and brochures, social media, through our lists of friends and benefactors, through the local press (our thanks to our friends who used their contacts and drew the attention of national and foreign journalists as well as the different TV stations.) In total, more than 300 admission tickets were applied for by way of our website (www.notre-dame-afrique.org). Other people arrived in the hope of finding a little bit of space because the idea of living together interested them greatly.

When Fr. Michael O’Sullivan, the Rector of the Basilica, addressed his welcoming remarks to the assembled gathering, the nave of the Basilica was packed to the rafters thanks to the presence of ordinary citizens, representatives of the civil authorities, members of the diplomatic corps, the representative of the Ministry of Religious Affairs, other associations, researchers, some well wishers and a good part of the Catholic community of Algiers in all its diversity. The Archbishop of Algiers, Paul Desfarges SJ, and Cheikh Hamdan Sahalli,  the Imam of the mosque “Al-Oumma” (in our neighbourhood) likewise said a few words emphasising the importance of the day and its theme.

The long-awaited round table discussions began at 10.40. Here is a list of the speakers and what they talked about. They were all, with one exception, women.

Mme Malika LAFER (joint presenter of the programme  “Knowing Islam” on Channel 3 TV in Algiers): Using the radio for education

Mme Samira Mekhaldi (“mourchida” or religious guide ): “Feminine experience of passing on the faith”.

Mme Fazia Belaidi : from La Revue Hayat (co edited by the Red Crescent and Caritas Algeria):  “An Islamic- Christian experience in favour of women”.

One of the speakers at the 3rd Islamic-Christian Marian Day

Mme Felicia Volpicella (Catechist of the Italian speaking community) : “Adolescents and their education in the context of a religious and linguistic minority”.

Dr Mustafa CHERIF (Former Minister and Algerian Ambassador) : “The Blessed Virgin venerated by the Muslims, in conformity with the Qur’an and the Prophetic Tradition”.

Two musical interludes, magnificently interpreted by the maestro Djamel Ghazi, allowed the participants to prepare questions for the panelists during two rounds of questions. The participants put questions to the speakers, in Arabic or French but they also questioned the authorities responsible for the preservation of the patrimony and the cultural and religious diversity of Algeria. One felt from these questions posed by the public little used to big philosophical discussions , a real desire to live in peace and harmony.

At 13.00 hours, a long and noisy procession left the Basilica and made its way to the Parish courtyard where a generous meal was served. However, it must be said that many were deceived not to find the traditional “Marian couscous” on the menu whose recipe intrigues everyone who read about it in the programme. It was, nevertheless, to multiply the contacts, to take ‘selfies’, exchange addresses and speak of common projects…up to the point when the ever menacing rain began to fall gently on us. Happily it was the time for the reopening of the Basilica for those who wanted to attend the closing concert due to begin at 15.00.

Questions and contributions from the participants at the 3rd Islamic-Christian Marian Day

Thanks to the kindness of the Italian Ambassador, a group named Prima Prattica Ensemble composed of nine members and specialists in the art of singing A capella and polyphony, delighted us with the quality of their singing. A religious silence accompanied the hymns and songs in honour of the Virgin Mary ranging from the XVth  century to the XXth century. A real gift from heaven.

After closing the Basilica and making sure everything was back in its proper place, the team of three White Fathers (Michael from Ireland, Benoît Mwana Nyembo from DRC and myself from Spain) collapsed on to the sofa in the house thanking God for a great day. We did very well to organise such an event. Over a celebratory aperitif, we reviewed the day’s events and swapped the many amusing anecdotes that we saw and heard. Even if nobody mentioned it, we all had the same idea in our heads, what about the 4th Islamic-Christian Marian day. Who wants to help us make it a reality?

José María Cantal Rivas, M.Afr.

How many of us know who the Millennials, popularly known as Generation Y are? Do you know which generation you belong to? Are you a member of the Lost Generation, G.I. Generation, Silent Generation, Baby Boomers, Generation X, Millennials or Generation Z? It would be an interesting topic to do some online research in order to know more about these classifications. Of course, for many participants at the SEDOS residential seminar, it was like a spirit baptism to hear about these modern classifications.

In preparation for the upcoming Synod on Youth in October 2018 at the Vatican, SEDOS (Service of Documentation and Study on Global Mission) organized a five-day residential seminar on the theme Youth and Mission at the House of the Sisters of the Divine Master in Ariccia – Rome from 30th April to 4th May 2018. Over hundred participants were invited to the seminar and four M.Afr. confreres: André Schaminée (Rome), Daniel Ntumba Kabuya (Toulouse), Dieudonné Bulambo Amani (Ghana) and Leo Laurence Maria Joseph (Belgium) and one MSOLA, Sr. Anafrida Biro (Poland) joined the other participants who came from the four corners of the world. Most of the participants were major superiors, vocation animators, administrators, and pastoral agents working with youth in parishes and in specialized centres for youth apostolate. The following major themes were discussed during the seminar: “Contemporary Youth Culture – Between Right and Wrong” by Emilia Palladino, a Professor at the Pontifical Gregorian University, “Generated by Life to Correspond to Love” by Sr. Bruna Zaltron, SCM, a Professor at the Claretianum, “The Role and Challenges of Evangelization for the Youth in the Multicultural and Pluralistic World of Today” by Bro. Paul Raj FSG, Assistant General of the Congregation of the Montfort Brothers of St. Gabriel, “The Evangelized will Evangelize – the Role of Lay  Missionaries Today” by Mr Michael Papenkordt, a Professor at the Institute of World Evangelization (ICPE-Germany), “Learning from Vocation Ministry in the US” by Bro. Paul Bednarczyck CSC,Vicar General of the Congregation of the Holy Cross. Cardinal Lorenzo Baldisseri concluded our seminar with a special talk on “Synod 2018: on Young People, the Faith and Vocation Discernment”.

The participants at the SEDOS seminar

One of the interesting highpoints was the panel discussion with four young religious in the plenary session who creatively shared their personal experiences and engaged with the participants about their vocation journey. For most of the participants, it was a learning experience to hear what these young religious had to say regarding formation. One of the striking elements was the constant reference to the modern means of communication that is so necessary both in vocation animation as well as during the formation period of our candidates. They are to be given the freedom to use telephones/internet during the formation period so that they may learn to use it responsibly. One Superior General even told us that, from now on, even the novices will be allowed to use mobile telephones and internet (of course with caution to make them use these responsibly).

M.Afr and MSOLA at the SEDOS seminar: Dieudonné Bulambo Amani, Leo Laurence Maria Joseph, Sr. Anafrida Biro, André Schaminée and Daniel Ntumba Kabuya

Another important element that caught my attention was the word “passion” in doing youth apostolate. We don’t wait in our closed houses and wait for the young to come and join us. The time has come to get out of our comfort zones (religious houses and convents) and go to the places where young people are actually found today. If today’s youth do not join us in religious life, it is precisely because our way of life does not attract them. We have lost the passion for Christ, our charism and our missionary commitment and have become too comfortable behind structures. One of us even brought up the idea of “collective suicide” because there did not seem to be any hope in the future. This tendency has to be firmly fought.

We still use the vocation pamphlets printed in 1920 (a sister said jokingly) and use the same method of vocation animation that no longer attracts today’s youth. Are the pamphlets meant for the already existing members or for the potential future candidates? Are they attractive to the present youth? How many of us seize the full potential of modern means of communication in our vocation animation? Today’s youth are online 24/7 and they are connected to the world. Imagine, if we could create an app and commercialize it in Google play store. We would probably be the first ones on the net having an app. We could also have our own M.Afr. App so that members could be connected more easily than through a website.

Another element that struck me during the discussion is the fact that some congregations still make vocation animation a part time job, although the future of the congregation is entirely dependent on it. Therefore, a renewed commitment of all members to engage in vocation animation is necessary wherever and whenever possible. A fulltime vocation promoter is an absolute necessity if we want to receive new members into our Society. All of us are called to make a difference and attract young people to religious life through our life of witness.

In the formation period, we need to see young people not as objects to be formed as in our old formation program, but primarily as active subjects who are able to contribute to their own formation and growth. Therefore, a more open and listening attitude is needed in the houses of formation so as to update constantly our method of formation corresponding to the needs of the time.

We were asked: Do you trust young people? To our amazement, everyone in the assembly affirmed that we trust and believe in youth who have immense potential and hope to approach them with hope. The upcoming Synod on Youth may bring some far-reaching conclusions because of the active involvement of youth in responding to the questionnaire and in the preparation of the working document.

May we continue to pray that the Holy Spirit will continue to guide us in making right decisions regarding young people, not for them but with them? All in all, it was an informative, challenging and engaging seminar. Thanks to SEDOS and to the Society for making our participation possible and such a successful one.

Maria Leo Laurence, M.Afr.

A foot soldier hardly ever gets to meet his General and a blue collar worker has no idea who his C.E.O. is. This is more or less how I perceive our General Council. They live far away somewhere in Rome and always seem to be on the road like fire-men trying to solve burning questions. They are definitely needed and useful to maintain some coherence in our worldwide activities. They probably also exercise some influence on my way of life and work, although I am not aware of it. Therefore, a clear answer to the question of my perception of the General Council is difficult to give.

That is why I addressed my 35 confreres here in the house with a poster, asking for their enlightenment. After three weeks, not a single reaction was registered. So there seems to be a problem of communication or information. Of course, the official documents give a rather detailed description of their role, but the question raised was one of perception. Where do I see the Council at work? Where do I receive information about the evaluation of their journeys, the problems they encounter and the solutions they found? Where do I experience their teamwork and their impact on the progress of the implementation of the Chapter Documents? My perception remains rather vague!

During 2017 most members of the General Council introduced a topic for information or discussion in the Petit Echo. There I saw them at work, not as a team but expressing their personal thoughts or knowledge on a given subject. Unfortunately, we never read much about the outcomes of these reflections. The key words of the Chapter were Justice and Peace, the Integrity of Creation, Dialogue and Encounter. I rarely discover explicit references to these subjects. In my own missionary experience, I discovered that our impact did not depend on the number of schools, churches or hospitals built, nor on the amount of money invested or the development of projects. Our simple presence in love and dedication was the decisive factor that made people discover that the Gospel revealed a totally new vision on life that freed them from fear and death. It is a physical, daily presence that is not transmitted by Internet or social media, disillusionment with which becomes obvious every day. A more critical approach to our missionary practice that, in my view, should be perceived through the journeys of the members of the General Council does not appear very clearly in the few contacts available to me for the moment.

Living in a rest-home in Europe I would like to hear or read about the obstacles in the implementation of our vision. How do we live out our spirituality in the field? Is the rule of three in communities a dream or a reality? Is Internet and the social media a blessing or a curse? How much time do we devote, spend or waste every day in front of the screen? Is it still meaningful to discuss authority and obedience ? Is the missionary task still a community exercise or a private undertaking? These are some of the questions I put to myself and to which I would love to get some answers from the Council.

The Strategic Plan in the Chapter papers devotes a special column to evaluation. The foot soldiers would love to receive some more detailed information about the successes but also about the failures of what is happening in the Society today. The successes make us grateful, but the failures make us pray and meditate on our shortcomings. They help us reflect on our own way of doing or give us inspiration to adjust our approach. Don’t call the positive developments a trend and the failures, individual exceptions. The personal letters sent to Rome are  also a possibility to gauge the atmosphere and to inform us all about what seems to be happening. Don’t keep too many skeletons in the cupboards or sweep dirt under the carpets, if there are any left in your offices.

Geert Groenewegen, M.Afr.

“Please, could you write something how you, as Secretary General , perceive the relationships between the General Council and the confreres.” This was the request made to me by the editor of the Petit Echo. When I began to reflect about it, two main objections came to mind: How could such a question be answered by someone who has passed the last six years behind a desk, looking at a screen and dealing with documents, bits of paper etc.? Indeed, contrary to the other members of the GC, I have never embarked on long journeys to the Provinces, Sections or Sectors listening to and sharing with the confreres. Then another thought came to my mind: are there not written words, in no matter what form , which are often more reliable than spoken words often used to flatter the listener especially when such a person is a Provincial or a member of the General Council? Then, I had to face up to another objection: how could someone who is bound by a strict rule of confidentiality reply to this question? Maybe I was trying to dodge and escape the question! Certainly, it was out of the question to go into the details of individual cases, but one could always give some general impressions. And that is what I am going to try to do in what follows.

A well-known saying among some old people is that time seems to fly as one gets older. The clocks seem to defy any “ speed limit ” and clock hands always seem to be going around at full speed. In fact, when you read this article sometime after the 1st July, my six years as Secretary General will be in the past tense and “good material” for the Archives of the Society. If you pass and knock at the door of the Secretary General in Rome, another André, not me, will welcome you.

These last six years, four with Richard Baawobr and his team, and two with the present team seem to have been shorter than the one year I spent at the novitiate in the middle of the sixties, which, to put it mildly, was not the happiest year of my life!

I look back with gratitude at the last six years which have helped me to appreciate my missionary vocation more and the marvellous services that our Society and its members give to Africa and “wherever our charism is needed” (CA, 2016, p. 17). One part of my work consists of dealing with all the incoming and outgoing documents such as letters addressed to the General Council (from confreres, Bishops, the Vatican and others), the minutes of the Provincial Council meetings, reports from the institutions etc. In doing so, I realized that our Society is very much like our Founder, Cardinal Lavigerie, very heroic and generous, but also frail and human. I have been very impressed by the devotion of the confreres to the ministries entrusted to them either in leadership roles, formation, pastoral work or in services rendered to the local church. Most of the confreres who write to the General Council share their joys and sorrows often in a very positive way by proposing solutions to existing problems or suggesting ways of dealing with sometimes very thorny questions. However, they also readily accept that at the end of the dialogue the “last word” rests with the General Council. However not all the confreres follow the appropriate procedures and do not pass through the local leadership. I was much taken by the way this General Council respects the local leadership and gently invites the confrere to discuss the matter first with his Provincial! There is no doubt that there is a great deal of mutual trust.

However, it is not surprising that sometimes confreres complain that decisions are not taken as quickly as they would like. On occasion, they have a valid point but I can assure you (the reader) that the General Council takes very seriously every matter presented to them and they do their best to deal with it without delay. Nevertheless, some essential information is often missing or the agenda is so full that some delay is inevitable. Moreover, not all the confreres know about the timetable of meetings of the GC in Rome: they meet for two months, three times a year in January-February, May-June and September-October. The other months are principally devoted to visiting Provinces, Sections, or Sectors.

André Schaminée with Pello Sala, former Administrative Secretary

As I have already said above, our Society is also fragile and human. The GC has to deal also with painful even disconcerting problems. Some questions, which go beyond the authority of the local leadership team, are referred to the General Council, which must find time to deal with them, whether it likes it or not! When confreres go astray and become victims of the many temptations that life throws at them, the GC, with the collaboration of the local leadership, do all they can to help them  confront their situation, which often seem hopeless, with honesty, courage and determination. Some do not want to admit that ‘they have a problem’ others, thanks to the softly softly and compassionate approach of the local leadership and of the GC, get back on the right track.

André Schaminée assurant le secrétariat au Conseil général.

It is not a secret that the Society is diminishing in numbers, although recently, there has been a significant increase in new members, for which we thank God. The average age of the confreres is 67 years. I mention this in order to underline the fact that request for workers in the vineyard is still greater than those available. Such a situation can easily provoke tensions between the GC and local leadership. At the time of appointments, for example, a Province can ask for 15 stagiaires and eight young confreres but they will only receive seven and four respectively because “nobody can give what he does not have.” I am often surprised and impressed that, in the end, everybody seems to be happy with what they received even if they have only got half of what they asked for. This shows that there is high degree of pragmatism and a good sense of co-responsibility at all levels.

André Schaminée with Odon Kipili, the new Administrative Secretary

An overall view allows me to conclude that the relations between the GC and the confreres are generally healthy and happy. The key to this success lies in this formula: “Show the greatest respect for others as much as possible.”

André Schaminée,
ex-Secretary General