Missionaries of Africa

Father Ignatius ANIPU appointed Bishop of the Diocese of Maradi in Niger

Posted on 22/02/202522/02/2025 by Vitus Danaa Abobo

As officially announced at noon today, the Holy Father has appointed our confrere Father
Ignatius ANIPU Bishop of the Diocese of Maradi in Niger.

On behalf of the Superior General, the General Council and all the confreres, our sincere congratulations to Ignatius and the assurance of our prayers and of our fraternal support in his new service of the Church.

Rome, 22 February 2025

P. André-Léon SIMONART,
General Secretary.

22nd February in the life of Charles Cardinal Lavigerie

Posted on 22/02/202521/02/2025 by Vitus Danaa Abobo

Session on the protection of minors in Bujumbura, day 5

Posted on 21/02/202521/02/2025 by Vitus Danaa Abobo

Session on the protection of minors and of persons in situations of vulnerability for the Central Africa Province-PAC (Bujumbura- Burundi, February 15-26, 2025)

Friday February 21, 2025

We began this day with the continuation of the work we had started yesterday in the teams. This work consisted of drawing up the constituent parts of our province’s safeguarding policy-PAC.

Under the orientation of Stéphane JOULAIN, the rest of the day was devoted to editing and correcting the various texts drawn up by the different groups.

Father Alex MANDA, who presided at today’s Eucharist, exhorted us in these words: ‘As delegates for the protection of minors, let us be humble, with a compassionate and loving eye for our brothers and sisters, especially the little ones and the most vulnerable’.

Safeguarding is our commitment

By: Alex Manda, M.Afr., Jean de Dieu Meda, M.Afr., Anthony Nahabwe, M.Afr., Edmond Ouedraogo, M.Afr., Lowrent Kamwaza, M.Afr.

21st February in the life of Charles Cardinal Lavigerie

Posted on 21/02/202520/02/2025 by Vitus Danaa Abobo

Session on the protection of minors in Bujumbura, day 4

Posted on 20/02/202520/02/2025 by Vitus Danaa Abobo

Session on the protection of minors and of persons in situations of vulnerability for the Central Africa Province-PAC (Bujumbura- Burundi, February 15-26, 2025)

Thursday February 20, 2025

To kick off the work of this 4th day, the Coordinator for Integrity in ministry (CIM), Lowrent Kamwaza, reminded us of the Kigali Declaration, which is the backbone/guide of our safeguarding commitment. He also presented the key tools and steps to help us create safe environments in our mission areas. These steps are useful for developing a safeguarding policy.
A safeguarding policy is a document that sets out the philosophy of an institution, which contains procedures and a code of conduct for preventing and responding to abuse.
The rest of the morning and afternoon was devoted to working in the teams to draw up the constituent parts of the safeguarding policy for our PAC province.
During the Eucharistic celebration presided over by Father Richard B. UJWIGOWA, we were reminded that the power we have been given is not to dominate others but to protect and care for them especially the smallest and little ones of this world.

Safeguarding is our commitment

By: Alex Manda, M.Afr., Jean de Dieu Meda, M.Afr., Anthony Nahabwe, M.Afr., Edmond Ouedraogo, M.Afr., Lowrent Kamwaza, M.Afr.

Giovanni Castagna R.I.P.

Posted on 20/02/202520/02/2025 by Vitus Danaa Abobo

Society of the Missionaries of Africa
Father Giovanni Marchetti, Provincial Delegate of the sector of Italy,
informs you of the return to the Lord of Father

Giovanni Castagna

on Wednesday, 19^th February 2025 in Urgnano (Italy)
at the age of 88 years, of which 64 years of missionary life
in Burundi, Tanzania, Kenya and Italy.

Let us pray for him and for his loved ones.

Download here the announcement of Father Giovanni Castagna’s death

Milestones in the life of Father Giovanni Castagna

Born in : Civate on : 26/03/1936	Spiritual Year	Missionary Oath	Priesthood Ordination
Diocese : Milano	27/09/1956	27/06/1960	28/01/1961
Citizenship : Italian	Maison-Carrée (Algeria)	Carthage (Tunisia)	Como (Italy)

Bionotes

01/08/1961	Professeur	Treviglio	Italia
01/09/1965	Professeur	Gargagnago	Italia
30/06/1966	Supérieur	Gargagnago	Italia
01/01/1969	Conseiller Provinc.		Italia
01/10/1970	Doctorat	Milano	Italia
31/03/1971	Vicaire	Mukenke, D. Muyinga	Burundi
26/03/1972	Supérieur	Mukenke	Burundi
01/09/1972	Conseiller Régional		Burundi
01/01/1974	Vicaire	Kibumbu, D. Gitega	Burundi
01/06/1975	Conseiller Régional		Burundi
01/01/1976	Curé: Mushasha	Gitega, Annexe	Burundi
01/09/1979	Rédaction “Africa”	Milano	Italia
01/01/1981	Supérieur	Milano	Italia
03/08/1983	Nommé+arrive: PE.83/7	Giheta, D. Gitega	Burundi
01/01/1985	Anim. Catéchèse	Giheta, D. Gitega	Burundi
18/09/1985	Supérieur local	Roma, M. G.	Italia
29/12/1988	Arrive à	Dar-es-Salaam	Tanzania
01/01/1989	Cours de Swahili	Kipalapala	Tanzania
01/04/1989	Curate	Sengerema, D. Geita	Tanzania
04/10/1989	Curate	Nzera, D. Geita	Tanzania
01/10/1993	Parish Priest	Nzera, D. Geita	Tanzania
01/07/1994	Prov.Italia(PE.94/6)		Italia
01/07/1997	Prov.Italia 2e mand.		Italia
12/10/2000	Nommé Tnz.		Tanzania
01/01/2001	Prévu Benaco		Tanzania
11/01/2002	Ministry	Nairobi, South B	Kenya
01/02/2002	Ministry	Bukumbi D. Mwanza	Tanzania
28/10/2002	Par.Priest	Nairobi, Eastleigh	Kenya
08/11/2004	Islam Encounter	Wete, D. Zanzibar	Tanzania
15/10/2005	Superieur	Treviglio, Merisio	Italia
25/10/2005	Nommé (PE 05/10)		Italia
05/11/2006	Elu Conseiller		Italia
01/10/2021	Résidence (Soins)	Hôpital d’Urgnano	Italia
19/02/2025	DCD (88)	Urgnano	Italia

20th February in the life of Charles Cardinal Lavigerie

Posted on 20/02/202520/02/2025 by Vitus Danaa Abobo

Session on the protection of minors in Bujumbura, day 3

Posted on 19/02/202524/02/2025 by Vitus Danaa Abobo

Session on the protection of minors and of persons in situations of vulnerability for the Central Africa Province-PAC (Bujumbura- Burundi, February 15-26, 2025)

Wednesday February 19, 2025

To conclude the first part in understanding the laws on the protection of minors in the three countries of the PAC Province, today we had a presentation by Maitre Arsène LUMPALI on the protection of children according to the Congolese law.

The Congolese Constitution has a provision for the protection of minors from the levels of the family, society and the State. Negligence and mistreatment of children, and in particular paedophilia, sexual abuse as well as accusing children as witches is punishable by law. There are several categories of well-organised laws for the protection of children and people in vulnerable situations. As pastoral workers, he reminded us of our evangelical and prophetic mission, which consists in drawing up a safeguarding policy and providing ongoing training for all.

After these presentations, Stéphane Joulain guided us through the practical guidelines for developing a safeguarding policy. We did this work in teams, where in-depth discussions were conducted.

All this was enriched by the Eucharistic celebration where the celebrant, Father Geoffrey MUGENI, invited us, like the blind man, to gradually see/discover the importance of the ministry of safeguarding.

Safeguarding is our commitment

By: Alex Manda, M.Afr., Jean de Dieu Meda, M.Afr., Anthony Nahabwe, M.Afr., Edmond Ouedraogo, M.Afr., Lowrent Kamwaza, M.Afr.

19th February in the life of Charles Cardinal Lavigerie

Posted on 19/02/202518/02/2025 by Vitus Danaa Abobo

Session on the protection of minors in Bujumbura, day 2

Posted on 18/02/202519/02/2025 by Vitus Danaa Abobo

Session on the protection of minors and of persons in situations of vulnerability for the Central Africa Province-PAC (Bujumbura- Burundi, February 15-26, 2025)

Tuesday February 18, 2025
In developing safeguarding policy, we need to be familiar with the laws of the countries where we carry out our ministry. For this reason, the second day of our session was marked by the presentation of a legal expert in the field of the protection of minors in the Burundian context. In his talk, Maître NDAYISHIMIYE Jean Berchmans shared with us exhaustive information about the protection of children in the Burundian context. He also presented the legal and constitutional framework for child protection. We discovered that Burundi is concerned about the welfare of children at all levels, starting with family structures. All forms of abuse, violence and exploitation of minors are punishable by law.

Despite this arsenal of laws, child abuse persists. Hence the need for a workable and contextual policy for the province: protection, reporting mechanisms , and guidelines for the safety of everyone.

These elements are important for tackling the next stage of our session, which is to draw up a policy for the PAC province (Rwanda, Burundi and DR Congo).

The day was enriched by the celebration of the Eucharist presided over by Father Lowrent Kamwaza. ‘As pastoral agents, We are called to be the Noahs of today, ready to be bridges through which the people of God find a safe environment in His Church’.

Safeguarding is our commitment.

By: Alex Manda, M.Afr., Jean de Dieu Meda, M.Afr., Anthony Nahabwe, M.Afr., Edmond Ouedraogo, M.Afr., Lowrent Kamwaza, M.Afr.