Category: Missionaries of Africa Page 1 of 3

CfSC’s staff and other partners witnessed the launch of its 2020 – 2024 strategic Plan launch. The event took place on 18^th June 2020 at its offices. Below are the highlights of the event.

The Centre for Social Concern

The Centre For Social Concern (CfSC) is a project of the Missionaries of Africa (White Fathers). In line with their vision and mission, the CfSC seeks to promote Justice and Peace and the Integrity of Creation (JPIC) and Interfaith Dialogue in Malawi and beyond. The Centre was started in 2002 and in its short history has been working on issues like:

A monthly review of the cost of living through the Basic Needs Basket survey.
The international debt burden, its causes and debt cancellation.
The linkage between the international trade system and poverty and the rising cost of living in Malawi.
The plight of the tobacco tenants and the promotion of the passing of a bill regulating tobacco tenancy labour.
A survey on how people who have very low salaries cope with the ever-rising cost of living.
Marginalization of religious communities and (the lack of) participation in development.
Dialogue between Islam and the Catholic Church on their social teaching.
Conflict management and mediation, mainly in conflicts involving religion.

Project List

The Centre for Social Concern in its analysis has established that poverty the factor that impacts most on human dignity of Malawians. It has therefore developed the following programs:

The Social Conditions Programme examines the poverty situation with reference to local conditions and causes.

This has as main recurrent activity the Basic Needs Basket (BNB), which is simple way in calculating the cost of living.
It does occasional research coming from the data collected through the BNB survey.
Another activity is Social Protection monitoring.

The Economic Justice Programme looks at the international contributing factors of the persistent poverty in Malawi. It examines the international trade relations and imbalances and how they impact on the cost of living.

It monitors the spending of funds freed through debt cancellation. It promotes tax justice through studying the present tax system and proposing a more equitable way, where the stronger shoulders carry the bigger burden.

The Human and Social Capital Programme works at assisting youth and others to be better prepared through information sharing for their tasks in society.

The library and resource centre assist especially youth and young students through providing study facilities and books.
The Press Review offers information about how the press reported the events month by month and so forms its readers to be critical.
The Awareness Programme on Human Trafficking helps people to understand the evil of this modern form of slavery and combat it.

The Religion as Transformation Programme helps making religion a positive force for change in society.

The furthering of Catholic Social Teaching wants to make this “best kept secret” better known so that it can influence people to contribute better to the transformation of society.
The Interfaith Dialogue project studies how the faith dimension contributes to both the betterment of society as well as to conflict.

Administration assists in the implementation of all activities.

For further information about CfSC Projects please contact The Director

Serving and living with God’s people.

By Missionaries of Africa - Southern Africa Province (SAP)

On July 6, 2020

In Missionaries of Africa, Mozambique Sector, News, Publications

By Hervé Tougma

Proud to be a member of our Society by my missionary Oath, I was ordained in and for the Church. I am a Missionary of Africa priest in the Church who is mother and educator. Since my ordination, the Society has granted me the grace and privilege to live in a parish in Mozambique.

In this semi-urban and semi-rural parish, my desire is to live a very active apostolate in which the collaboration between the pastoral team and the Christian faithful is felt and lived. This desire, which is a reality in our small and young parish, is the subject of a sharing on “the life and the participative management of our parish”.

Encounter with the right key

Hand in hand, we will build up the Church as God’s family. As a Missionary, I am aware of my contribution but the strength of the building will depend on the people who receive the Gospel, and allow it to penetrate their lives and be its life-giving source. In Mozambique, every confrere who arrives for the first time in this “Glorious Land” becomes a small library which is once again enriched with two languages: Portuguese and the local language. Taking to heart the invitation of our founder, Cardinal Lavigerie, learning the language brings us into the reality of the people and brings us closer to them. As Missionaries of Africa, speaking the local language remains a priority for the sharing and incarnation of the Good News, for breaking down barriers of communication and for coming into contact with and understand the local culture. Speaking the language already gives this joy of walking together.

In his missionary sending, Jesus said: “Go therefore, make disciples of all nations, (…) teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Mt 28:19-20a). To make disciples of them and to transmit what the Lord Himself has commanded me, knowledge of the language is the key that allows me to be a happy and fulfilled missionary.

The Apostolate of collaboration, baptized and sent

Invited by the Bishop because of our charism, we have responded by taking a parish as a starting point for our apostolate of Justice and Peace and of Integrity of Creation JPIC). In the same perspective and taking advantage of our presence, the Bishop also asked us to join his pastoral team to initiate ecumenism and inter-religious dialogue with the growing number of Muslims in the region. The cosmopolitan reality of Tete calls for an integration of our specialisation with the pastoral needs of the Diocese. In this mining town and crossroads of travellers from neighbouring countries such as Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe, we observe the intermingling of races and human mobility as ordinary realities. As Missionaries of Africa, managing a parish that responds to our vocation as ordained for the Church, the particularity of our charism propels us to respond to pastoral needs starting from the parish that serves as a springboard.

With very few diocesan priests, the Diocese counts on different congregations each with its own approach to mission, based on its Charism.

The absence of permanent catechists in the Diocese of Tete was a surprise to me. This reality provides for a very close collaboration with lay people and pastoral agents. For catechesis in our parish, we work with volunteer catechists. We have the presence of the Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist and the Ministers of Hope. The Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist assists the priest in the distribution of the Eucharist and brings communion to the sick. He also accompanies the priest at the appropriate time for visits to the sick. The Ministers of Hope collaborate through being close to the sick. In case of decease, the Minister of Hope leads the prayers for Christian burial when the priest cannot be present.

Within the framework of these two extraordinary ministries, each group is being prepared and trained before being sent out for witnessing to their faith through their ministry.

As pastors, we visit the communities for Masses and in the absence of the priest we count on their leaders for the celebration of the Word every Sunday. According to St. Paul “How could they call upon him, if they had not believed in him? And how could they believe in him without hearing him? And how can they hear him if no one proclaims him?

And how can they proclaim him unless they are sent?” (Rom 10:14-17). This responsibility is shared and the most important thing is to empower these lay leaders through prior preparation. The training and meetings allow us to journey with the members of the different groups and movements towards a precise horizon. We keep an eye on the organization and the life of the basic Christian communities. We visit these communities from time to time so as to accompany them and to remain in touch with the faithful. We also encourage them to practice solidarity in their daily living.

The reality of the mission in the field educates and teaches us. After a long time of formation, I discovered the necessity and importance of pastoral collaboration. In addition to the collaboration with the Pastor of the Diocese and his pastoral agents, I have learned to appreciate collaboration with the laity so as to live the apostolate of closeness in view of rooting the Gospel in the life and culture of people. The preparation I have received is being contextualised and teaches me to delegate, to share my experience and know-how with close collaborators for the building up of the mystical body of Christ: the Church.

Source : Petit Écho de la Société des Missionnaires d’Afrique, no 1109, 2020/03

Celebration at Mphangwe of 150 Years of the Foundation of the Missionaries of Africa, September 8th, 2018

By Missionaries of Africa - Southern Africa Province (SAP)

On September 22, 2018

In Missionaries of Africa, News

By Fr Dave Cullen Dave Cullen - Chipata Hospital 2014 06 copie , M.Afr

Bishop George Lungu, the Ordinary of Chipata Diocese, graciously offered to commemorate the foundation of the Missionaries of Africa 150 years ago with two Masses in the diocese, one at Chasera where the missionaries first arrived, but for a very brief period, and the second at the first parish established by the Society in 1913 at Mphangwe. It was at there that we celebrated Mass on the Feast of the Birthday of the Blessed Virgin Mary on September 8^th.

It was Katete Deanery that both prepared the celebration and, together with some help from other deaneries, funded the expenses involved. The Montfort Fathers, who are in charge of Mphangwe Prayer Centre, had put a great deal of effort to ensuring that the event was fittingly celebrated. Tarpaulins had been put up to enable almost everyone present to be shielded from the sun. Radio Maria was present to record the Mass and ensure that the loudspeaker system was in good order. A considerable number of the diocesan clergy concelebrated the Mass, together with a Comboni Missionary and several other priests, one coming from as far away as the United States on visit in Katete. Likewise, there were representatives from the various Religious Congregations, Sisters and Brothers. Parishioners from Mphangwe itself had also come in large numbers.

ZAMBIE 2 The Mass was presided by the auxiliary bishop of Chipata Diocese, Benjamin Phiri. Before the Mass began, the bishop invited our Provincial, Fr Felix Phiri, to give a brief history of the work of the Missionaries of Africa in Chipata Diocese. It was, in fact, the Missionaries of Africa who founded the Church in the Eastern Province. In 1937 the Prefecture of Fort Jameson was established with Fr Fernand Martin as the priest in charge. At that time there were 3 missions in the care of ten Missionaries of Africa, strangely enough, precisely the number still doing apostolic work in the diocese today. However, those original ten eventually increased to fifty-five.

It was Fr Firmin Courtemanche who succeeded Fr Martin in 1947. He was ordained bishop and named Prefect Apostolic of Fort Jameson in 1953. The first diocesan priest in the Prefecture was Fr Zakaria Kapingira, ordained in 1939. The number of White Fathers, as they were then known, having been given that name in North Africa where they were distinguished by the white habit they wore, increased in the diocese during the Second World War that began in 1939, and many new mission stations were opened up by them. After the war, the number of diocesan priests gradually began to increase, foremost among them being Fr Medardo Mazombwe, ordained bishop in 1971 of what had now come to be named Chipata Diocese. He would later be transferred to Lusaka Archdiocese and be made a Cardinal.

As the number of parishes increased Bishop Mazombwe sought the help of other Missionary Societies, the Comboni Missionaries, Missionaries of St Patrick, known as the Kiltegan Fathers, Missionaries of Mary Immaculate, the Montfort Fathers and the Carmelites. Not only did the number of diocesan clergy begin to increase, but also Religious Congregations of Sisters, some from other countries, others from locally founded Congregations, caring for the sick in hospitals, teaching in schools and sharing in the apostolic tasks in a number of parishes.

Fr Felix Phiri finished his presentation by giving thanks for those who had gone to the Lord as also by asking blessings on the Priests, Brothers and Sisters still offering themselves for the spread of the Kingdom of God in Chipata Diocese today.

After this introduction, before beginning Mass, Bishop Benjamin introduced to the congregation the Missionaries of Africa present, four of whom he described as our ‘Senior Citizens’, first of all Fr Henk van Kessel who, the previous day, had celebrated his 92^nd birthday and is still very active as the diocesan archivist, Fr Joe McMenamin, Fr Toon van Kessel and Fr Dave Cullen, all of whom had given many years of service in the diocese. He then began the Mass which was offered prayerfully with the well-rehearsed contribution of the choir and Stellas.

After communion gifts were offered to the Missionaries of Africa, first by Bishop Benjamin, then by many of the clergy and Religious present, as also by many of the laity. As something of a finale, a group of Missionary of Africa students who were present at the Mass, together with a Missionary of Africa priest from Zambia itself, swaying rhythmically to the singing of the choir, brought a gift to the bishop. Coming from various countries in Africa they, together with the ‘Senior Citizens’ and the several other Missionaries of Africa present, witnessed to the international and multiracial character of the Missionaries of Africa.

After Mass all present were invited to a meal that had been prepared for us by our hosts and shared in the dining halls that the Montfort Fathers have had constructed for such events as that of today. From there we all departed in thankfulness and peace to our communities and homes.

ZAMBIE 1

Monseigneur Étienne-Benoît Larue: The Founder of Child Jesus Sisters.

By Missionaries of Africa - Southern Africa Province (SAP)

On April 11, 2017

In Missionaries of Africa

By Douglas Ogato, M.Afr

Recently, in the wee morning hours, I passed by the convent of the Child Jesus Sisters in Chilonga for a short visit. No sooner had I arrived, the Sisters welcomed me into their house for breakfast. I spotted a portrait of a man hanging on the wall. He was wearing a gandoura and a rosary around his neck. From a distance I could see that he was a White man with a long beard. I saw a name scribbled on the base of the portrait: Monseigneur Etienne Larue. Below were the following words: Our Founder. I asked the sisters: “Who is he?” In unison they responded: “He is our founder.”

According to her narration, the seed of the Congregation of Child Jesus Sisters was born when a White Fathers was preaching in Ipusukilo, Kitwe. A girl came to see him after Mass to share her wish to become a priest like him. The story came to the ears of Monseigneur Etienne Larue who heard a similar story from another girl. It became crystal clear to him that the Spirit was at work. God was calling these girls to religious life. So, he saw an urgent need of founding a local religious congregation of Sisters that will be admitting Zambian girls wanting to devote their lives in serving the Lord. This is how the congregation of Child Jesus Sisters came into existence.

Monseigneur Larue requested the White Sisters to help in admitting the first group of girls into the novitiate and to assist in forming and training them. By doing so, Monseigneur Larue applied a similar method to that of Cardinal Lavigerie when he asked the Jesuits to help in forming and training the first group of candidates he had just recruited for his missionary Society he had founded.

As I ardently listened to the Sister narrating their foundation story, my heart throbbed with nods. The Bemba people rightly say: Umwana uushenda atasha nyina ukunaya (a child who does not travel or visit other places praises her mother for her wonderful cooking). Initially, I had thought that the Child Jesus Sisters had been founded by the White Sisters. My stop over at their convent in Chilonga educated me about their foundation. Had I not stopped over, I was going to remain in ignorance about this rich and important moment of evangelisation in Zambia. Indeed, this is some of the history that we need to cherish and celebrate as we are commemorating 125 years of evangelization in Zambia. May the Spirit of Monseigneur Etienne Larue continue engulfing his daughters so that they may continue serving the Lord in truth and charity!

Bishop Étienne-Benoît Larue, M.Afr

Death of FATHER LÉOPOLD LALONDE, M. Afr.

By mafrsouthernafrica

On March 11, 2017

In Missionaries of Africa, News

“I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will still live, even if he dies. ” John 11, 25

Friday, March 10, 2017

Father Gilles Barrette, Provincial of the Americas, informs you of the death of FATHER LÉOPOLD LALONDE, M. Afr. He died on March 10 2017, in Sherbrooke, at the age of 89 years of which 62 of missionary life in Zambia and Canada. Let us pray for the repose of his soul.

Missionnaires d’Afrique, 1640, rue St-Hubert, Montréal, H2L 3Z3 mafrsecr@mafr.net

		PLACE	COUNTRY
1956-10-01	Arrival	Mambwe	Zambia
1961-01-17	Teaching	Abercorn
1961-05-17	Curate	Mambwe
1962-12-05	Foundation	Kantensha
1963-07-01	Supérieur	Isoka
1969-01-18	Retreat	Villa Cavalletti
1978-03-03	Session-Retreat	Jerusalem
1978-10-01	Supérieur	Mambwe
1980-03-01	Regional Councillor
1984-01-01	Curate	Isoka
1986-01-01	Parish Priest	Isoka – Mbala	Zambia
1988-04-13	Home leave/Prov.>18.09.88
1992-05-01	Home leave /Prov.>00.09.92
1994-09-01	Sabbatical Italy/Canada		Canada
1994-10-31	Focolarini, Loppiano	Incisa, Val d’Arno	Italia
1995-05-17	Home leave /Prov.>10.12.95
1995-10-01	Ministry to the sick	Kasama, St Joseph’s	Zambia
1998-05-13	Home leave /Prov.>14.08.98
2001-07-21	Home leave /Prov.>08.11.01
2004-05-27	Home leave /Prov.>06.09.04
2010-11-01	Back to Canada		Canada
2017-03-10	Death	Sherbrooke	Canada

See the link: The President’s Insignia of Mercy attributed to Léopold Lalonde

Also: PDF file: The President’s Insignia of Mercy attributed to Léopold Lalonde

South Africa Sector Post Cap Deliberations – Formation House in Merrivale, KwaZulu/Natal

By Missionaries of Africa - Southern Africa Province (SAP)

On March 1, 2017

In Missionaries of Africa, South Africa Sector

Spirituality-Charism-Community-Mission-Service

The South Africa Sector held its Post Capitular Assembly from Tuesday 14^th February till Thursday 16^th February. We thank especially Fr. Bill Turnbull, M.Afr., from the Malawi Sector for preparing our documents and for guiding us all through our Post Cap. Bill put a lot of effort into this event. He focused primarily on our fundamentals and foundation as Missionaries of Africa: our Spirituality-Charism and Community living, then looked at our Mission, with all its complexities of pastoral insertion; placing ourselves at the service of Africa at the existential peripheries; encountering and dialoguing with others, especially other faiths and Islam; addressing issues of poverty, corruption, land, racism and migrants, justice & peace and ecology. Even though we had three full days, it wasn’t enough to really address and process the issues affecting us in our mission here in South Africa. Despite our very diverse cultures, languages and ages etc., we could sense a real unity of purpose and direction in the spirit of the Chapter. We look forward to the final Provincial Strategic Plan to come from the upcoming Provincial Council to be held in a couple of weeks’ time.

Father, Son & Holy Spirit Guide Us

At the opening on Tuesday morning, following the Chapter’s example, we held a small ceremony of the lighting of candles which remained lit for the duration of our Post Cap. The candles represented the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, the Triune God, and we prayed this God guide us, and keep us united, through our sharing’s, discussions and deliberations. Bill composed three prayers which were read out as each of the three candles were lit. Each morning, as we opened our discussions, these candles were lit.

Ecological – ‘Paperless-Digital’ Gathering

One significant change of this Post Cap and the general Sector Meeting, which was held on the Monday before (13^th Feb), was that we had a ‘paperless’, or ‘digital’ Post Cap. Basically, the only paper we used was the actual Chapter document itself. This was a first for our Sector and we will continue to be ecologically sensitive to how we run our meetings and gatherings. Everything was done on computer, using flash drives and projecting our documents onto a large screen. Feedback was done by a group spokesperson or secretary who typed up everything onto the group flash drive. This was then given to the moderator and to the Post Cap secretaries. We are happy that during this Post Cap we could begin to implement the call to be more ecologically sensitive.

Nkosi sikeleli Afrika

We pray for our Province of SAP, and we pray for each of the four Sectors. May we each be true witnessing Apostles and good stewards in our mission and service of Africa where we are – and may our Mother Mary, Queen of Africa, guide and direct all our actions to and through her beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. May His Kingdom come.

SAP Young Confreres meeting in FENZA, Zambia.

By Missionaries of Africa - Southern Africa Province (SAP)

On February 24, 2017

In Missionaries of Africa

SAP Young Confreres are meeting in FENZA, Zambia, to share their experiences as missionaries. They all have a few years of ministry and full of zeal. The participants are: Remacle Lamec Ciza from Henley-KwaMphumuza, South Africa, Frank Mbala Kalala from Sussundenga, Mozambique, Benjamin Itungabose from Kasamba, Zambia, Mathew Banseh from Lumimba, Zambia, Douglas Moumanyi Ogato from Serenje, Zambia, Lawrence Tukamushaba from Kasama, Zambia, Africano Mucunguzi from Mua, Malawi, Emmanuel Barongo from Kanengo, Malawi, Alain Christian Muhineza from Namushakende, Zambia and Jean-Bosco Nibigira from Dombe, Mozambique.

Animators: Deogratias Ngowi from Merrivale, South Africa and Justin Sebakunzi from Lua-Luo Spiritual Formation Centre, Zambia. Also on the picture: Felix Phiri, SAP Provincial.

Towards the 150th anniversary of our foundation – Letter 4 – December 01, 2016

By Missionaries of Africa - Southern Africa Province (SAP)

On December 2, 2016

In Missionaries of Africa, Missionaries Sisters of Our Lady of Africa

Dear Sisters and Brothers,

We are all preparing for the 8^th December, our family feast. On this day, we can look back on our first year of preparation for the 150^th Anniversary of our foundation which started on 30^th of April 2016. Let us thank God for the reflections and prayers we were able to hold together. The rereading of parts of our common history has led us to gratitude for our common charism and to reconciliation among ourselves. Wherever this happened, our ties have been strengthened. This movement leads us naturally to the theme chosen for the second year that will begin on 9^th December 2016: “To live our common charism together today with passion”.

We understand this as our willingness to be prophetic in our way of living and in our way of acting.

This year, both our Institutes have taken a long loving look at the present and discerned what God could be asking of us today. How can we actualize our charism? During the General Chapter, for the Missionaries of Africa, and during the Enlarged Council, for the Missionaries of Our Lady of Africa, both Institutes discerned the apostolic choices to which we feel called today.

The areas identified were: “dialogue and encounter”, “care of the environment”, “modern slavery and human trafficking”, “migrants”.

Together we want to become even more conscious of what is happening, where we are in relation to the above, what are the calls that we perceive. As members of the same Lavigerie family, we want to collaborate so as to seek solutions and ways of acting together. We want to make prophetic gestures which do not always need to be very extraordinary, but which are meaningful and can be seen as such by others. We want to involve, where possible, the groups of collaborators, friends, and associates. It is for us an opportunity to fortify our missionary spirit together.

We know that in many countries, our communities come together to celebrate the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. On that day, you could program when to meet throughout 2017 in order to discern the calls you feel in your context and to think of prophetic gestures that can be carried out together.

The coordinating committee will help us celebrate this coming year.

We are sure that in this way, Cardinal Lavigerie and Mother Marie-Salomé will recognise their sons and daughters. Happy feast day on the 8^th December, and may Christmas be for us a call to live with passion our charism today!

Your sister and brother in the Lord and in Lavigerie.

Sr. Carmen Sammut, MSOLA Fr. Stanley Lubungo, M.Afr

Superior General Superior General

Link:

https://mafrsaprovince.com/2015/11/25/towards-the-150th-anniversary-of-our-foundation/

Official Opening of the Formation House 18th November 2016

By Missionaries of Africa - Southern Africa Province (SAP)

On November 5, 2016

In Missionaries of Africa, Vocation animation

The official opening of our Pre-First Phase Provincial formation Centre of the Missionaries of Africa, called Lavigerie Formation Centre, will take place on November 18.

Under the jurisdiction of the Southern Africa Province (SAP), namely Zambia, South Africa, Mozambique and Malawi, the Centre welcomes young aspirants from those countries for their first experience in an international setup in view of sending them to Balaka, Malawi, for their studies in Philosophy. The formation Centre has a capacity of welcoming twenty aspirants.

The guest of honor, Lord Bishop George Lungu of Chipata, will preside over Mass.

Timetable of the day: 10:00 Mass – 13:00 Snacks and refreshments – 15:00 Entertainment

Venue: Lavigerie formation Centre, Malawi road, after Luthembwe Bridge, Chipata, Zambia.