Photo sent by Bill Turnbull of the “support cast” from the 7:30 Chichewa Mass at St.Francis Parish, Kanengo in Malawi, this Christmas morning. They include the altar boys, readers, and matamando (praise girls).
Sylvain Yaméogo, 37 ans, est né à Koudougou, au Burkina Faso. Après son ordination en 2007, il a été nommé au Mozambique où il a d’abord travaillé dans la paroisse et sanctuaire “Nossa Senhora de Fátima”, dans l’archidiocèse de Beira. Après la remise de la paroisse au diocèse, il rejoint la propédeutique des Pères Blancs à Beira où il donne un coup de main dans la formation.
Il poursuit à Friant un master en missiologie à L’ISTR.
« Je suis venu pour que vous ayez la vie et que vous l’ayez en abondance » Jn 10, 10. C’est cette sentence de Jésus tirée de l’évangile de Jean que j’ai choisie, à mon ordination et cette parole m’a habité depuis mon éveil vocationnel et m’anime encore aujourd’hui: à elle seule, elle résume mon expérience personnelle du Christ ressuscité. Pour moi, il est essentiel que toute mon activité missionnaire atteigne l’homme dans toutes ses dimensions : sociale, culturelle, politique, économique et spirituelle. C’est avec cet idéal au cœur, qu’après mon ordination en 2007, je reçus ma nomination au Mozambique, plus précisément dans la paroisse “Nossa Senhora de Fátima” (Notre Dame de Fatima), à Murraça.
Mes débuts furent difficiles, il me fallait apprendre deux langues en même temps : le portugais et le chisena.
SUITE DU TEXTE : http://peres-blancs.cef.fr/sylvain_yameogo.htm
Dear friends,
I hope you are all doing fine by the grace of God.
Just to wish you a Merry Christmas and happy New year 2014.
Love, Sylvain
Aujourd’hui, les Missionnaires d’Afrique de l’Ouest vous souhaitent tout d’abord une belle fête de Noël ainsi qu’une année 2014 pleine de joies et de découvertes
Dans la rubrique « Maisons de formation » :« Prise d’habit à Kasama », en Zambie, l’un des lieux où se vit l’année spirituelle. Parmi les nouveaux novices, deux sont originaires de notre province d’Afrique de l’Ouest (lire la suite)
« Acolytat à Abidjan », notre maison de 4ème étape en Côte d’Ivoire. Parmi les nouveaux acolytes, un togolais et un malien, de la PAO. (lire la suite)
« Serment missionnaire et diaconat à Abidjan », pour cinq jeunes confrères, dont Armand Dakouo, originaire du Mali, c’est l’engagement définitif dans notre société missionnaire. (lire la suite) Dans la rubrique « Actualités » :
« Baobab Echos n° 18 », la dernière édition du bulletin de notre province (décembre 2013). (lire la suite) Dans la rubrique « Dialogue interreligieux » :
« Mariage Islamo Chrétien au Mali », un article du Père Josef Stamer, qui travaille à l’IFIC (Institut de formation islamo chrétienne) à Bamako. (lire la suite) Dans la rubrique « Vu au Sud, – Vu du Sud » :
« La journée nationale du paysan » , la reproduction d’un article paru dans le quotidien « Le Pays » au Burkina Faso, qui pose la question de savoir si cette journée est vraiment pour les paysans ou pour les décideurs politiques. (lire la suite)
Dans la rubrique « Témoignages » :
« L’Afrique du sud, vue par Albert Kondemodre ». Albert, originaire du diocèse de Kaya au Burkina, partage ce qui l’a frappé au cours de sa première année en Afrique du sud. (lire la suite)
« Trois « anciens » de la Province », les Pères Fagnon, Bailleul, et de Clebsattel, racontent ce qu’ils ont vécu jusqu’ici. (lire la suite)
« Sylvain Yameogo, du Mozambique ». Après cinq ans d’engagement dans ce pays, le Père Sylvain dit quelle a été son expérience dans ce pays. (lire la suite)
Did you ever notice what we do when we hold a small child?
We all do it. Our eyes. We look straight into the child’s face, and silently speak the wonder, awe, love that can’t be put into words.
Our lips. We use our lips a lot when holding a baby. We purse them, make sounds that aren’t words, and we kiss the child from a distance.
Our arms. If ever arms expressed holding something precious, they do it when we cradle a tiny baby. Few could describe such grace, but everyone can picture it.
Our whole body. Did you ever notice that we never stand still when holding a tiny baby? We slowly sway from side to side, turn in half circles, lean forward and back.
Did you ever stop to think that you were once held that way? Anyone who ever held you as a tiny child held you that way.
Did you ever stop to think that God holds you that way? Not just when you were a tiny child, but now! Even if things aren’t going well – especially if things aren’t going well.
What child is this? It’s me. In God’s arms.
Merry Christmas.
The author of this text is unknown but the drawing was made by our confrere Anthony Coninx on a piece of cloth given to Antoon Oostveen years ago. Anthony headed the Communication Office at the Catholic Secretariat and set up Radio Yatsani. He had great artistic gifts. Unfortunately, he has Alzheimer and had to be put in an institution in Belgium.
Let us pray for him and for all our sick confreres who have dedicated their lives to the Lord Jesus in our common mission in Africa. They are in God’s arms today in a special way.
Oh behalf of the Southern Africa Province (SAP), I wish you all Merry Christmas and a Happy 2014 New Year.
Father Serge St-Arneault, M.Afr
SAP Provincial Secretary
The author of this text is unknown but the drawing was made by our confrere Anthony Coninx on a piece of cloth given to Antoon Oostveen years ago. Anthony headed the Communication Office at the Catholic Secretariat and set up Radio Yatsani. He had great artistic gifts. Unfortunately, he has Alzheimer and had to be put in an institution in Belgium.
Let us pray for him and for all our sick confreres who have dedicated their lives to the Lord Jesus in our common mission in Africa. They are in God’s arms today in a special way.
Oh behalf of the Southern Africa Province (SAP), I wish you all Merry Christmas and a Happy 2014 New Year.
Father Serge St-Arneault, M.Afr
SAP Provincial Secretary
On this second day before Christmas, I am happy to come again and to wish you a very “lucid” one! This is an idea taken from the President of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops. Lucid comes from Latin and means “from the light”, “filled with light”, “clear”.
We just lost our dear Tata Madiba who was one of those lucid ones, who reflected light and was a bearer of light in our world.
May we try to imitate some of his virtues by being bearers of peace, justice and reconciliation. Indeed, Christmas awakens in us our deepest longings, and only God can fulfil them, but occasionally, in the course of history He gives us some models to imitate, and Nelson Mandela was surely one of them. FULL TEXT
Christmas greetings from the Southern, I hope and trust that all is well with you and that you are eagerly waiting to welcome the Light of the world, Christ, our King and Saviour.
At Christmas, Christ brings us the blessings of great joy, a message of peace and the immense love of God, his Father. It is no doubt that our Holy Father’s message in his Apostolic Exhortation, “Evangelii Gaudium”, echoes this fact and invites us to be messengers of Joy and Hope in our changing world today.
I invite you all to find a copy of this captivating, challenging and converting message from our Holy Father. Believe me that, after you have read his message, you will never be the same, change will definitely be felt and seen in you. Indeed, there will surely be some transformation in your life. I have read it and it has made me reflect and let myself be challenged by its richness and depth.
May you experience the Joy of Christmas and be compelled to radiate it to all you meet, especially the little ones and the marginalised of our society.
God bless and may the King who brings us Peace, Joy and Love, be your guide and strength. I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Full magazine
Fr. Kangwa Francis, M.Afr – Vocation Director
From Left: Julius Musonda, Fr. Kangwa, Rogers Mwansa and Peter Mutasha
held its last conference of the year on Saturday 7th December, under the theme: New Perspectives in Mission: the Challenge for New Paradigms.
Three speakers shared their understanding of Mission, in relation to the theme. Fr Lastone Robert Lupupa, SJ, currently Parish Priest at Our Heavenly Father Parish in Chelstone, spoke about how he became interested in the mass media, and how he uses them to spread the Good News in Zambia and beyond. For him, the mass and social media are a great tool to reach out to more people who thirst for the Word of God. Reverend Pastor Ezron Z. Musonda, the Principal of the Baptist Theological Seminary of Zambia, shared his experience of Evangelism prior to his teaching career. He explained that for the Baptists Bible Study Groups and the physical pastoral contact remain a fundamental way of evangelising.
As a way of synthesis, Fr. Marc Nsanzurwimo, a missiologist and member of FENZA gave an expansive academic comprehension of Mission today. He underlined the different approaches to mission that took place. He highlighted the challenges and opportunities that globalisation presents to Evangelisation. He ended his presentation by pointing out some fundamentals in evangelisation such as Justice and Peace, Reconciliation and the Care for Creation. See the PDF document.
As usual, time was given to the participants to ask questions and to react to the presentations. This prompted a good sharing of views and experiences. This conference made it clear once again, that today fast-changing world presents challenging opportunities to evangelise. Will we rise up to the challenge for new paradigms? And how? These will remain ongoing questions.
Next year, FENZA shall organise 3 conferences on pertinent issues, drawing hopefully as many even more participants.
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- Fr Lastone Robert Lupupa, SJ
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- Reverend Pastor Ezron Z. Musonda
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- Fr. Romaric Bationo, Director of FENZA
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- Fr. Patrick Mumbi in conversation with the Reverend Pastor Ezron Z. Musonda
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- Fr Lastone Robert Lupupa, SJ
The issue of migrants is closely linked to the issue of modern slavery. A large percentage of migrants are victims of labour and sexual exploitation leading them to live a life of slavery. In addition, some migrants are victims of human trafficking, which is one of the new forms of slavery.
Whereas the context of this ‘dossier’ leads us to look at the ‘migrants-issue’ from its negative aspects, we should not forget its economic, cultural and spiritual aspects. In fact, many nations both those who send and receive migrants ,would not be what they are today – especially in terms of economic development- without the contribution made by millions of immigrants. FULL TEXT
Le Père Provincial de France des “Missionnaires d’Afrique” vous fait part du retour au Seigneur du Père Paul Gallen du diocèse de Vannes, décédé le 12 décembre 2013 à l’âge de 65 ans dont 38 ans de vie missionnaire essentiellement en Zambie et en France. La célébration des obsèques ont eu lieu le 14 décembre en la chapelle Saint Paul, boulevard Brune à Paris.
Jalons de la vie du Père Paul Gallen
Naissance: Cherbourg, 04/01/1948
Année Spirituelle : Broome Hall, 10/09/1970
Serment : Strasbourg, 17/05/1975
Prêtrise: Sauzon (Belle Ile), 27/06/1976
01/09/1976 Stage de langue Ilondola, Zambie01/03/1977 Vicaire Malole, Kasama, Zambie
01/01/1982 Vicaire Lwena, Zambie
01/01/1986 Vicaire Chilubi, Kasama, Zambie
16/09/1993 Session-Retraite Jérusalem
15/04/1994 Vicaire Kasaba, Mansa, Zambie
01/12/1994 Membre du conseil régional en Zambie
01/06/1995 Curé à Kasaba/Kasanka, Mansa, Zambie
01/09/1996 Sabbatique
20/02/1997 Vicaire Nondo, Kasama, Zambie
01/09/1997 Membre du conseil régional en Zambie
07/01/2000 Sabbatique
01/01/2001 Formation & Animation à Ste-Foy-les-Lions, France
01/09/2002 Session DMA, Jérusalem
05/11/2003 Nommé en Zambie
29/03/2004 Ministère à Ndola, Zambie
10/02/2007 Retour en France
01/10/2007 Nommé pour l’accueil à Paris, rue Friant, France
31/03/2009 Année Sabbatique au Canada – 05.04.10
01/07/2010 Accueil à Paris, rue Friant, France
01/10/2010 Accueil à Paris, Verlomme, France
12/12/2013 Retour au Seigneur à Paris, Verlomme, France
The Oath of Antony and Tomasz took place at Merrivale Formation House on the 13th December 2013 among many friends and confreres on a beautiful shining and warm day. Father Jos Van Boxel presided mass which was sung in English, Mooré, Chichewa, Kiswahili, Latin (Santa Maria), isiZulu, French, Tamil, Polish and Lingala. See some pictures of the event.
