THE MISSION : Lavigerie Lay Missionaries

My deep quest for the meaning of life, Jean-François Bégin
Missionaries Lay and the french Province , Pierre Féderlé
The Spirit of Lavigerie, Marie-Claude Berrod
Cardinal Lavigerie Scout Troupe, Sylvain Donda
An LML Commitment, the Petits Mike, Vico M'Munga


From Jean-François Bégin, a former M.Afr. lay missionary in Uganda now employed at the Montréal WF Afrika Centre


My deep Quest
for the Meaning of Life
with the Missionaries of Africa

 


Afrika, a painting
in black and red by
Ghyslaine Dubé, msola. Afrika Centre posted it on its website

One day, I had the idea of setting off in search of the African continent. Running through the list of

people able to help me achieve my ambition, I came across the Missionaries of Africa. Initial contact was made with one or the other. At length, without being too sure of what was in store, I ended up in one of their houses, living in community, praying with them and sharing their lifestyle. The welcome and warmth I found there enabled me to get my breath back and to stop for a while. I was able to restore my spiritual and mental energies. My path had led me to the source.

 

I spend a long time in prayer reflecting on the meaning to give to my life. Finally, after this period of discernment, I chose to realise my dream with the Missionaries of Africa. Suddenly, I became aware that 12,000 kilometres would soon separate me from my home! I would be in Africa, in Uganda. Over there, the reality would be quite different and my life would never be the same again.

Like others before me, I learned to know Africans through their language, traditional customs, the family, the rural areas, and the big city. I discovered that Africa is complex. When I arrived in Kampala, the White Fathers in charge took me to the youth centre where I was to live and work for the next three years. I settled in gradually and found my niche in this project whose mission is to combat poverty and human neglect. My work for the young people of the slums brought me great joy, but also challenges which to me were out of all proportion. These young peoples' lives seemed to me wretched and without hope. These youngsters are among the poorest on the planet.

Nonetheless, I have watched these young people survive on almost nothing and they were full of hope. Later I understood that the simple fact of knowing that someone was interested in them gave them heart and a taste for living. It is not easy to understand when you come from a world of plenty where all your needs are met before you even think about it.


Jean-François during the years he served at the Youth Project Sharing in Kampala, Uganda. The Youth Project Sharing is presently under the supervision of our confrere Rudolf Lehnertz.

In between my commitments to these young people and the daily routine, I got to know Missionaries of Africa from every corner of the world. In spite of cultural differences that distinguished one from the other, I felt that they were imbued with the same spirit. I saw Missionaries of Africa restore dignity and confidence to people; I watched others build schools for orphans; some lived in the slums with the outcasts; I saw Missionaries of Africa travel through impassable roads in the rural areas just to greet their friends and confreres.

Those I have known are men of faith and courage. With them I shared my joys and sorrows and difficulties. With them, I lived out disappointments and frustrations. Still, I ate with them. I savoured their apostolic life and lived in their space. I made many friends among them. When I meet up with them and reminisce about Africa, I remind myself that I owe to them my love of this infinitely rich and varied continent.

Returning from Africa, I knew my experience there was not going to stay dormant for long. I still had many things to share with Africans. The Missionaries of Africa then proposed working with them on their missionary promotion programme in schools and universities. For several years, I met a whole host of young people interested in Africa and its circumstances. Along with some missionaries, we brought students and young workers together and shared with them about their vision of Africa. Some took up training to live out a missionary experience. Some left to do this. These times were moments of grace in my life. I could see myself again with my dreams and ambitions before I left for Uganda.

Later on I was offered work at the Afrika Centre. This centre is a kind of home for Africans in Montréal and for anyone interested in the African world. Whether they are refugees, future entrepreneurs, speakers on different networks, youth committed to international solidarity, or convinced Christians, numerous people come to the centre to obtain resource material relative to their needs and aspirations. Several groups come here for their meetings (Small Christian Communities, cultural affairs groups, artists, associations, groupings and so on).

What is valuable in all this upper echelon of society is that their presence among us allows us to learn more about how African communities are living, to know more about those who are committing themselves to them, and above all to try to open doors for them in the different sectors of Montréal and Québec life. As the Centre coordinator, I find that since its founding, the centre is a vast network of resource persons, of organisations and associations of all kinds. That is why it is important to support in a special way the men and women determined to find their niche in society. Whatever their dream or desire, my hope is to accompany Africans in their course towards social integration. In addition, this is what the Missionaries of Africa had in mind when they opened the Afrika Centre in 1988.

Observing the increasing numbers of Africans in Canada, they became aware of the problems associated with integration and social assimilation for these new arrivals in a foreign land. It became clear to the Missionaries of Africa that their commitment to Africans outside the continent constituted a new challenge within their mission. This missionary dynamic of going towards African refugees and immigrants confirmed yet again the broad vision of Lavigerie when he affirmed that, "if the missionary does not make the first move in every possible way to go towards the populations to whom he is called, the work will never be done in depth."


Jean-François and friends celebrating Christmas at Afrika Centre, Montréal.

I would not know how to begin thanking God for having put the Missionaries of Africa on my path. I still remember my first meetings with those Fathers when I was experiencing my deep quest for the meaning of life. A lot of water has flowed under the bridge since then. Besides, I only wanted to go away for a few months. It is now 15 years since that time and I am still with the missionary family I love so much. Today more than ever, I think I have found my niche in this world and I am overjoyed to be able to share it with the African communities of Montréal and with the Missionaries of Africa with whom I work and share life in group. All these years at the service of the Missionaries of Africa have brought me closer to what Lavigerie expected of his missionaries. Moreover, I feel myself privileged to count myself among them.

Jean-François Bégin
centre.afrika@mafr.ca


Ndlr : Jean-François a aussi rencontré en Ouganda celle qui a accepté d'aller à Montréal partager sa vie, ses rêves et ses engagements, Kirsten Schweig, une infirmière allemande. Ils sont les parents de deux garçons.


 

Lay Missionaries
and the French Province
Voir aussi site Missionnaire d'Afrique France
AAPB http://peres-blancs.cef.fr/grandefamille.htm
AAPB :Angers : http://peres-blancs.cef.fr/angers.htm
AAPB Paris : http://peres-blancs.cef.fr/friantfete.htm
AAPB EXPO 2003 with Pierre Féderlé : http://peres-blancs.cef.fr/aapb10.htm
AGADES : http://peres-blancs.cef.fr/agades10.htm

 

The 1992 Chapter published directives and expectations concerning Lay Missionaries in Capitular Acts II (n° 16 to 29). In Letter n° 7 entitled, 'Faithful to our vocation', the General Council gave a report from the 1996 Plenary Council on Lay Missionaries. "The growing involvement of laypeople in the work of the Church and their active participation in the missionary apostolate are one of the signs of our times. As a Society, we have a duty to encourage and facilitate this commitment, as much in the Provinces as in the Regions." (A.C. II, n°17) "Progress made has not been encouraging. Debates in the Plenary Council have made us realise the degree to which we are hesitant on the path of collaborating with lay missionaries. Reflection on this point needs to continue with determination."

The poet Vigny wrote in 1843, "Ardour for divine things was greater in laypeople than in the gentlemen of the clergy"!

There are some positive results with the forming of small groups of laypeople in Africa (Congo, Burkina, Burundi… and the commitment of the first 7 laypeople on the 25.11.1998 in the Lavigerie Group of the Congo (cf. PE 1999/4 pp.160-161); in Canada and in Europe there are similar results with the Missionary Movement Africa (MMA) which exists in Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany. They sent an open letter in February 2004 to the members of the Chapter. (Cf. PE 2004/4 pp. 224-226)).

The French Province may appear to be lagging behind other countries compared with others in this matter. However, the Province has been thinking about it a lot and actively investigated the question from January 2003, joining with the MSOLA for the 'foundation and the animating of small missionary communities in France' by means of sharing and discussion on the level of the Provincial Council.

Principal Phases :
Groupe AGADESCommissioned by the Provincial Council in April 2003, Jean-Claude Ceillier wrote a two-page article that shows the project linked to the charisma of Cardinal Lavigerie, in order to point out the essential features and attract notice. Paris : at the beginning of 2003, start of a group with Gérard Chabanon, composed of members of the Agadès group, 4 young women and 2 young men. Meeting and reflection at Champagne sur Rhône on the 10th - 11th May 2003 with 12 young people (average age 60), at the invitation of Philippe Thiriez. Writing of a provisional leaflet on the 'Fraternities of Our Lady of Africa' (the Provincial Council retained this title), by Pierre Féderlé, appointed the coordinator and animator of the project in January 2004. These leaflets responded to questions and were designed for distribution in order to gauge reactions in view of producing a second eye-catching leaflet on the project.

Meetings planned by the Provincial Council and held in the regions: Paris : monthly meeting in the Provincial House from June 2003.
Strasbourg : 21 - 22 February 2004… distribution of leaflets at the Sale-Exhibition. Lyons : Meeting arranged by Jean-Claude Ceillier on the 25th February 2004 with Mr and Mrs Ollier, (Chair, Parents and Friends of the WF in the region). Angers : 13 - 14 March 2004… Presentation of the project and distribution of the leaflet. Carcassonne : Meeting 3 April 2004… day spent on the project with the MSOLA and 4 young people. Metz : (24 - 25 April 2004… Distribution of the leaflet at the Sale-Exhibition.

AAPB Vente expo Paris 2003Talk on 'Laypeople and Mission' by Pierre Féderlé on the 23 November 2003 at the Paris Sale of Work arranged by the Parents and Friends Association of the WF. Paris : meeting on the 8th May 2004 dealing with collaboration between M.Afr. and MSOLA. The text of the leaflet was modified and would be printed after being informed of the decisions of the 2004 Chapter. Meeting of the MSOLA and M.Afr. (European Provinces) in Cologne for a session from the 21-26 November 2004 on lay missionary movements.

Present Situation:
At the moment in the French Province, there are only 3 fraternities : Paris, 6 members; Carcassonne with 4 and Lyons starting off with 12 people. They are linked by the charisma and spirituality of Cardinal Lavigerie, connecting up with the WF/MSOLA and the mission in Africa. They are joined by at least one WF/MSOLA for each meeting.· These lay missionaries are looking for White Father and MSOLA spirituality, in order to use it as a spiritual source for their ideal in life.

At every meeting, there is a time of sharing where each person can express himself or herself, concerning the objective agreed at the previous meeting, helping him or her to be 'better' Christians in the workplace. The 'Fraternities of Our Lady of Africa' help to throw a missionary light on their professional occupations. It is a mission spirituality support for improved daily living.

The members of these groups live in close proximity to one another in order to meet more easily, on a regular basis. This creates bonds of sharing, reflection and prayer together, reinforcing the link with the missionary community.

AAPB: Pendant l'Assemblée Générale de la Fédération en mai 2004Thanks to the promotion work of the WF Parents and Friends Associations (Sales-Exhibitions), confreres have access to young people to propose this project to them. The present leaflet explaining what the Fraternities of Our Lady of Africa are is only temporary and will be improved after having had feedback from confreres and groups.

The Future:
We are no longer hesitant concerning the prospect of 'lay missionaries', we are just obeying the old adage 'Better to take small steps in the right direction than big ones in the wrong!' We should not rush into things. The 2004 Chapter will certainly have something to say about this project in the Society. The project is up and running and is growing.

We are expecting feedback from the confreres of the Province on the project and their collaboration to make the project known. We will try gradually to present the project with increasing clarity and precision. We will then be able to write a new leaflet and present a clear and attractive project.

We will need to investigate better collaboration between the WF/MSOLA on this project, ensuring that we are moving towards the same objective. These fraternities are not meant as reservoirs for future candidates for our Congregations

M.Afr. experiences in other Provinces (e.g. Belgium, the Netherlands and so on), as well as that of other missionary Congregations would be very helpful and valuable. We need to plan meetings as soon as ever possible.


Pierre Féderlé
pierre.federle@wanadoo.fr

 

Laypeople
who live out the Spirit of Lavigerie

 

There are many laypeople who have had powerful experiences linked to Missionary of Africa Fathers, Brothers and Sisters, in their dealings with them in their professions, on their holidays, or on National Service overseas.

These laypeople are connected to different groups in various ways according to the circumstances, the backgrounds, the origins, personalities, Churches and Societies in France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Burkina Faso, and Tanzania. In the DRC Congo and in Canada, some have taken a commitment by a promise, living out the words of Cardinal Lavigerie:

"I have made myself
all things to all peoples,
for I said to the God of all,
I am all yours".

For more see the website of smnda France


Marie-Claude Berrod Smnda

 


1954 - 2004
Cardinal Lavigerie Scout Troupe
is led by a Lavigérien Lay Missionary (LML)

The preparations for our 50th Jubilee are moving forward well. Thank you for remembering us in your prayers. May this Jubilee help us to put ourselves in question, to renew our promise as Scouts, role-models of youth, but especially as Scouts with a Christian mission. I would like to inform the whole Lavigerie Community throughout the world that our Cardinal Lavigerie Scout Troupe is celebrating its 50th birthday next year.

This Troupe was initiated by Missionary of Africa Fathers and pursues its aims according to the charisma of Cardinal Lavigerie, its patron and model. It draws its spiritual force from the soul of Missionary of Africa Fathers and Sisters. It is an important event, in which all followers of Lavigerie should participate worldwide. Join with us in prayer, in words of encouragement or kindness, or in moral support. Help us to get in touch with all followers of Lavigerie Worldwide for this Jubilee: it is everybody's celebration!


Sylvain Donda Chacal


 

An LML Commitment
for the "Petits Mike project"
Service to Street Children (SER)

 

We would also like to make known to you the S.E.R. Project (Service to street children), so as to restore hope to the world of producing fine upstanding youth. We wish to join in efforts to eradicate, or at least relieve, the misery undergone by street children. It is a project requiring the combined efforts of all the members of our Lavigerie group throughout the world. Instead of speaking of, "maibobo" we prefer to call street children "Petits Mike" It is more positive!"

I am grateful to the Lord for the work he has accomplished in these children. From 2003, I took six of them into my family. I suffered, I had problems, but thank God, these children could be restored to their families. Some of them are now at school. It is my great joy as an apostle. The problems are many. I am looking for someone or a benevolent group who could support them financially. In the course of the year, the Lavigerie Cadets pulled off sporting activities, including football with the Petits Mike. Together, they went to visit four families, bringing them cassava flour and salt. Some join in the meetings of the Cadets.

On the 19th October 2003, we went together to meet at the White Sisters' house in Kadutu. On the 23rd November, we received them in the Cadet Troupe. There, Brother Théo, a Lavigerie Associate, gave them a talk. The Petits Mike performed some sketches.


Likewise on the 28th December, by means of a playlet, they demonstrated how soldiers beat them up at night. On the 4th January 2004, the Lavigerie Cadets and the Petits Mike went to visit the young people in the Central Prison. There, they came across some street children they knew and some of their mothers too. In the afternoon of that same day, in the company of some guests, we were 90 for another meeting with the young people of our Rukumbuka neighbourhood. What we achieved could not have been done without the support of our Parish Priest, Father Paul, the other priests, Sister Françoise and the members of the Lavigerie Group


Lavigérien Group of Bukavu with Sister Marie-Claude Berrod. " Kila mtu ni ndugu yangu -
Every person is a family member.". Lavigerie wrote : " I am a stranger to nothing that is human "

For now, in spite of the problems associated with it, 6 other children are again living in our family. Now, how do we get them something to eat whereas it is difficult enough to feed my own children? At the moment, they have cut off my electricity, as I cannot pay the arrears. "To the weak, I made myself weak, to win the weak. I accommodated myself to people in all kinds of different situations, so that by all possible means I might bring some to salvation." I Corinthians 9:22, quoted by Cardinal Lavigerie

Our organisation entitled, "Soutien aux enfants de la rue" (Support to street children) would like to present its thoughts, feelings and the sad reality of children in difficult situations. Of all the problems that are tearing the world apart at the moment, the troubles of abandoned or street children called "maibobo" are destroying the fabric of society to the same extent as HIV/AIDS. This situation, especially in Third World countries is aggravated by endless wars, poor socio-economic climate and all its consequences.


Lavigerie was a man of vision with wide horizon sand very precise enterprises. While working with the Petits Mike, the Lavigériens of Bukavu keep in mind the Cardinal's battle "for freedom from slavery."

Faced with this catastrophe, we believe that people from the four corners of the world should link arms to alleviate the problem of street children, which constitutes a time bomb that will have no mercy on any spot on planet earth.

These children who are today marginalized, have an untapped potential that could advance society. Let us make an effort to get them out of the mire by putting them back on the rails so the world can rediscover its beauty. This is the objective of the SER. It plans to set up activities capable of helping children in difficult situations, developing their social, spiritual, physical, intellectual, moral and professional skills.

The SER has major problems in achieving this noble and onerous task. It seeks collaboration with other organisations working in favour of children in difficult situations. In the light of the spiritual, social and moral principles of our Group, we hope that God will grant us his blessing to fulfil our Mission to the utmost.
On behalf of SER

Jean Vico M'Munga in charge
and Sylvain Donda Chacal,
Graduate of the Institut Social de
Développement Rural (ISDR) of Bukavu


Ndlr : During Lent, at the Generalate, there was a collection among the confreres that partly contributed to answering some needs of the Children of the Street Project .
To see about it on the website of SMNDA France : http://soeurs-blanches.cef.fr/laics.htm

The Capitular Acts salute them: M.M.A., Lavigériens, Lay Associates, collaborators, Friends of the White Fathers, in Canada formerly known as the 'zélatrices' of the bulletin, later as the 'co-missionaries' of the magazine. These are the numerous laypeople who volunteered to work with MAfr Brothers, Fathers and Sisters on the African Continent or in the Northern Provinces. Every country, every age had its scheme. In Spain it is known as Amigos de Africa and the Servicio Acoge groups, in Brazil, as AMÀFRICA.