Society of African Missions

The Society of African Missions (Latin Societas Missionum ad Afros, English Society of African Missions, Religious Symbol: SMA), or Lyon Seminar ( also named " White Fathers ", with which they are not to be confused ), is a society of apostolic life. It includes religious priests and lay brothers. The company works closely with the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.

The founding

At the shrine of Fourvière, a Marian shrine in Lyon (France), acclaimed on December 8, 1856 Bishop Melchior de Marion Bréssilac and six seminarians of the Lyon seminar to present their work in the service of the people of Africa. Their missionary work they began in May 1859 West African Sierra Leone. In June 1859 de Bréssilac and his mission team died of yellow fever. Any action taken was then continued by Father Augustine Planque the first Superior General and other young missionaries in Africa. He also founded in 1876 the Sisters of Our Lady of the Apostles.

More history

The missionary work of the Lyon seminar in 1900 by Pope Leo XIII. approved. Thus arose the Society of African Missions. Both mother's house, as well as the General House located in Lyon. In 1900, already counting 300 members, the number of missionaries of this seminar rose to 1965 even at 800, of which 300 were located in Africa.

Organization

Today the company has about 1,200 members from over ten nations. It maintains provinces in France, Ireland, the Netherlands, USA, UK, Canada, Spain, Belgium, Poland and the Philippines on. The General House, seat of the Superior General and the General Council, located in Rome. The last major General Assembly was held in 2006, on the occasion of the 150th founding anniversary, under the direction of the Superior General Fr Kieran O'Reilly. The objectives of the General Assembly included the examination of the possessions of the company, analysis of the situation of the life and work of the Society with the aim of the forces in the continuation of the mission, future planning, election of the Superior General and the General Councils renewal.

In over 150 years, the Education Institute of SMA has dedicated the evangelization of the West African peoples and contributed to the emergence and growth of several Catholic Churches of Africa. The Institute currently has 900 members and about 150 students

The Company is also in the study house in Accra (Ghana) from young African Christians. Since the founding of africa action / Germany made ​​to the Missionaries of Africa close contacts, aid deliveries were conducted since 1983 on the mother house in Oosterbeek (Netherlands). In the following years developed Missionaries of Africa and africa action at several locations in Ghana and Niger a trusting and cooperative partnership with the population.

General Superiore

  • Melchior -Marie -Joseph de Brésillac Marion (1858 - 1859)
  • Augustin Planque (1859 - 1907)
  • Paul pellet (1907 - 1914)
  • Augustin Duret (1914 - 1919)
  • Jean -Marie Chabert (1919 - 1933)
  • Maurice Slaterry (1937 - 1947)
  • Stephen Harrington (1947 - 1958)
  • Henri monde (1958 - 1973)
  • Joseph Hardy (1973 - 1983)
  • Patrick J. Harrington (1983 - 1995)
  • Daniel Cardot (1995 - 2001)
  • Kieran O'Reilly (2001 - July 14, 2010 ) Jean -Marie Guillaume (2010 - ...) ( Vicar General )
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