| Missionaries of Africa |
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| Written by Admin |
| Tuesday, 08 December 2009 13:42 |
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The Missionaries of Africa (The White Fathers) were founded by Cardinal Charles Lavigerie Archbishop of Aligiers in 1868. The society is a missionary family of priests and brothers living in international communities. In 1869, Lavigerie started a congregation of sisters called The Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Africa (the White Sisters). From the very beginning, the society dedicated its efforts to the task of proclaiming the Gospel to the people of the African world. The Missionaries of Africa undertake their missionary apostolate within an established diocesan organization. Because of their North African origins, the Missionaries of Africa maintain a special ministry with Islam. In the early days, the Missionaries of Africa adopted the white dress of the Arabs as their habit hence being called, “The White Fathers’. As of January 1, 2003, the society numbered 1,834 members of 35 nationalities. More than 40% of them are engaged in the apostolate on the African continent in 96 dioceses in 23 African countries. The Missionaries of Africa arrived in Adigrat in 1967 to teach and help in the education of the clergy of the Eparchy. In 1993, a community was opened in Wukro where a school of Agriculture and Commerce was opened. In 1996, a Vocation’s Centre was opened in Wukro. It is to this centre, now called St. Kizito, that students after their secondary school go and prepare themselves for a year before they start missionary training in Adigrat. In 1999, a formation house was opened in Adigrat for the candidates to study Philosophy. The students do three years in the Major Seminary of Adigrat. After Philosophy, they proceed to the Spiritual Year to either Zambia or Burkina-Faso. They then continue with two years of apostolic experience outside their country of origin, and then proceed to Theology for three or four years. |