I spent ten days in Egypt between 5^th and 14^th February. Though the SMA family is small right now, I found all of them to be in good spirits.

The SMA community at Shoubra comprises Frs Robbin Kamemba [Kenya], Casimir Kieszek [Strasbourg] and Jean Paul Silue [Cote d’Ivoire]. Robbin will shortly be nominated by Bishop Adel Zaki as cure of St Marc with Casimir as assistant. Jean Paul is completing his studies in Arabic and Islam at Dar Comboni. The house community is completed by two Nigerian priests – one from the diocese of Kontagora and the other from the Spiritan Congregation – both bearing the name Isa, who are also studying Arabic and Islam, and Yakub, a diocesan seminarian that Bishop Zaki has put under Robbin’s supervision for some months. Peddy, a Stagiaire from Zambia, is presently serving his pastoral placement in a parish in Upper Egypt. 

St Marc can be a hive of activity, even if the Latin Catholic community is now very small, though they retain wonderful memories of the great work done by SMA members in previous generations. The church is well used by Coptic members and the Club attached is very active. There is also a school for handicapped, which is a good mission outreach by our SMA team there. The OLA Sisters run a very fine school next door to St Marc and their work is much appreciated. I shared a fine meal with the Sisters in their convent.

Serving at the Basilica at Heliopolis and living at the presbytery close by are Fr Farid Ibrahim [Lyon] and Fr Gennaro [honorary member]. Farid will shortly take a sabbatical break and Jean Paul will take on some of his duties around Heliopolis.

I had a number of meetings with Bishop Zaki. He recognises the contribution SMA makes to the Vicariate and acknowledges that the Vicariate could not function without this contribution. He would like if we could build up the team in his Vicariate.

The highlight of my trip was a three days visit to three dioceses in Upper Egypt, El Minya, Assyout and Sohag. Stage members have been doing their pastoral experience in this area for the past number of years. I found the welcome of the Bishops, priests and people extraordinarily warm. The Stagiaires make a deep impression in the short period they spend there. Each of the Bishops [Coptic Catholic] and the Coptic Catholic Patriarch whom I met in Cairo is convinced that there is a mission for SMA in Upper Egypt. Each one has guaranteed an open door of welcome. I was certainly impressed by the vitality of the life there, but could also see there are real needs calling for a missionary presence. Vocations to priesthood are plentiful and there is every indication that some young men would be open to a missionary call. It was noteworthy that the priests had no hesitation to make SMA vocation literature freely available for the youth of the parishes.

The SMA mission in Egypt has value and the task before us is to strength the team little by little each year. Studying the Arabic language is not an easy task and requires dedicated commitment of a minimum of two full years of study. It is certainly not a mission for the faint-hearted. But it is a key locus of engagement with the world of Islam, and therefore fits very naturally the charism of SMA. We will discuss through the usual channels the possibility of opening a presence in Upper Egypt. I am convinced that such an opening will give vital stimulus to the overall mission in Egypt.

I am grateful to all members there for the warm welcome and well planned programme. Together, we will work towards strengthening the team and the quality of witness in this beautiful and ancient land.

Fachtna O’Driscoll

SMA Superior General