From the 1st to 28th February 2015, I stayed in the country where Bishop de Marion Brésillac had so dreamed to tread the ground. There, I visited all the missions which are currently assigned to the Sons of Brésillac of nowadays. Oh, how beautiful upon the mountains are the footsteps of those who carry the good news, announcing salvation and peace! Oh, they are happy to continue the work of the mission as worthy sons of Brésillac. They really experiment the joy of mission promised by their Founder: “The joy that I promise you.”
Francois de paul with Parish team of Perere, diocese of N’Dali
The seed that fell into the ground germinates and gradually bears fruit; from Calavi to Parakou, passing through Dassa, from Kalalé to Djougou, passing through N’Dali and Kandi, the seed of the Word of God continues to be sown and bears fruit.
All the sons of de Bresillac, the young who are less experienced and the elders who are more experienced are working hand in hand. Being in contact with the elders, the young ones learn from the elders who become conscious that succession is being prepared. They are ready to transmit the flame and the joy of mission to youth. The elderly ones learn how to trust young ones. In their turn, the younger ones accept not to jostle the elders in their habits. For the young confreres, these elders constitute a reservoir of knowledge and expertise, an inexhaustible source of knowledge of the places and missionary practices that are neither found in books nor learned in the formation houses. On the ground, the flame which burned in the heart of Brésilllac and which Planque safeguarded, the same flame which Borghero went to Benin Rep (Dahomey of yesterday) and its surroundings to kindle, continues to burn today and the young confreres in contact with elders learn how to stir it, so that it might never go off.
 Fr. Marcos Delgado, of the District of Spain in the front and Michel L’hostis of the province of Lyon behind, during the celebration of Our Lady of Lourdes of Bougou patronal feast in the Roman Catholic diocese of Djougou |
 Fr. Jesus in a meeting with some leaders of the Bouka Catholic mission in the diocese of ‘N’Dali |
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 The Parish team of St. Pierre’s parish, Kalalé saint in the diocese of N’dali: Saturnino from the Spain, Johnson from Nigeria and Paul from France, a trio that represents the three ages in SMA. |
These worthy and valiant sons of Brésillac are present in various ministries such as: education and training, frequent visit to nascent communities, classical pastoral in urban and rural areas, collaboration with the local clergy founded by the SMA, exorcism, schools and boarding schools, investments for self-sufficiency through farming and other activities, etc.
They are so valiant that during one of his visits to the confreres of Pèrèrè, the bishop of N’Dali said: “You SMA, you have the sense of mission.” What an honor for these confreres, for the work they are doing and also for the SMA!
Also, during the regional assembly, the Bishop of Djougou who came to greet the confreres confided to them his pride of having been at the school of the SMA and learned from them how to be a missionary. His apostolic zeal, he said, was from the SMA Fathers, with whom he worked at the beginning of his priestly ministry.
Sons of Bresillac, go again into the deep; the Churches of God in Africa and most particularly in Benin Rep. still need you and your missionary sense. Therefore, young man, wherever you are, know that the missionary work is far from being completed.
François de Paul HOUNGUE, SMA,
Vice superior of DFBB
François de Paul HOUNGUE
S.M.A. DFBB House
8 Aboderin Street, Orita-Challenge
G.P.O. Box 1298 Dugbe, Ibadan
Oyo State, Nigeria
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