It is in Lyon, a city of symbols that SMA Fathers having 30 to 40 years of priestly life are meeting for a seminar fifteen of days. Lyon is indeed a Symbol of confluence; rivers Rhone and Saone meet in Lyon to continue into the sea.
Another powerful symbol of the city is that of many bridges crossing over the two rivers. Lyon is yet a city symbol because she welcomed the first SMAs and the Society of African Missions was founded here. It is therefore natural that the seminar, “Bridges and Confluence, is holding here in Lyon”. SMAs come from a variety of orison to live together, share time of prayer, reflection and discovery; they share thirty to forty years of their missionary life with enthusiasms. They have come to share their experience and learn new ways of mission commitment. They are still very active, some occupy important positions of responsibility, and they have just managed to put their worries in their suitcases and take to evaluate, to listen, to learn and to continue to give…
The “150” House, which is preparing to become an International House is training itself to this new form of life. English language is being spoken more often even though it is massacred by some residents. In fact, Irish confreres are out in full force with eleven participants; France has a much modest representation with only two participants; Italy and DR Congo both have one participant each. We are twenty three with two facilitators and translators.
The welcome in “150” has been remarkable. It required a lot of updates and changes in the living habit of the residents even if the learning is slow. The confreres in “150” House are happy to meet missionaries from the same family they have never met, each working in different countries of African.
Our photo albums illustrate the rest :
1) Arrival and welcome of participants in the session
2) Visit the museum “Confluences”
Gérard Sagnol, sma
Leave a Reply