There will be 36 participants in the Seminar “In the footsteps of Brésillac and Planque”. Members either of the Society of African Missions or of the Missionary Sisters Our Lady of the Apostles, they will work together for three days on their “common spiritual heritage”. The SMA Generalate of Rome provides the framework for the Seminar which begins on 17 November 2016.

Both Institutes have already produced publications and studies on their history and missionary charism, but the novelty of this initiative is that the Seminar is being held together, both in its preparation and as it unfolds. A joint SMA-NDA commission working with resource persons had previously identified five themes as a basis for analyzing the first decades of the two Institutes, from their foundation until 1920. These five aspects of our missionary life are challenging us today, in a context where the sociological and religious situation of Europe and Africa have reversed compared to the XIX century which saw the foundations of our Institutes. Here are the five titles:
1. Mission Ad Extra, particularly in Africa,
2. Gift of self for the mission,
3. SMA-OLA one mission: variety of gifts, apostolates, roles, enlarged family, benefactors;
4. Family Spirit : community life; internationality; simplicity of life…;
5. Empowerment: of the Church, local clergy, people, women…
To all members of our Institutes, as well as to honorary members, associates and all friends who are journeying with us, the invitation to follow our works through this site (see the link in this page) and to ask in prayer abundant fruit for all our communities.