Meeting of the spiritual family of Brésillac at Zinswald in Alsace

By Rev. Father Elysée KOFFI Banouakon, SMA
Head of Missionary and Vocational Animation of the Province of Lyon

In Mark 6:31, did Christ not say to His Apostles returning from their mission: “Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while (…)”? Similarly, it is customary for the brothers and sisters of the Spiritual Family of Brésillac of African and Indian origin, serving as missionaries in France, to gather once a year for a moment of restful fellowship.

This year, the meeting took place at Zinswald in Alsace, in the SMA Province of Strasbourg. Coming from different parts, we were about thirty-two (32) missionaries gathered at Zinswald from December 26 to 30, 2024. It should be noted that these moments were shared in the presence of the Provincial Council of Strasbourg.

At the edge of the Zinswald forest, during these few days, we experienced a time of fellowship, sharing, discovery, reunion, joy, solidarity, and mission. Indeed, the fellowship of this meeting was evident in the joy of coming together as one spiritual family, focusing on the mission of Christ entrusted to His Church. The sharing of institutional identity, the different mission fields of each participant, and the missionary activities conducted by the various institutes that make up the Spiritual Family of Brésillac were exchanged among us. It was truly a moment of mutual enrichment.

Moreover, we were given the opportunity to discover the Zinswald House through a presentation by Father Lucien, who has been residing there for 25 years. He explained that the house was built in 1852 and was purchased by Father Mungenschon, SMA, on June 30, 1936, for the benefit of the African Missions of Lyon. This house, after being requisitioned by the German army in 1941, served as a formation house (seminary) for future missionaries until 1969. Today, it is used as a missionary animation center and also as a place of rest for some elderly priests.

There were also special moments of prayer (the Liturgy of the Hours) and communal celebrations of the Eucharist during this gathering.

Furthermore, if fellowship was the hallmark of these days due to everyone’s openness, solidarity was equally present throughout the meeting. Whether through daily tasks or by supporting the Sisters of Our Lady of the Apostles during the requiem Mass and burial of their fellow sister in Haguenau, we experienced a gathering imbued with benevolent solidarity. These were moments of great joy, especially for some brothers and sisters who had not seen each other in over a decade.

As true missionaries, it was a great joy to be distributed among the different parishes served by Fathers Justin INANDJO, Sylvère ATTA, and Raja LOURDUSAMY for Masses on Sunday, December 29, 2024. It is worth mentioning that the various parish communities welcomed us warmly and with indescribable joy.

Finally, we cannot overlook the presence of two brothers who travelled from the Netherlands to participate in this meeting. A proposal was made to open this annual gathering to other brothers and sisters of African and Indian origin who are serving as missionaries in other European countries.