As Fr. François Hervé Marie du Penhoat concludes his second term as Provincial Superior of the Society of African Missions (SMA) Province of Lyon, he departs with a legacy etched by profound missionary passion, intercultural leadership, and an exemplary spiritual guide. Having served in France, Spain, and Benin, his leadership has not only been marked by administrative leadership but also a personal testimony to what it is to be and to live as a missionary in the world today. In a recent interview, Fr. François provided insight on pressing issues facing the Church and the SMA today—giving wisdom based on experience and vision driven by hope.

Crisis of Faiths and Vocations: The Heart of the Matter
Fr. François is candid-eyed about the present vocation crisis, especially in the West. “The vocations crisis is a symptom of a deeper crisis of faith,” he says. In his view, modern European society, steeped in material wealth, has often lost sight of the spiritual hunger that drives religious commitment. But he is hopeful. “This is not the first time the Church has encountered such a crisis—France went through it after the Revolution too.”

He points to the ways that the presence of African confrères in Europe can infuse new life into this religious wasteland. Their profound spirituality, so commonly embedded in culture and everyday life, is a health-giving witness. “They have a sense of God’s presence about them—something we French must recapture,” he notes, suggesting that the missionary movement today has to be a two-way process.

Faith, Gratitude, and Stewardship
During his time, Fr. François was in tune with privilege and challenge as a financial stewardship. The province has been highly blessed by inheritances and bequests—”but that won’t be forever,” he warns. Despite having fewer donors, generosity from individuals remains steadfast. “It’s normally the poor and humble—like the widow in the Gospel—who send their small offering. It’s very moving.”

He sees economic stability as linked to religious truth. “Archbishop Assogba once explained to me: ‘If you live the Gospel, you won’t lack support.’ I am convinced of this.” With over 400 seminarians in formation, never has there been such a requirement for solidarity, prudence, and an attitude of gratitude as today.

Reimagining primary evangelization
Among the most poignant aspects of Fr. du Penhoat’s vision is his genuine devotion to that which the Society of African Missions (SMA) defines as “primary evangelization.” When too many of us assume the Gospel has reached all corners of the earth, he reminds us there remain areas—above all rural areas or communities in which Islam occupies the dominant role—who have scarcely been given the Word of Christ.

Going back to the findings of the SMA’s General Assembly of six years earlier, Fr. du Penhoat underscored the priority of deliberately “zones of first evangelization.” These mission areas are supported by the international SMA community, both in man-power from the generalate and financially through the common international fund. Such areas are usually tough, remote, and poorly equipped with resources. But they are places where the Church is still in its infancy—where every word of the Gospel is heard as if for the very first time.

However, he is also concerned: some of the new Mission settings today are city-based and might not be easily inclined towards the spiritual and pastoral demands of working in such settings. There is a risk that initial evangelization—historically central to SMA charism—will get drowned unless promoted consciously. Precisely for this reason, Fr. du Penhoat advocates the active promotion and training of missionaries willing to venture into such settings with zeal, simplicity, and humility.

Also, he visualizes primary evangelization as far greater than a matter of geography than one of methodology. In the city context, to cite a particular example, the issue is not about absence but confusion—men and women surrounded by religious syncretism and living in the coexistence of superstition, magic, and fragmented spiritualities. Even in this case, Fr. du Penhoat sees an opportunity for missionary imagination and courage. Evangelization, he says, needs new modalities of presence and encounter, new expressions of faith language attuned to modern urban living.

And then there are the parishes in traditionally Christian territories—what he calls “zones bien chrétiennes”—which, while no longer on the mission frontier, provide vital support: vocations, resources, and missionary energy. These should not be abandoned but rather be revitalized with fresh missionary dynamism, giving stability as well as feeding the broader missionary enterprise.

A Spiritual Life Anchored in Mission
For Fr. du Penhoat, no strategy planning or pastoral programming can ever substitute for the rock upon which the missionary life is built: holiness and spiritual depth on an individual level. We can have every technique in the world to proclaim the Gospel,” he says sternly, “but without seeking holiness, it’s all for nothing.” At the very center of his leadership, and indeed of his whole missionary philosophy, is an acute realization that evangelization is not a thing to be done but a vocation which has to mold and shape the missionary from the inside out.

His own spiritual journey bears this out. As a young missionary, he would often go to God in confusion or pain, discovering secret strength in placing his day in the hands of the Lord. This, with the passing of time, grew into a morning habit of offering—going over each morning the day’s tasks and leaving them in God’s hands. “Sometimes,” he admits with a disarming openness, “things turn out the way I didn’t expect—but it’s always better than I imagined.” This real faith in divine providence, not as an idea but as a daily rhythm, has been the guiding star of his life.

Fr. du Penhoat also indicates the manner in which living humbly and in poverty, as a stranger to the people of a different culture, can truly make one’s spirituality change. It is by hearing, by being dis-placed, that a missionary will be prepared to actually let the work of the Holy Spirit in others. For him, missionary living is not imposition but testimony—being in such a way so that God is incarnate in His presence.

He talks freely, too, of failure, moments of manipulation or pride, and the pain of learning that good intentions are not always enough. These are scars, not diminishing his sense of call, all the more deepening it. They urge him in his need for mercy and make his leadership all the more gentle. “When I look back, I offer it all to the Lord,” he says. “And I feel the tenderness of His forgiveness.”

Lastly, Fr. du Penhoat regards the missionary as a “disciple in formation”—an individual who is constantly being shaped by the Gospel he evangelizes. Holiness is not perfection but the offering of one’s whole self to God and others in honesty, humility, and love.

Faithfulness in Joy and Trial
Fr. François speaks openly of the tears and joys of his life. Among his greatest joys: communal living, cross-cultural exchange, and seeing people convert—like in Bariba in Benin, where he saw an explosion of Christian faith. “It was like being present at a new Church being born.”

And yet, there were conflicts as well. “Moments of selfishness, miscalculated projects, or having hurt someone unintentionally weigh on me,” he admits. “I’ve also witnessed how abuse ruins lives—something I never thought existed before having to face it in France.

However, his self-assurance has its roots in Christ. “What gives me hope is this living proximity of the Lord. When I was astray, He was with me. I now entrust each day to Him—it generally turns out better than I anticipated.”

Formation, Mentoring, and the Future of the Missionary Vocation
Fr. François promotes a renewed focus on interior life: “We don’t need perfection but wholeheartedness.” He invites missionaries to love the cultures they are serving among—not just to understand them. “It’s not academic—it’s relational.” Teamwork, reconciliation, and a culture of oneness are also necessary. “Mission is about gathering, not dividing.”

Walking Together
His style of leadership was collaborative and founded on trust. “I was blessed with councils where we shared the burdens and the vision.” He does confess there were some things that were left undone but is insistent on the team effort in revitalizing the province.

Concerning synodality, he’s pragmatic yet hopeful: “We’ve made progress, but we have far to go—especially in cooperating with the laity. Evangelizing ‘à la manière du Pape François’ requires listening deeply and mission in common.”

Laity, Intercultural Leadership, and Africa and Asian Presence
Fr. François looks back over years of experience to identify the key role of the laity, and especially in Africa. “Very often, it was the laity who did most of the work—we were there to accompany and empower.” He warns against rigid structures and instead suggests starting with shared mission. “Let’s walk together first. Structures will follow.”

He also believes African and Asian confrères have a lot to offer the European Church—life, enthusiasm, and deep faith. Integration is however a work in time and patience. “You have to love the culture you serve—even if you’re reminded you’re a foreigner.”

From Routine to Renewal
Fr. François reflects with gratitude on the pioneers who came before him—individuals who navigated the crisis following Vatican II creatively. “They dared to experiment. We also have to do the same: listen, discern, and react.”

He is sure that the Province of Lyon will continue to be a reference point in the SMA family. “There’s huge potential here—and I have every confidence in the next generation to carry it on.”

The SMA and OLA Bond
Fr. François has a special hope of greater partnership with the OLA (Our Lady of Apostles) sisters. “We have common roots. Trust and mutual respect can enable us to grow together without losing our uniqueness.”

A Church on the Move
Wherever he was, in the streets of Lyon, the barrios of Spain, or the villages of Bariba, Fr. François’s missionary life has been one of movement—geographical, spiritual, and relational. “Wherever we are, we must be a Church ‘en sortie’—going out to the margins, meeting people where they are, with humility and hope.”

As he steps away from Lyon’s Province leadership, Fr. François leaves behind not a blueprint, but a witness. A witness to a life of trust, a witness to a life of repentance, and a witness to a life of joy in the Gospel. His legacy is not so much in what he did—but in how he challenged others to live the missionary vocation with courage, with compassion, and with creativity.

By Dominic Wabwireh