The Spirit of the SMA Plenary Council, Lagos 2026

By Pierre-Paul Dossekpli

On Friday 29 May 2026, the Plenary Council of the Society of African Missions came to a close in Lagos, Nigeria. For several days, members from across the world gathered to reflect together on the future of the society and its mission. As the Council drew to an end, SMA Media gathered the impressions of four leaders. From their words emerges a single breath: fraternity, hope, and confidence in the future.

A Meeting of Brothers, Above All

For Fr François du Penhoat, Superior General of the SMA, every Plenary Council carries its own character. But this one confirmed him in a deep conviction:

“You can see that of all the Plenary Councils, this is the most fraternal. There is a good atmosphere, and we can raise difficult issues in that good atmosphere.”

This is not a superficial fraternity. It is one that allows hard things to be said without breaking the bond. Fr Didier Lawson, General Councillor, offers a striking image of this through the voting process:

“It is a meeting of brothers. They share the same priesthood, the same charism, they belong to the same communion. When a vote comes — we just voted on Chad, there were nos, there were yeses — but the nos now come back, in the name of fraternity, for the common good, into the yes. For everything to become a yes — that is what matters.”

This movement from ‘no’ to ‘yes’ — not through surrender, but through love of the common good — is perhaps the most powerful image of what this Council produced.

Caring for One Another

Fr James Shimbala, General Councillor, worked within the team responsible for spirituality and the care of persons. His hope as the Council closes is simple, and demanding:

“My hope is that we can continue to do well in caring for one another. I believe deeply that each individual takes responsibility for the care of himself and the care of his confreres.”

A mission that does not care for its members will eventually run out of breath. The Council took this seriously — and Fr James hopes this awareness will spread to those places where it has not yet fully taken root.

A Spirituality Rooted in the Everyday

Fr Jean Paul Kpatcha, Provincial Superior of the SMA in Togo, also worked in the spirituality team. What stirs in him at the moment of closing is the conviction that spirituality cannot remain an abstraction:

“I want to insist again on the notion of spirituality in its practicality, in the daily reality of our missionary activities. What fills me with joy is seeing that we are conscious of this — this generation of elders and young people alike — that there is this joy of remaining connected to God.”

This is missionary spirituality: not one practice among others, but a way of being — given and shared.

Confidence in the Future

It falls to the Superior General to have the last word — and that word is an invitation. In a world marked by crises, divisions, and uncertainty, Fr François du Penhoat chooses confidence:

“For me, it is confidence in the future. We are in a difficult moment in the world. But I believe that if we are united, we can get through this, and we can help. We can be a place or a source of peace for the world.”

A place of peace for the world. That may be the most beautiful definition of what the SMA is called to be — not in spite of the difficulties, but through them.

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Interviews conducted on 29 May 2026, at the close of the SMA Plenary Council, Lagos.
Fr Francois du Penhoat — Superior General, SMA  |  Fr Didier Lawson — General Councillor
Fr James Shimbala — General Councillor  |  Fr Jean Paul Kpatcha — Provincial Superior, SMA Togo