Today more than ever, our human family, wounded by so many situations of injustice, so many divisions and wars, is in need of the Good News of peace and salvation in Christ. I take this opportunity to reiterate that ‘everyone has the right to receive the Gospel. Christians have duty to announce it without excluding anyone, not as one who imposes a new obligation, but as one who shares joy, signals a beautiful horizon, offers a desirable banquet’ (Evangelii Gaudium 14). Missionary conversion remains the principal goal that we must set for ourselves as individuals and as a community, because ‘missionary outreach is paradigmatic for all the Church’s activity’ (ibid., 15)
Pope Francis, Message for World Mission Day 2023.
Formation in the Society of African Missions (SMA) is a process that takes a lifetime. It can be divided into several stages corresponding to particular phases of life, starting with one’s birth till the natural death. In words of SMA Formation Charter (1): ‘The SMA considers formation to be a life-long process of conversion and growth, of attuning ourselves ever more perfectly to the mind and heart of Jesus Christ on our missionary commitment’. Rooted in a particular charism of the SMA, it has clear ad gentes, ad extra, ad vitam and inter gentes elements that underline the identity of the Society and shape its spirituality.
The period of initial formation generally takes around 9-10 years. It is a relatively long period of time. Such a length of time helps the seminarian to properly discern, with the help of his formators, his vocation and to engage to the best of his ability at various and distinct stages of formation in order to become, paraphrasing the words of the SMA Founder, Bp de Marion Brésillac, the best missionaries from the bottom of their hearts.
Members of the Comission:
François de Paul HOUNGUE
Coordinator
Wacław DOMINIK
Secretary
Severin KINGA
Member
Hugh LAGAN
Member
Amaladass AROCKIYASAMY
Member