The origins
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By the Father
Joseph Perrier.
The Society of the
Missionaries of Africa (White Fathers) is born in
Algeria, founded in 1868 by Mgr Charles Lavigerie,
archbishop of Algiers.
Did you say: "White Fathers?"
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Lavigerie, indeed,
go put these new missionaries owing a triple requirement
quickly: :
- You will speak
the language of people.
- You will eat their food.
- You will wear their dress.
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Mgr Charles Lavigerie Archbishop of Algiers
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T
his New Missionary Company took therefore, in the beginning,
the Arabian dress: the gandoura, the Arab cloak and the
chéchia, with as religious sign a rosary carried around
the neck like necklace.
Works
social, clinics, schools, farming development: such will
be their work, in the beginning, in Algeria. . But Lavigerie
sees big. While accepting the archidiocese of Algiers, he
had written to one his friends": Algeria is only a door
opened on a continent... "After the opening of the novitiate,
in 1868, the vocations arrive numerous enough so that in
1876, a first trailer of three missionaries can leave for
Timbuktu. Unfortunately, they will be slaughtered all three
by the nomads of the desert.
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Two
years after, in 1878, another caravan of several missionaries
arrives to the port of Mombassa, on the East coast of
Africa. After three months of walk, it reaches the strands
of the Lake Victoria and settles in Uganda. Other trailers
will follow, often in difficult conditions. The African
adventure of the White Fathers was in walk.
T
o the death of the Cardinal Lavigerie, in 1892, 278 Missionaries
of Africa, of 5 Nationalities worked already in 6 countries:
Algeria, Tunisia, Uganda, Tanzania, Congo and Zambia. |
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Today,
it is 1541 Missionnaires of Africa, of 37 Nationalities,
that work in 42 Countries, in 269 communities. (Present
group of the Missionaries of Africa in Formation - Nairobi
- Kenya). |
One year after the foundation of the Missionaries
of Africa - White Fathers -, Mgr Lavigerie founds, in 1869,
the Congregation of the
Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Africa.
For more : Archives on the international website africamission-mafr
The researchers can consult our archives in Rome:
E-mail archives : archivio@mafrome.org
Also in Paris 5 rue Verlomme 75003 Paris France
Fr.
Pierre Féderlé Consult
our Library
E-mail Fr. Jacques Delattre: archivist : j.delattrepb@laposte.net
Others books written by "Missionaries
of Africa".
New Books
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A voir : Livres, lettes,
conférences (1545) du Cardinal qui sont sur le site
de la Bibliothèque
Nationale de France
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