AFRICA/BENIN – The Mission is an journey price residing
Friday, 17 March 2023
SMA
Calavì (Agenzia Fides) – “At the start of January 2022, I moved to Calavì, Benin, to the ‘Brésillac’ Middle the place the seminarians of the Society for African Missions attend the Worldwide 12 months of Spirituality (Novitiate), between the 2 o three years of philosophy and three or 4 years of theology”. Thus, Father Giovanni Benetti recounts the expertise that he’s residing among the many younger seminarians of the Calavì Middle, on the outskirts of the massive metropolis of Cotonou, within the south of the nation.
“I discover myself within the midst of many younger individuals who, along with the formation mother and father and the chums of the Middle, nurture an environment of fraternity and ease”, writes the missionary.
Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, Togo, Ivory Coast, Angola, Liberia, Zambia, DR Congo, Benin, India, are the international locations of origin of the 37 seminarians presently current within the ‘Brésillac’ Middle in Calavi. There are 5 SMA formator clergymen, of whom 1 is from India, 2 from Nigeria, 1 from Poland and 1 from Italy.
“I’m concerned” continues Father Benetti “of their non secular accompaniment, within the preparation of some retreats and formation programs, and within the participation within the varied conferences deliberate for the formators. Relying on the time I’ve obtainable, I additionally attempt to supply my pastoral service, particularly on Sundays, in some neighboring parishes. The work is just not missing and requires an important sense of duty, for the reason that vocation is at stake and, subsequently, the lives of the seminarians, future missionaries of the SMA, who anticipate an genuine Christian witness from me and from the opposite fathers. This requires humility which permits the formators to share the issues and immerse themselves within the private story of those younger individuals on their manner in direction of the priesthood and missionary dedication with out borders”.
“In fact, right here as all over the place, not every little thing is rosy. The water, for instance, is just not drinkable, so it have to be filtered or boiled. In contrast to Nairobi, the place I’ve been since 2021, Calavì’s tropical local weather is harsh and Anopheles mosquitoes are very current and energetic; you attempt to combat them with mosquito nets and repellents. Nevertheless, I dare to say it bluntly: the Mission is an journey price residing as a result of it helps to know what is crucial in life and to relativize what dangers changing into absolute. I ask the Lord to assist me be a mirrored image of his love, right here and wherever the breath of his Spirit takes me. My want is, above all, to share with simplicity the valuable reward that I’ve acquired from Him: religion, which supplies taste, serenity and which means to life”. (GB) (Agenzia Fides, 17/3/2023)
SMA
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