Meeting of the Lavigerie Family: Missionaries of Africa (M.Afr), Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Africa (MSOLA) and Missionary Lay Associates (LMA).
From Sr. Julienne Bouda, Ukusijoni, Uganda
On 7th – 8th of February 2025, a meeting of the Lavigerie Family was held in Nairobi at Saint Charles Lwanga House. It was organized by the Entity leaders of both the Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Africa (MSOLA) and the Missionaries of Africa (M.Afr).
This meeting was a family gathering to see how to live practically the Charter of the Lavigerie Family proposed to us by our two General Councils. Its aim was to unify the different groups of the Lavigerie Family: Lay men and women, MSOLA and M.Afr of Eastern and Central Africa, that is Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda in view of the betterment of the Mission in Africa and for the Africans.
We were reminded that by the year 1880, Cardinal Lavigerie had associated lay people to his apostolic work. He founded the Association of St Monica and St Augustine for prayer, charity, and the adoption of children. He also recruited the armed Auxiliaries and trained the African Doctor Catechists, all that to support his missionary work. He understood that the success of his apostolic activities depended on involving lay people.
Thus, in this time of the bicentenary of his birth, it seems good to examine and take to heart the contribution of the lay people who have ever been a leaven for our missionary endeavors.
The various lay Groups are: The Friends and Relatives of the Missionaries of Africa (FROMA), from Uganda; Lavigerie Lay Association from Kenya (LLAK) and Undugu, from Tanzania which is composed of adults and youths. We were amazed to have one of the Undugu youth leaders representing the Undugu youths.
During the sharing of experiences and the successful stories, we saw how the different Lavigerie groups have been living and sharing the Charism and Spirituality of Lavigerie, thus, living our Lavigerian common call to be Apostles, nothing but Apostles.
The Charter in question has four (4) main parts that include: (1) Origin, foundation and development (2) Charism, Mission and Spirituality, (3) Membership, (4) Formation and Chaplaincy.
Hence, these few days were a time of prayer and reflection, mutual knowledge from individuals and the different groups, sharing of experiences and coming back to the Source, who is Christ. We went to the roots of our charism and spirituality to deepen these and draw from them in order to strengthen the foundations of this Family and to bring all the branches of the Family together as one, though they live in different contexts and realities.
The main aspects of our charism as presented to us are: Apostolate, “Apostles, nothing but Apostles”, Love and passion for Africa, Caritas, and All to all people.
Aspects of our spirituality are: Prayer, Strong and ardent attachment to Jesus Christ, Devotion to Our Lady, Continuous desire for holiness and a Sense of sacrifice.
This meeting reminded us that M.Afr, MSOLA, Lavigerie Lay Missionary Association (LLMA) are on an equal footing, as we are all Called to live the Charism inherited from Cardinal Lavigerie.
Lavigerie Lay Missionary Association, in short: LLMA, is the common name decided unanimously for the various lay Lavigerie groups, though other suggestions came after the meeting.
This was very much appreciated by all the participants who found in the Charter and in all we lived, a stepping stone to continue the journey, in the footsteps of Lavigerie. This was a favorable time to rekindle our unity, passion and zeal in the Mission as Apostles of Christ.
The following Sisters took part in the meeting:
Sr. Ania Wójcik, Sr. Julienne Bouda, Sr. Florence Mwamba Malunga, Marietha Joakim Rupia
Others joined the meeting online:
Sr. Theopista Nakamya, Sr. Furaha Kamanyula Jeannette, Sr. Julie Prudence Nkanda
