Category Archives: Cardinal Lavigerie

  In this video we have a thoughtful presentation of the vision and work of Cardinal Lavigerie, by the Missionaries of Africa, the Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Africa and members of the Lavigerie family      

 Celebration in Malindi   Report by Sr Redempta Kabahweza, from Malindi, Kenya   For the bicentenary of the birth of our dear Founder Cardinal Charles Lavigerie many events were programmed in our communities and I am grateful to God for having given me opportunity to attend a number of them. In November 2024, we had the launching of bicentenary here in Malindi diocese at our brothers, the Missionaries of Africa’s Parish in Tarasaa. As we did not have a chance to travel to Nairobi for the same function, we were happy as a community to have the launching of the bicentenary here in Malindi. In December 2024 I was invited by our brothers to give sessions to the parish youth on Child Protection (including risk of sexual abuse, early marriages and early pregnancies). The youth were happy with the sessions though some of them were emotionally down as they were reminded…

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  A testimony from Burundi highlights the enduring charism of Cardinal Charles Lavigerie, showing how his spirit continues to grow and inspire generation after generation.   In this first video the celebratory Mass for the closing ceremony of a year of events that have brought together all the faithfuls in Burundi.     Here is the text of the prayer in the video     In this second video an hymn to Cardinal Lavigerie engagement in Africa sung by the pré-postulants of the Gitega community.      

For Lavigerie’s bicentenary, celebrate his legacy of faith and commitment to the African peoples by drawing inspiration from his missionary zeal, courage and faith, and focusing on his legacy of human dignity. The theme for the bicentenary year was For a passionate and renewed commitment to the African peoples’    

On the 26 of November 1892, Cardinal Lavigerie dies in Algers. In 1964 his body was translated in his final resting place, the Generalate House of the Missionaries of Africa in Rome   In the evening of life when, after long years of work and suffering, your tired hands will hand on to others the tools of your work… you will thank God for having used your weakness to carry out His plan. (Thoughts of Cardinal Lavigerie, 451, 26)   Death would only be frightening if it was not followed by the resurrection. Our Lord manifested His power much more after His Resurrection than before His death and not only did He not avoid death, but He sought and desired it, because He knew that it was according to His Father’s plan. (Thoughts of Cardinal Lavigerie, 454, 203)

Discover the Lavigerie app – your spiritual companion for prayer, reflection and mission. Inspired by Cardinal Lavigerie, it offers his writings, letters, meditations, faith resources and daily inspiration to live out your mission wherever you are. The application is available for free download on all Android and Apple devices through the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store.

  Sr. Xaverine Mukasinga shares with us her participation of the event   On the occasion of the bicentenary of the birth of Cardinal Charles Lavigerie, a symposium was held on 20 September 2025 at Tangaza University in Nairobi. This event allowed us to pay tribute to the spiritual, human and missionary legacy of our founder.   The day began with a Mass presided over by Archbishop Hubertus van Megen, Apostolic Nuncio to Kenya, who hailed Lavigerie as ‘one of the fruits of the Church’s rebirth after the French Revolution.’ In his homily, he recalled the power of the Cardinal’s witness. The symposium was organised jointly by the Missionaries of Africa, the Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Africa and the members of the association “Lavigerie Lay Movement of Nairobi”, which lives out the founder’s charism in daily life.   Cardinal Lavigerie’s commitment to the abolition of slavery was also…

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    Shared by Sr. Nathalie Sedogo, Deli, Chad   Men of Prayer Pope Francis and Cardinal Lavigerie both had a faith rooted in prayer. Christ was the center and reference point of their lives. According to those close to him, Pope Francis began his day with a long prayer. For him, “the key that opens faith is prayer” (statement to Vatican Radio, 7/10/2013). Cardinal Lavigerie was also a man of prayer and faith. “Among the obligations of apostolic life, it is important to place prayer above all else.” He insisted: “Just as the body would perish if deprived of air, so souls would wither and march toward death if they had not been refreshed and nourished by prayer.”   Very human and good shepherds of Christ Pope Francis invites priests to be pastors “permeated with the scent of their sheep,” that is, to reach out to people in their…

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    Posted by the Kadutu Community, DRC   The Lavigerie family of Kadutu met on August 4, 2024 at the home of the Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Africa in Kadutu. Let’s start with a little history to understand who this group is. Since the celebration of the centenary of the death of Cardinal Lavigerie, a group of lay people have been touched by the vision of our founder, his actions, his charism, the ‘all to all’, his anti-slavery struggle to restore dignity to Africans, his love for Africa, his charity (Caritas, the Pelican) and his call to be apostles. All this was passed on to his missionaries to evangelise Africa. This group, called ‘Laïcs Missionnaires Lavigeriens’, was led by our sister Marie-Claude Berrod. The members met in the sisters’ community and were recognised by the diocese. They made their promise to the Church at a Mass celebrated…

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    From our Sr Zawadi Barungu on mission in Ghardaïa, Algeria   In the majority of our mission posts in Norther part of Africa, the legacy of the Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Africa and the Missionaries of Africa who lived the charism of our founder Cardinal Lavigerie remains alive. In many instances, we discover their footprints and fruits of their dedicated work.   Remembering Sister Renée Guillermin: A Tribute to Her Life and Service It is with great sorrow that we learned the news of the return to the Father of our sister Renée Guillermin, this November 26. We lived with Rénée in Ghardaïa, Algeria. She leaves us with the memory of a sister who was always approachable, generous in her self-giving. Her simplicity and joy remain a treasure for us. Our neighbors remember her. Rénée lived 19 years in Ghardaïa, Algeria. She taught embroidery and sewing…

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