Pope Leo XIV at Notre-Dame d’Afrique
From Sr Bernadette Djekoye on mission in Algeria “But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” (luke 1:43) These words of Elizabeth, expressing both humility and deep joy, resonate with what I experienced when Pope Leo XIV was welcomed to Algeria. It is with great joy that I share with you my experience of this visit to Notre-Dame d’Afrique on 13 April 2026. For several months, preparations had been intensifying, both within the Church and on the part of the Algerian government, whose commitment was admirable. Everything was organised very well. On the morning of 13 April, from a large stadium, extensive transport arrangements and an impressive security operation were put in place to take us to the basilica, situated on the heights of Algiers. This place is highly symbolic: it is both a place of prayer for Christians and…
Celebrating in the periphery in Rwanda
From our Sr. Marie Kanyoni, in the community of Butare, in Rwanda Our community wanted to conclude the bicentennial of Cardinal Lavigerie with the sister congregations, the Benebikira and the Abizeramaria from our parish; and also with our close neighbors from the cathedral as well as our collaborators, the former students of MSOLA. Then, one of us had the idea of inviting the poor from the peripherie with whom we work in our apostolates, that is, the four groups from three different villages and the Notre Dame d’Afrique Center (sewing center for young women). With this gesture, we find ourselves fully in line with the apostolic exhortation of Pope Leo XIV: From the beginning, Scripture manifests with such intensity God’s love through the protection of the weak and the less fortunate, that one could speak of a kind of ‘soft spot’ of God towards them. The poor have…
A Crossroads of Reunions in La Marsa, Tunisia
During the last months of the year, our small Christian community in La Marsa, Tunisia, experienced many moments of visits, encounters, and joyful reunions, enriching the life of the parish and the religious communities present in the country. Closing of the Bicentenary of Cardinal Lavigerie at La Marsa Parish On October 31, on the occasion of the closing of the Bicentenary of Cardinal Lavigerie, our parish in La Marsa welcomed the communities of the Missionaries of Africa and the entire Lavigerie family. The Mass, presided over by Bishop Nicolas Lhernould, was at once simple, beautiful, and deeply prayerful. It was followed by a time of fellowship with the consecrated members and friends who accompanied us, with a special guest: Pauline Lecointe, the great-great cousin of Cardinal Lavigerie. A Fraternal Day of the COSMADT in Monastir In November, a beautiful day of fraternity and sharing brought…
Life of the mission in Ouarzazate, Morocco
Since our arrival in Ouarzazate, Morocco, we welcomed several groups of pilgrims, mainly from Poland and Italy. They wished to make a stop on their journey in order to celebrate the Eucharist in our Church of Saint Thérèse. We have also begun to build relationships with some guides who regularly accompany these pilgrimage groups. This time, we had the joy of meeting again Mrs. Agnieszka, a simple woman with great depth in her sharing. She is also passionate about Tanzania, where she spent some time, and she enjoys recalling a bit of her Kiswahili whenever she comes here. We also received visits from several people who came to spend a moment in prayer in the church and eventually shared their life experiences with us. We were particularly moved by the testimony of a French man who had spent a long period in a coma. He awoke after seeing…
A life consecreted, a faith shared
From Sister Jacqueline, from Bruxelles, Belgium A group of my grandniece’s friends asked me if I would agree to meet with the children who were preparing for their confirmation. I agreed, saying that I no longer knew today’s children and that I had lived a very different youth. On the day of the meeting, I began by asking the children questions to get a sense of their experience of faith, such as: You had your first communion, what did you like about it? Have you taken communion since then? Do you like taking communion? Why? Are you happy to be making your profession of faith? I quickly realized that I was way off the mark: these children do not live in a Catholic environment! On the other hand, they were interested in religious life, especially life in Africa. How I lived, in what conditions, whether I enjoyed…
Feast of Christ the King : a celebration of faith and commitment
As every year, Saint Joseph Parish in Nouakchott joyfully and prayerfully celebrated the Feast of Christ the King, a major event in the life of the Christian community. This solemn celebration, which marks the end of the liturgical year, reminds all the faithful that Christ is at the center of our lives and our mission. It also invites the community to look toward the future with confidence, placing our journey under the reign of love, peace, and justice of the Lord. On the occasion of the Feast of Christ the King, each association, movement, national community, and prayer group of the parish was represented by two members. These representatives were called to make a formal commitment on behalf of their groups to the service of the Church and Saint Joseph Parish. This symbolic yet deeply meaningful gesture expressed the desire of every group to actively contribute to parish life.…
Living a year with Cardinal Lavigerie in Malawi: awareness, celebration, and mission
By Sr. Mbaihamndene Valerie, Lilongwe community, Malawi As a community in Malawi, we would like to share how we lived and celebrated a year with Cardinal Lavigerie, the founder of the Missionaries of Africa (M.Afr.) and the Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Africa (MSOLA). To begin with, we organized two radio programs and one television program. The main purpose of these programs was to raise awareness and help people learn more about Cardinal Lavigerie, his mission, and his lasting impact in Africa. These media platforms gave us a valuable opportunity to speak about Lavigerie commitment to anti-slavery, the fight against human trafficking, child labor, exploitation, and corruption. We also highlighted what Lavigerie accomplished in Africa through his missionaries, especially here in Malawi. Inspired by Cardinal Lavigerie deep love and passion for children, we celebrated his life together with the children at Tikondane. The day was lively…
Are we ready? Advent is coming
In preparation for the Messiah’s coming, let us “make straight his paths” as Isaias the prophet bids us. That is to say, let us go to God with an upright intention and seek Him alone with the sole desire of pleasing Him. (Mother Mary Salomé Thoughts 623. 3) The season of Advent is a time of expectation, when we prepare our home and our hearts to celebrate the birth of Jesus on Christmas Day. The word Advent is derived from the Latin word adventus, which means “coming”. Advent is a season of hope, a time to nurture peace and experience joy in anticipation for the love that is made incarnate with the birth of Jesus. This year, Advent begins on Sunday, November 30, 2025. Each Sunday of the season traditionally spotlights a key theme, hope, peace, joy, and love, to invite reflection, prayer, and expectant celebration. The traditional…
The Jubilee of the Poor
The Jubilee of the Poor will be held on Sunday, November 16, 2025, which is also the ninth World Day of the Poor that is celebrated every year. The Jubilee of the Poor is not only an opportunity to recommit to the preferential option for the poor and vulnerable, but also an invitation to take one step further into the challenge of living in true solidarity with the poor, something Pope Francis explains means combatting the structural causes of poverty, inequality, the lack of work, land, and housing, the denial of social and labor rights. It means confronting the destructive effects of the empire of money…Solidarity, understood in its most profound meaning, is a way of making history” (Fratelli Tutti no. 116) Inspirational Gospel “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has…
Be Initiators! 125 Years of White Sisters in Uganda
Shared by Sr. Magdalena Orczykowska, Missionary Sister of Our Lady of Africa on mission in Adjumani, West Nile This year marks a special moment: we close the Jubilee celebrating 125 years since the arrival of the White Sisters in Uganda, and at the same time commemorate the 200th anniversary of the birth of Cardinal Charles Lavigerie, their founder. It is a time to look back with gratitude and forward with renewed zeal—inspired by Lavigerie’s call to his missionaries to “be initiators” as they brought the Gospel to sub-Saharan Africa. The Diary of the Sisters brings us to that historic moment of arrival: On Wednesday, October 18, 1899, around 1 p.m., we climbed the Rubaga Hill. The people were lined up in orderly fashion before the cathedral. When the Apostolic Vicar appeared, everyone showed great joy by cries and clapping, and they did the same when the sisters…