The Sancta Maria prayer
The Sancta Maria prayer.This is a very ancient hymn sung by the sisters, Fathers and Brothers the Missionaries of Africa – White Sisters and White Fathers,during our family celebrations. This hymn is from the time of St Augustine. A hundred and fifty years ago the Christians of Algeria sang it; Cardinal Lavigerie loved it and he shared it with his missionaries. Since the beginning of the Congregation, Sisters entrust their mission to Mary,singing this hymn. Formerly at the mother house in Algiers sisters met every evening around the statue of Mary to sing the Sancta Maria. Today, this hymn is fervently repeated by all generations of Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Africa during our family celebrations: religious profession, jubilees, gatherings … Holy Mary, Help the afflicted Aid the faint-hearted Comfort the sorrowing Pray for the people Intercede for the clergy Plead for women consecrated to God May all…
Psalm of a migrant abandoned in the desert
I want to live… Lord, my helper and my refuge, from the womb of my mother, you know me and you love me … My mother told me that you never abandon anyone who trusts in you, but you guide them on the right path, and you feed them with the bread of heaven. Look upon me Lord; I am lost here, far away from my country, in a no-man’s land. I want to LIVE! I would like to escape the grasp of the multinationals that made our land a pile of trash … I would like to escape the wars which brought us, the poor ones, so much famine and distress. Lord, I wish to LIVE! But see where I am. Around me, there is no life, only the lifeless bodies of my companions in misfortune. I feel that soon it will be the same for me. I…
Prayer to Our Lady of Africa
Our Lady of Africa, mother of the human family, Be mindful of your African children, at home or dispersed on other continents. You who are full of grace, look upon all those who do not know Jesus, the Son sent by the Father. May his light draw them and make them receptive to the gift of Faith. You, who are one with Christ In suffering and in glory, Be mindful of those assailed by trials, That they may discover His liberating Passover, and live by it in hope. You who turned to Jesus When the wine of joy ran out Be mindful of peoples in distress, That justice and peace may prevail In a united world where Charity reigns. You who, in the midst of the Apostles, Received the breath of the Spirit Be mindful of the apostles of today. May they announce the Word with assurance And proclaim it…
Why not Missionary Sister of Our Lady of Africa?
A double invitation of the Lord resounds in my life: “Follow me” and “Go forth from your country, to the land I will show you.” This call gives me joy and dynamism. I would like to respond to it by joining other young people who like me, choose to give their lives to Christ for his Mission. The call to become a Missionary Sister of Our Lady of Africa may be heard in many ways. Perhaps a Gospel passage invites me to proclaim Jesus Christ beyond all borders, a deep desire to give my life to Jesus, an attraction for Muslim-Christian dialogue, the desire to fight against all kinds of injustice, a commitment to the poor, immigrants in my own country, I can also be attracted by Africa for a long time. Openness to others is important to me because it enriches my way of seeing…
Migrants in the Algerian desert
Already two weeks ago I wanted to write something about a particular adventure – an adventure about migration; an adventure about human encounter. It is still possible to have beautiful encounters, free encounters, transforming encounters. Ghardaia, November 2013, the first hints of rain, little drizzles in the evening. The day is sunny and fresh, otherwise cold! The small desert offers its stones to the sun’s rays as if to suck the heat and keep it for the nights, already difficult to bear without shelter. The Algerian cities have been visited for the past year by unusual people, women and children from the south, begging by day, disappearing at night. At first like the war-refugees from Mali, then recognized as Nigerians, their presence questioned, sometimes disturbing, often leading to compassion. Algerian Associations mobilize quickly to bring them food, especially when cold attacks these scantily clad people. Some newspapers write about them.…
It is possible to live in harmony with our Algerian brothers and sisters
My main work now is welcoming people to the Basilica of Our Lady of Africa, three days a week. In fact, having lived so many years in Algeria, since 1959, and knowing several languages (Arabic, German, Italian and French), is a valuable asset to receive and inform visitors to this high point in Algeria. I meet an average of 250 people per day, mostly Algerians who come to pray, because it is their Basilica! It has been completely restored two years ago, and since then, it is not unusual for delegations from the Middle East and other countries to come to visit. Also the Basilica of Our Lady of Africa has become a place of international worship. Many moving testimonies show this, such as that of an old man arriving from Jerusalem who wanted to visit Our Lady of Africa again before he died. He had lived…
For us, difference is a value.
Sisters of differents nationalities and continents present themselves
Learning the language of the people who welcome us
How to reach someone if I do not speak their language? How to get close to them if I do not understand? How to love a people and their culture if I do not understand their language?
This is a gratuitous gift…
“The gift of a religious vocation is a wholly gratuitous gift on Gods’ part, and a miracle of his mercy.” Mother Marie-Salomé Each of us, at one time in her life, experience the Love of God in a special way. Something simple yet wonderful happens to us. This is a totaly gratuitous gift… Someone Divine touches us profoundly and our life is changed ! Jesus Christ becomes for us an irreplaceable friend. He reveals the face of God to us, full of love and tenderness. Conséquently, we have only one desire : to live for him and make him known to other peoples. The God revealed to us by Jesus knows no frontiers : his Salvation is for all. Our free response to the call received is shown by following Jesus in obedience, chastity and poverty for the coming of God’s Kingdom. It is our particular way of living our…
Our family treasure
Since the beginning, Cardinal Lavigerie wanted us to be sent in apostolic international communities. Interculturality is an integral part of our “family treasure”, of our heritage… a heritage to which we hold firmly. “Be of one heart and one soul. Be truly sisters one to the other. To love and help one another are the two pillars of community life. Take with a good spirit whatever your companions do or say.” Mother Marie-Salomé We are not sent alone. It is together that we participate in the mission of Christ. He himself, from the beginning of his public life, surrounded himself with a community of disciples. It was not an international community, but he liked gathering together persons who were very different: by temperament, place of origin, trade or profession, political opinions… Was it not a way of showing how, in Him, all the differences can be harmonised? Thus it…