Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Freetown (Agenzia Fides) - “When this pilgrimage to Freetown for celebrating the 150th anniversary of the death of our founder and his first companions was first proposed, many of our brothers in the order thought that it would be an event for a small group within the SMA. Especially because after that tragic experience, the SMA never returned to Sierra Leone. Our great surprise was to see how this celebration was not only for us, but involved the entire Church, the entire country,” says Fr. Renzo Mandirola, missionary of the Society of African Missions (SMA), where he has carried out various roles. He sent a report to Agenzia Fides on the 150th anniversary celebrations of the death of Bishop Melchior Marion de Bresillac, founder of the SMA and the first Bishops of the Vicariate of Sierra Leone (now Sierra Leone, Liberia, and a part of Guinea), which took place on June 24 and 25 in Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone (see Fides 23/6/2009 and 1/7/2009).
Archbishop Edward Tamba Charles of Freetown affirms: “These celebrations remind us that the planting of the Church in this country had a high price, in terms of the human lives that were lost. It is very important, therefore, that we keep in mind the memory of this tragic chapter in our Church's history in Sierra Leone. However, it is also important that we maintain and promote missionary awareness on every level in our local Church, as the best homage we can pay to those who gave their lives to establish the Church in our country. The Church that the SMA died for is now a flowering local Church, with three diocese and a fourth on the way [...] I am sure that Bishops de Bresillac and his SMA companions would be very happy with this progress, because they can see that their sacrifice has not been in vain [...] I pray that these celebrations may help us all to be more missionary in our mindset, in our actions, and above all, be witnesses with our lives.”
On the afternoon of June 25, the anniversary of the death of Bishop Marion de Bresillac, in the church of St. Anthony, larger than the cathedral, there was a Solemn Mass presided by the Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop George Anthonysamy. Fr. Kieran O'Reilly, Superior General of the SMA, gave the homily, in which he presented the figure of Bresillac who was for many little known or completely unknown. He recalled that from the beginning up until today, 4,000 SMA missionaries have served the Church in Africa. He then said that the present members of the SMA come from various countries in Europe, Africa, America, India, and the Philippines, all with the aim of announcing the Gospel in Africa. There are currently nearly 240 seminarians in formation.
After having briefly commented on the readings from the Mass for the Evangelization of Peoples, he affirmed: “Yesterday (June 24), at the cemetery, at the tomb of our SMA brothers, I reconsecrated our entire Institute to the missions. I said: 'We have come here on a pilgrimage during these days to pay homage to the sacrifice of our first SMA community and to honor their memory here, which for the SMA is sacred ground. On behalf of all the members of the SMA, our friends, family members, and benefactors, I renew here next to their tomb our commitment to carry their spiritual testimony in our hearts and to remain faithful to our charism.' This is the reason why we are here and we are celebrating this special event with you on this eve on which you remember your first Bishop and our founder.”
In the presence of a large group of representatives from the Church in the country, the Archbishop of Freetown affirmed that he had officially asked that the SMA return to Sierra Leone. And jokingly, he added: “If you do not want to come and open a parish, at least come to take care of your Founder and your first founding fathers. We have been taking care of them for 150 years already!” (LM) (Agenzia Fides 20/7/2009)
