Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Freetown (Agenzia Fides) – We here publish a commentary from the Archbishop of Freetown and Bo, Archbishop Edward Tamba Charles, written for Agenzia Fides, reflecting on the recent celebrations held in Sierra Leone for the 150th anniversary of the death of Monsignor Mechior Marion de Bresillac and his brothers of the Society of African Missions (SMA) (see Fides 23/6/2009; 1/7/2009; 20/7/2009).
“On the 24th and 25th June 2009, the Archdiocese of Freetown and Bo, in collaboration with the Dioceses of Kenema and Makeni, hosted the 150th anniversary of the death of Founder of the Society of African Missions (SMA), Msgr. Melchior Marion de Bresillac, and his confreres in Freetown in June 1859. On Wednesday, 24th June, we had a solemn procession from the Sacred Heart Cathedral on Siaka Stevens Street in central Freetown to the Government Wharf, where the ships that brought the SMA fathers docked in 1859, and then to Circular Road Cemetery they were buried, after they had been decimated by the Black Water Fever epidemic that was raging in the Sierra Leone territory at that time. At the cemetery prayers for offered for deceased missionaries and for missionary zeal in Africa. Thursday, 25th June, was the climax of the celebrations. We had a Mass for the Evangelization of Peoples at the St. Anthony’s Parish Church, presided over the Papal Nuncio to Sierra Leone, Liberia and The Gambia, His Excellency Archbishop George Antonysamy, and assisted by bishops from Sierra Leone, Liberia, France, and Nigeria.
Both ceremonies were well attended by the priests, religious and lay faithful of the Archdiocese of Freetown and Bo and of the Dioceses of Kenema and Makeni. Apart from the SMA Fathers and their missionary associates from Europe, America, and other African countries, there were also delegates from Liberia and Nigeria.
Perhaps someone might be wondering why we gave so much importance to the celebration of the 150th anniversary of the death of those SMA Fathers, an event which, from a purely human point of view, was a great tragic (a bishop and his six confreres died in six months after their arrival); and why, as a local Church, we were so enthusiastic to be part of the celebrations.
I am quite sure the SMA Fathers had their own reasons for commemorating such a tragic, event in the history of the society, but for us it was an opportunity to commemorate the missionary roots of our local Church in Sierra Leone. Msgr. Marion de Bresillac was not only the founder of the congregation of the SMA Fathers; he was also the first Apostolic Vicar, and therefore the first Catholic bishop, of Sierra Leone. He was our bishop and his confreres were our missionary forefathers who sacrificed their lives for the spread of the gospel in our land. In a certain sense, they are the first martyrs of the Catholic Church in Sierra Leone. Is that not reason enough to be interested in the celebrations?
Furthermore, the celebrations reminded us that the planting of the Catholic Church in this country was a very costly, indeed very bloody, enterprise, in terms of human lives lost. It is very important, therefore, that we keep alive the memory of this tragic chapter in the history of our Church in Sierra Leone. But it is even more important that we maintain and promote a missionary consciousness at all levels in our local Church as it is the best homage we could pay to those who sacrificed their lives in the process of establishing the Church in our land.
The Church for which the SMA died is now a flourishing local Church, comprising three dioceses, each with its own resident bishop, and a fourth diocese is in the making. The number of the local clergy and religious brothers and sisters is increasing gradually, with some now serving as missionaries in other countries; so is the quality of the involvement of our lay faithful in the life and mission of the Church. I am quite sure that Msgr. Bresillac and his SMA confreres, from their place in heaven, would be extremely delighted about these developments because their sacrifices were not in vain.
In summary then, as a local Church in Sierra Leone, we were very happy to be part of the SMA Fathers’ celebrations in order to demonstrate our deep appreciation of the invaluable contributions of our missionary forefathers, brothers and sisters to the founding of the Catholic Church in Sierra Leone.” Most Rev. Edward Tamba Charles, Archbishop of Freetown and Bo. (SL) (Agenzia Fides 29/7/2009)
