Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Kinshasa (Fides Service)- “Our place is with the people, sharing their poverty, helping to restore their hope, because life goes on”: this is how the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart see their mission in a booklet published to mark the 80th anniversary of the arrival of the first members of the community and the 150th anniversary of the Congregation’s foundation. Father Fritz Rezac, Sacred Heart Missionary in Congo for many years told a local Catholic news service DIA that the MSC missionaries always prefer work in the poorest parishes, in prisons, among the sick, with young people in difficulty.
“In Congo - Father Rezac said “our charisma is necessary because there are many situations which need to see signs of hope”. “But we must be realistic. We cannot have specialists in every field. We often have to tackle all sorts of jobs” says Father Jacques Spreuwers, who works in school pastoral and pastoral of the sick. “We have to make decisions, where to work, where we can be most useful”.
The missionaries are convinced that the local Churches and communities must learn to stand on their own feet. They are very happy to have young local men in their MSC communities. These men are hope for the future, new blood for the MSC and their work in Congo.
The first missionaries came from Belgium in 1924, later in 1955 they were joined by confreres from Germany and Austria. They evangelised regions which correspond to what today are the dioceses of Mbandaka-Bikoro and Bokungu-Ikela, which we can say were founded by the MSC.
Today in Congo the MSC has 9 Belgian members, 5 German speaking members and 28 professed local members including14 who have made their perpetual vows. The missionaries work in Bokungu-Ikela (4 communities and 2 parishes), Mbandaka-Bikoro (11 communities and 3 parishes) and Kinshasa (8 communities and one parish). They have formation houses in Kinshasa and Aequatoria Centre, a cultural centre in Bamanya which is an important centre for preserving and transmitting African culture and values. The centre was opened in 1937 by Father Gustaaf Hulstaert and Father Edmond Boelaert, and has played an important role in inculturating the faith in Congo. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 27/7/2004 righe 37 parole 437)
