Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Abidjan (Fides Service)- The Clerics of St Viator in Côte d'Ivoire are celebrating 50 years of presence in this African country. Celebrations will culminate on 25 June. The Clerics’ charisma is teaching Catholic doctrine and altar service.
The first Clerics of St Viator arrived in Bouake in northern Côte d'Ivoire in 1955 to answer a call by Bishop André Duirat, first Bishop of the diocese who asked for some Brothers to train teachers for Catholic schools. At that time Côte d'Ivoire had no training colleges for teachers and was still under French administration. In 1960 when Côte d'Ivoire gained independence the new administration asked the Congregation to convert the Teachers Training College into a Catholic Secondary School.
Today in Côte d'Ivoire the Congregation has 27 Clerics and 27 lay associates. Nineteen of the Clerics are Africans from Côte d'Ivoire and neighbouring countries, 8 are Europeans. They have communities in various parts of the country and run several Catholics schools including St Viator College in Abidjan, founded in 2000 with the help of the Archbishop of Abidjan Cardinal Berard Agré and funded by institutions of Spanish autonomous regions.
During the dramatic events which followed the civil war of 2002, the Clerics St Viator were very active in humanitarian work providing food, clothing and soap for people in difficulty.
The congregation of the Clerics of St Viator was founded in Lyons in 1831 by Fr. Louis Querbes (1793-1853) to collaborate with Christian educators and parish priests in catechesis and liturgy. Today the Congregation is present in 15 different countries.
In Côte d'Ivoire the Catholic Church runs 66 kindergartens for 6,559 children; 250 primary schools for 77,011 pupils; 36 high schools with 16,775 students (source Church Book of Statistics 2003). (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 11/1/2006 righe 30 parole 354)
