The SMA House at Calavi is located about 18 kilometers north of Cotonou, the capital of Benin. It is here that the SMA International Formation Programme shapes hundreds of future missionary priests through a unique balance of prayer, community life, manual work, and discernment. The programme at Calavi is overseen by a team of five formators.  Fr. Luc Kouakou Yao N’dah, (Ivory Coast) is the rector; he is assisted by Fr. Athanas Dotto (Tanzania), Fr. Andrzej Grych (Poland), Fr. Abel Attikassou (Republic of Benin), and, finally, Fr. Daniel Mellier (France).
Every morning in Calavi, the day begins before sunrise. At 6:30 a.m., silence gives way to meditation. At 7:00 a.m., there is the Eucharist. Then comes breakfast, formation sessions, manual work, sports, and evening prayer. This rhythm has formed and shaped missionary priests of the Society of African Missions (SMA), coming from Africa, the Americas, Europe, and Asia.
Calavi is where seminarians discern their vocation in the light of the SMA Charism. Here, the students receive a holistic formation – spiritual, human, intellectual, and moral – designed to prepare them for a life of missionary service.  What makes Calavi unique is not only its international character but also its deep conviction that spiritual formation cannot be separated from the rest of life. The daily schedule reflects this integrated vision: prayer frames the day, but the middle hours are devoted to classes, practical work, and community life.
Another striking aspect of life at Calavi is its commitment to self-sufficiency. The house runs many livestock projects: chickens, rabbits, ducks, guinea fowl, pigs, sheep, and even five oxen. There is also a catfish farm. This not only helps to cover costs but provides good training and a healthy diet.
The International Spiritual Year begins each year on October 1 and ends on June 25 of the following year. This date is a special day in the SMA Calendar as it marks the anniversary of the founder’s death, Bishop de Marion Brésillac, who died in Sierra Leone on June 25, 1859.  In Calavi, this day is even more special as on this day students who have successfully completed their spiritual year take their first oath of commitment to the SMA for a period of one year.
On June 25th, 2026, forty-eight students took their first Oath and they will now move on to the next stage of their formation. We wish them well as they continue their training to become missionary priests. Life in Calavi is made up of many different elements but overall the core aim always remains the same: to create a place where young men can hear God’s voice clearly enough to respond to it.Â
If you would like to support the upkeep and training of SMA Seminarians please donate by clicking HERE Â – and selecting ‘FVC Training SMA Priests’.
The article above is based on information published  in an article on the SMA international website:
https://smainternational.site/2026/06/my-joy-is-to-accompany-the-young-men-inside-the-international-spiritual-year-of-calavi/