The 165th Anniversary of the SMA Founders Death

June 25, 2024

Today, 25^th of June members of the Society of African Missions all around the world mark the 165^th Anniversary of the death of the SMA founder, Melchior de Marion Brésillac. He died with the words “Faith, Hope and Charity“ on his lips, only six weeks after he arrived in Freetown Sierra Leone. Without his vision, determination and commitment to Mission, the many achievements made by generations of SMA Missionaries would not have happened. His witness and example inspired others to continue the work he began.

Today there are fifteen SMA Provinces and also 11 other SMA Districts and Delegations (i.e. smaller organisational structures and groups). Together these comprise of over 800 missionaries who live and work in 17 African countries as well as Europe, the Americas and Asia.

The work of SMAs, since it’s foundation by Melchior de Marion Brésillac in 1856 has made a great contribution to;

the spreading of the Gospel message and the establishment the Church in Africa,
to education – through the establishment and running of schools,
to social development,
to healthcare and
to the training of Missionaries in Africa. Today there are over 400 seminarians in SMA Houses of Formation in African countries.

Those who will be ordained SMA Missionary Priests on the 29th of June in the Benin Republic Click on the photo to enlarge.

On the 28^th of June, in Dromantine, four Irish SMA’s will celebrate the Golden Jubilee of their Ordination. These missionaries have given long years of work and ministry to mission in Africa and elsewhere. On Saturday 29th of June, in Calavi in the Republic of Benin, five new SMA priests will be Ordained and begin their missionary life. Later in the summer others will be Ordained in Nigeria and Kenya. The work begun by the Founder still continues. The SMA has both a vibrant future to look forward to and a wonderful legacy to look back upon.

We thank God for the witness and inspiration of Blessed Melchior de Marion Brésillac and for the work of all who, in the past and present, follow his example of mission to Africa.

“Through the gift of Faith, he believed in God and in all that He has revealed to us, human beings. Melchior responded by committing himself entirely to God and sought to do His will at all times. Through the gift of hope, Melchior placed his trust in the promises of Christ, responding to the aspiration of happiness which God has placed in the heart of every person. By charity, he tried to love God above all things and to love all human beings as we love ourselves.” _{Page 114, To Prepare His Ways – Tracing the life of Melchior de Marion Brésillac, Bishop Patrick Harrington SMA, 2021}

To access further material about the Founder CLICK HERE