Twenty-Nine New SMA Members

For the more than four hundred SMA Students, at various stages in their journey to priesthood, May and June are a particularly busy time marked with end of year exams for some and the joy of preparing to leave for summer holidays, returning to their home places and families for a well-earned break.   In Calavi, Benin this year there was an additional cause for joy.  The Bresillac Centre in Calavi is the location where all SMA students, no matter what their country of origin, participate in a Spiritual Year programme that is conducted through French and English, languages that all SMA students are required to be familiar with in addition to the language of their country or place  of origin.  

On the 25th of June, twenty-nine students who completed the Spiritual Year took their first Oath and by doing so officially became members of the Society of African Missions. This is a  blessing and a cause of great joy.

They are from fourteen different countries, namely:  the Philippines, Ivory Coast, Italy, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia, Central African Republic, Tanzania, India, Kenya and Angola. The temporary Oath they made in June will be renewed annually until a permanent Oath is made when they become Deacons. 

In addition to the Spiritual year, all of these new SMA’s have already completed four years training in SMA Houses of Formation located their home countries. This consisted of a one year Preparatory Programme and three years of Degree or Philosophy studies.  Then most went to Calavi for the International Spiritual Year however, some at this point, undertook a year of mission experience, called Stage in French, a sort of internship while living and working alongside an experienced SMA Missionary in a country other than their own. After this they then went to Calavi.  So by now all have been in training for five or six years.

After a summer break, all twenty-nine will move on to a new phase in their preparation for priesthood. Those who have already had a Stage year will begin three years theology studies.  Those who have not will do a Stage year and then begin theology either in Kenya, Ivory Coast or Nigeria.  After this, God willing, the students will become permanent members of the SMA, be ordained Deacons and then, after a pastoral period of about a year, be ordained Priests.  The journey from Preparatory Programme to Ordination takes ten years. 

Below are listed, the names, nationalities and what the next stage in their training will be. A recording of the First Oath Ceremony produced by SMA Togo TV may be viewed by clicking Here.

We ask God’s Blessing on the twenty-nine new members as they continue their studies and preparation for Missionary Priesthood.  We are grateful to donors who support the upkeep and education of these young men, especially members of the Family Vocations Community (FVC) who contribute annually to support our students.