Piarist Days in Africa - Order of the Pious Schools

Under the motto “Pilgrims of Hope” and in communion with the Jubilee Year proclaimed by Pope Francis, Fr Pedro Aguado and the General Congregation have convoked the African Days in order to continue building The Pious Schools on the African continent.

Continuing the journey of the Piarist Days of each circumscription proposed by the General Congregation for this six-year period, it is now the turn of the African circumscription: Province of West Africa, Province of Central Africa, Vicariate of Congo and Mozambique. The host community is Kinshasa, Congo. The Piarist Days in Africa are taking place in the House of St Therese of the Carmelite Fathers.

First day

Father Pierre Diatta, Sch. P., superior of the Vicariate of Congo, welcomed the participants to this meeting. Fr Adalbert Fouda, Sch. P. is in charge of the logistics of the meeting. We thank each of them for their careful work in welcoming and preparing the participants so that this meeting could take place in a fraternal way.

The opening of the Piarist Days in Africa began with the Eucharist, presided over by Fr Pierre Diatta, Sch. P. and animated by the confreres of the Vicariate of Congo. In the other hand, Fr. Felicién Mouendji, Sch. P., presented the agenda of the working meetings days.

The first session was led by Fr Pedro Aguado, Sch. P., who introduced the meaning of the Piarist Days in Africa, as well as a general reading of the reality of the Pious Schools in Africa. He dealt with the historical journey and the dynamics of growth over time, as well as the joys and challenges for the sustainable growth of the Circumscription.

In the second, third and fourth sessions, the major superiors began by presenting the general reality of the Piarist presence in each demarcation. Between each presentation, there was a plenary dialogue with the major superiors in order to highlight the elements of our life that need to be deepened.

Second day

We began the day with the Eucharist. This was prepared and animated by the demarcation of Central Africa. Father Moses Kongmi, Father Provincial of Central Africa presided the Eucharist. After asking the Holy Spirit for his help, the day’s work began.

Bro. Eloi LUHEHO FSC, Director of the De La Salle Schools Office, related an exposition to the participants in order to encourage them to the daily mission in the vineyard of the Lord trough the education ministry. The theme of the presentation was: The challenges of the educational mission of the Church in Africa. After a dialogue with the speaker, Fr Pedro invited all the participants to listen to two important initiatives of the Order in Africa that contribute to the current growth of the circumscription. These presentations were about the culture of Pastoral Care for Vocations (presented by Fr Adalbert Fouda, Sch. P.) and the support of ITAKA-Escolapios in some important growth projects in Africa (presented by Dn. Igor Irigoyen).

Finally, in the third and fourth sessions, Fr. Pedro Aguado asked the participants to make an open reflection on the growing of the Order in Africa as a sign of hope in Africa.

Finally, Fr. Pedro Aguado, then invited the Assembly to listen to some reflections on the cultural transformation of the Order in Africa.

The presentations were as follows:

Fr. Jószef Urban introduced the theme of “The Implications of Cultural Change“. Then each of the General Assistants presented a key inspiration from the General Congregation’s Road Map for this sexennium:

a) Pious Schools Going Forth (Fr. Carles)

b) Synodal dynamics (Fr Julio)

c) Identity and Authenticity (Fr József)

d) Integral sustainability (Fr Félicien)

After this invitation to cultural reflection on Africa, Fr Pedro Aguado closed the day’s work by explaining the work for the following day.

Those invited to the meeting are:

F. Pedro Aguado Cuesta, Sch. P. Father General.

F. Jozsef Urban, Sch. P. General Assistant for Asia.

F. Félicien Mouendji, Sch. P. General Assistant for Africa.

F. Carles Gil, Sch. P. General Assistant for Europe.

F. Julio Alberto Álvarez, Sch. P. General Assistant for America.

F. Alex Dejusée, Sch. P. General Secretary and translator at the meeting.