MSFS - MISSIONARIES OF ST.FRANCIS DE SALES
SOUTH-WEST INDIA PROVINCE

VINAYALAYA, MSFS Provincial House P.B.No.5557, Malleswaram West P.O

Bengaluru 560 055, INDIA

Tel. 080 23340379
Mob: 91 9739010026, Fax: 080 23341329

E-mail: provincialsouthwestmsfs@gmail.com  Website: www.msfssouthwest.com  secretaryprovincialsouthwest@gmail.com

SWIP Circular BK/25                                     January 24, 2018

VISITATION TO CHAD & CAMEROON

My dear Confreres, I had the great joy of visiting our Chad-Cameroon Mission from the 8th of January 2018 to the 21st of January 2018. Two of the Councilors, Frs. Roy Plathottathil and A. Jerome accompanied me. Frs. Aneesh Palathadathil and Innaci Muthu, who joined the mission in Chad and Cameroon, also travelled with us. We thank God for the wonderful experience of the missionary journey of a fortnight, which revealed to us the true joy of involving in challenging missionary commitment.

Chad-Cameroon Mission: Land of Joyful Missionary Commitment

One of the most enchanting aspects of my visitation to Chad- Cameroon Mission is the joyful service rendered by our Confreres in the mission. From the time of our arrival to the moment of our departure we were constantly accompanied and supported by the loving presence and cheerful availability of Fr. Manoj Arackal, the mission superior. So too all the members of our mission, namely, Frs. Sen Vellakada, Innocent Parfait, Emile Amougou, Giridhari Lakra, Marcel Dung Dung, Robin Thonikuzhy, Francis Ekka, Sujith Pallassery, Joshy Nellimalamattam and Abessiuguie Christoph, gave us the feel of the loving bond between Confreres through their affable warmth of relationship. Together with the Mission Superior and the Provincial Councillors I had the great privilege of visiting all our communities where our Confreres are rendering great service to the Church at large. I had the joy of meeting all our Fathers, regents and scholastics personally as well as in common.

• At Buea, the Anglophone part of Cameroon, Fr. Christoph, is the Chaplain of the University parish of Sts. Peter and Paul. He is ably assisted by Bro. Titus, who is doing regency there.
• At La Feuillette, the Mother House of our Mission in Chad and Cameroon, in Ngoya, in the diocese of Obala, we have now the Scholasticate community. Frs. Sen Vellakada (the Rector and Superior) Manoj Arackal (the Mission Superior), Parfait and Bibin Xess form the community along with eight of our Scholastics. Frs. Aneesh and Innaci Muthu also belong to this community at the moment.
• At Bini-Dang, in the diocese of Ngaoundere, Fr. Giridhari Lakra the Parish Priest of the University Parish of St. Thomas More. He is assisted by Bro. Anniversaire, the regent.
• At Djalingo Mabanga, in the diocese of Ngaoundere, we have the new MSFS Seminary constructed. Fr. Emile Amougou (Rector and Superior), Fr. Marcel Dung Dung (the administrator) and Bro. Abba (the regent) form the community along with 14 postulants.
• In Chad, at Doba, we have the MSFS Community animating the Parish of St. Daniel Comboni and the newly constructed SFS School. Frs. Robin Thonikuzhy (Superior and Parish Priest), Francis Ekka and Bro. Franky (the regent) form the community.
• In Bero (also in Chad), we have the MSFS Community animating Parish of St. Josephine Bakhitha, School and SFS Boys’ Home. Fr. Sujith Pallassery (Superior, Parish Priest and Director of the Boys’ Home) and Bro. Philip (the regent).

  Mission Colloquium

  On the 11th of January 2018 all the Confreres of the Chad Cameroon gathered together in Djalingo Mabanga, in the MSFS Seminary, for a day of colloquium. The colloquium was mainly focused on the evaluation of our religious and ministerial life. In the colloquium a thorough evaluation of the Action of the past year was made. The colloquium once again re-asserted its intent to raise the mission into a delegation. The colloquium also made a new action plan for the year 2018. Following are the Action Plan for the year 2018.

Action plan of Chad-Cameroon Mission 2018

1. Raise Chad-Cameroon mission into a delegation.
2. Being the year of Local communities in the Congregation revive our communities by personal meetings, monthly community meetings presenting of accounts, Community Picnic etc.
3. Make a vision and mission plan for every community
4. Make a brief history of the origin and development of each community.
5. Send an annual budget of every community to the mission bursar before 1st February 2018.
6. Revive apostolic communities in the mission by having apostolic community meetings at least 3 times a year.
7. Continue the mission circular once in four months and ensure every centre sends news materials.
8. Ensure the construction of at least two class rooms, sanitation facilities and drinking water for the Ngaoundere School before the end of august 2018.
9. Start the construction of Boys’ Home in Doba.
10. Secure our properties and have a master plan for all our land in the mission.
11. Intensify the vocation promotion to have at least 10 candidates for next year. Make sure that every year candidates are recruited also from Chad and from different parts of Cameroon.
12. Find sponsors for all professed scholastics.
13. Create mission Corpus fund for emergency needs.
14. Seek the possibilities of mission support through personal contacts in USA and strengthen our collaboration with Franco-Swiss province.
15. Make a plan for the Novitiate House in Buea and approach the funding agencies.Get electrical connection / Solar panel for the MSFS seminary at Ngaoundere.
16. Address the water issue MSFS seminary at Ngaoundere and at La Feuillette.
17. Have a common formation policy at every level of formation.

1. Strengthen the mission by sending more personnel.
2. Ensure the financial stability of the mission.
3. Start a bank account for the mission in India.
4. Revive the African day in all educational institutions of the province and transfer the amount received to the mission account in India.

  Fr. Emile Amougou gives us a report of the inauguration and blessing: More than thousand faithful and a local population gathered at the new home of MSFS Seminary (Postulancy) Djalingo-Mabanga on Tuesday, January 13th, to celebrate the blessing of the recently built formation house. Along with Rev. Fr Benny Koottanal, the Provincial, Fr Jerome and Fr Roy the Provincial councillors, Rev Fr Achille, Procurator of the diocese and personal representative of Mgr Emmanuel Abbo, bishop of Ngaoundere, dozens of diocesans and religious priests, all the MSFS priests working in the Chad-Cameroon Mission, several religious sisters and brothers, political and traditional authorities, other guests, honoured the threefold articulations of the joyful event: The Blessing and inauguration of the Seminary, the Celebration of the Holy Eucharist and the fellowship meal. Blessing and inauguration was done at 4pm during a prayer session presided over by Rev Fr Benny, the Provincial. The Provincial invoked the Holy Spirit and 
implored the motherly intercession of Mary, Mother of Compassion and Saint Francis de Sales in his Spirit of Compassion to befriend all on the way to salvation.

The Holy Mass was presided over by Rev. Fr Achille Pandeu, who represented Mgr Emmanuel Abbo, bishop of Ngaoundere. On behalf of the bishop, the main-celebrant thanked the MSFS congregation for their wonderful presence and missionary work in the diocese since 2003 and pleaded for more MSFS priests in the diocese. In the sermon, Rev Fr Benny, the Provincial, after thanking all those who made this beautiful building a reality, explained how important it is for the formation of the future priests from Chad- Cameroon. He addressed the seminarians exhorting them to prayer and service. Fr Giridhari Lakra gave vote of thanks on behalf of the Mission. Special gratitude and thunders of applause were raised for Rev. Fr James Manjackal msfs who financially supported the whole construction of the Seminary at Ngaoundere. The New Seminary stands as another great achievement of the MSFS Congregation blooming in the African soil. In the name of the whole province I too take this opportunity to thank Rev. Fr. James Manjackal for the yeomen financial support rendered for the construction of the seminary. God bless you Fr. James.