Chapitre provincial et la clôture de l'année du centenaire dans la province TOG.

Le 16 janvier 2009, la jeune province du Togo/Benin a tenu pour toute sa première fois son chapitre provincial sous la houlette du P. Joseph Kallachira, supérieur provincial. Les capitulaires étaient au nombre de 21 délégués. Plusieurs résolutions et recommandations pouvant dynamiser et rayonner la spiritualité SVD et la vie religieuse et missionnaire de notre province ont été prises par les capitulaires. Il faut noter qu'avant ce chapitre, une assemblée provinciale fut tenue du 13 au 14 Janvier. Durant ces deux jours les confrères ont travaillé d'arrache pied en commission sur la vie de la jeune province. Ces travaux sont couronnés par la célébration de la clôture de l'année du centenaire le 15 janvier2009. Cette clôture fut marquée dès la matinée dans une ambiance de joie par des jeux entre jeunes et vieux confrères, des moments de détente et dans la soirée par une messe concélébrée et présidée par Mgr Michael Blume, SVD, nonce apostolique auprès du Togo et du Benin.

La joie était au comble durant ces quelques jours de retrouvailles des confrères au sein de la maison provinciale à Kégué (Lomé).Et on pouvait lire dans leur cœur et sur leur visage rayonnant de joie cette phrase du psalmiste: qu'il est bon, qu'il est doux d'habiter en frères tous ensemble! (Ps 133,1).
 
 
A Saint who prays for Togo
 
This is the title of a book in French by our confrere Dieter Skweres, published in Lomé, the capitcal city of Togo, on the occasion of the canonisation of Arnold Janssen in October 2003. The idea was then to make still better known the story of our saintly founder within the local church of Togo, the history of which is intimately related to the decision made by Janssen to send the first ever Catholic missionaries to Togo. And the five of them - three Brothers and two priests - arrived on the shores of Togo on August 29, 1892. Well, that was quite some time ago!
 
Our confreres and Sisters have left no stone unturned since January 29, 2008, both within Togo and Benin, to celebrate the lives of both AJ and JF, two saints of the Arnoldus Family, who now pray for Togo and Benin: you will surely excuse our wanting to monopolise their intercessory prouesses before the Incarnate Word of the Father, who is the Patron of the TOG province. The centenary year saw our confreres and Sisters (Togo is the only country in Africa where all the three Arnoldus Family members have pitched their tents) organising talks, novenas, recollections, special Masses, paraliturgical celebrations around the Word, as well as a series of cultural and sporting events - theatre, music and football tournaments, to win cups and trophees named after our Saints. The local Catholic press and church radio stations did cover several of these activities, together with carrying interviews of several confreres on related themes. That the beatification of Mother Josepha occurred also during this time turned out to be a blessing.
 

The closing ceremonies of the centenary year were marked by solemn celebrations in all our eight parishes in Togo and four parishes in Benin, on different Sundays of January 2009, thus making tens of hundreds of our people aware of mission history, missionary vocation and life. That our people look smart and mission-oriented wearing special clothes and T-shirts with imprints of the Blessed ones amongst us, sporting pens, key-chains and calendars, with 'Precious is the Life given for the Mission', printed in French, is but natural and graceful. And the last one in that chain of events was the musical evening organised at our Marie Theotokos parish at Agoényivé, Lomé, on January 31. That choirs of all hues and colours from several Lomé parishes where the SVD, SSpS and the SSpSAP are involved, participated in that musical evening speaks volumes for the involvement of all concerned to hold the Arnold Janssen banner high within the local church.

 

 
 

All the 51 confreres, hailing from 14 different countries, presently living within the TOG province, came together at the Provincial House in Lomé, around Archbishop Michael Blume, SVD, the Apostolic Nuncio to Togo and Benin, on January 15th to celebrate the closing ceremonies within the context of our Family Feast. The SSpS sisters and a few invited guests joined us in the evening for an open-air, moon-lit agape.The Province held its assembly on January 13-14 and the provincial chapter on January 16th. Indeed, precious is the life given for the mission, and many are the blessings received here by those praying through the intercession of our Saints.