From March 9th to April 14th, the Superior General was in Cameroon. This was the first canonical visit since the beginning of the health crisis, all the confreres of Cameroon and Chad met in a provincial assembly.
The CMR Province of the Congregation of the Priests of the Sacred Heart of Jesus celebrated two major events recently that will certainly remain engraved in their history: the visit of the Superior General and the 19th provincial assembly.
Visit of Father General
Father Carlos Luis Suarez arrived in Cameroon, accompanied by Father Charles Koudjou, General Councillor, on March 9th, 2021, as part of the canonical visit planned more than a year ago, but was made impossible since then by the pandemic of COVID-19. It should be recalled that when he arrived, it was a time when Cameroon was classified by the WHO as the 2nd most affected African country by COVID-19 after South Africa. This did not slow down the courage and determination of our father general. Welcomed at the Douala International Airport by Father John Divine, provincial treasurer, took him to the provincial house in Nkongsamba where he met the next day with the provincial council and then individually with the members of the provincial curia.
Between tourism, visiting the confreres, and discovering the reality of our province, Father General toured all the communities and their works with the exception of the communities of Ndu and Balikumbat because of the socio-political crisis in those regions.
From Nkongsamba to Kolon (Chad), passing through Bonabéri, Bafoussam, Bamenda, Yaoundé, Yagoua and Baktchoro (Chad), Father General encountered individually with the confreres of the province, in order to have a real idea of the life of the province. Father Carlos came away with a very positive and optimistic outlook for the future of the CMR Province. The end of this canonical visit coincided with our provincial assembly.
Provincial Assembly
The CRM Province of the Priests of the Sacred Heart of Jesus should meet once a year according to the Rule of Life to celebrate the provincial assembly. Although this engagement was prevented last year due to COVID-19, the celebration reached its climax in April of this year with the unusual presence of the Superior General.
Our provincial assembly was held from April 7th to 11th, 2021 at the Franciscans of Emmanuel Welcome Center in Melong 2, near Nkongsamba. It had a strong participation of the confreres, all the communities were represented. Joy of reunion, recall of memories of the houses of formation, this is what marked the afternoon of April 7th, 2021 which was devoted to the arrival. The assembly actually started with the solemn vespers presided by Father Guillaume Djiokeu Tindo. Three days of intense work followed on the theme: “Dehonians CMR, “where is your brother? (Gn3, 9)”, and Witnessing to the Gospel from our communities of fraternal life.”
La journée du 08 Avril a eu comme points forts le statut provinciae présenté par le père Jean-Marie Signie, supérieur provincial, et le rapport économique présenté par les pères John Divine et Colbert Melon. On retient que nous sommes une province de 128 membres, 102 vivants au Cameroun et répartis dans 20 communautés. Nous avons également 06 novices.
The day of April 8th had as its strong points the statute provinciae presented by Father Jean-Marie Signie, Provincial Superior, and the economic report presented by Fathers John Divine and Colbert Melon. It was noted that we are a province of 128 members, 102 are living in Cameroon and spread out in 20 communities. We also have 6 novices.
The day of April 9th was centered on the apostolic project through the presentations of Fathers David Tachago and Léopold Mfouakouet. The work in the crossroads allowed us to deepen this presentation in order to take concrete resolutions.
The day of April 10th had as central points, the relationship between parish priest and curate in the morning and at the end of the day, the word of the Superior General. It was a question of giving his general appreciation at the end of his visit, of giving orientations for the future and of presenting some projects of the congregation.
The 19th CMR Provincial Assembly ended on Sunday, April 11th, 2021 with a solemn mass presided over by Father General at the novitiate of Ndoungué. Mass during which we read the resolutions taken during the assembly for the year 2021-2022. In his closing speech, Father Provincial Jean-Marie Signie thanked everyone for their participation, invited everyone to be more zealous in our common mission, entrusted everyone to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, especially the sick confreres, and declared the work of the 19th provincial assembly closed.
