Some Initial Reflections

By Fr. Jean-Paul Sagadou, AA, superior

The Assumptionists  in Ouagadougou staying with the Religious Sisters  of the Assumption

Some years ago the Religious of the Assumption help us get settled in Togo giving us living space in one of their houses in Sokode and where one of our two communities still lives today. Here in Ouagadougou, in Burkina Faso, it is they again who have rented us space in a building that they recently vacated in order to take up residence in another neighborhood of the city closer to their work.

Our arrival

On September 6, I arrived before the rest of the community and moved into our new quarters. The house is located in a section of town not far from the cathedral parish known as the St. Leo's neighborhood. It is one of the oldest sections of the city. The house features 13 bedrooms, two small common rooms, a storage area, a garage,  a chapel, and a dining room….. but it was completely empty to the point that I was sleeping on a floor mat at first. So, one of my first jobs was to buy beds, tables, chairs, a refrigerator, etc. On September 12, the second member of the community arrived, a Malagasi AA, Fr. Nicolas Angello. The following week most of the rest of community arrived: Fr. Paulin Kakule from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and six newly professed Togolese Assumptionists (Roland, Lucas, Georges, Fabrice, Jean-Claude, Vivien). The community, which will have 10 members, is waiting awaiting the arrival of the final religious, Brother Antoine Miss, a Frenchman, or as the white man is called here in the Moré language, the "Nassara" on October 7.

Painful Child-birth

Having been on the go most of the summer, I arrived in Ouagadougou exhausted and would have been wise to take some R&R. However, I had to get the house ready and then pick up the new members of the community at the unusual hour of their arrival (some getting in at 1 or 2 in the morning). As a result, I ended up in the hospital with a fever (102.2º), dehydration, throbbing headaches, and general fatigue. They kept me there several days till I was able to return home just in time for he community's opening Mass and assume my responsibilities with some lessons learned.

But Fr. Paulin's experience was just as painful, if not more. On his way from his community in Butembo to Kampala, Uganda to catch his plane, along a section of the road known for its bandits, his vehicle was hijacked --- everyone was made to exit and robbed of everything they had. In Fr. Paulin's case that meant all of his clothes, his new computer, his memory stick with all of his courses, his wallet (which contained many documents such as his driver's license), and other personal effects. Fr. Paulin later wrote, "Thank God they spared our lives. Now I am in my new mission ready to go. I am convinced that God is great!"

Our first steps

The school-year begins

From the get-go, it is important to make clear that one of the missions of the community is the formation of the newly professed. As they pursue their formation with the Assumptionists, they have begun their philosophy studies at a house of studies founded by the Missionaries of Africa (the White Fathers) known as Maison Lavigerie in Ouagadougou. A number of religious congregations send their students here for classes: the Missionaries of Africa, the Redemptorists, the Vincentians, the Sons of Divine Providence, the Don Orione Fathers, and the Missionary Brothers and Sisters of the Countryside (a lay institute).

Involvement in the local church

While formation is one of the principal missions of the new community, we are also very interested in  getting involved in the work of the local church. It was a happy coincidence that just after our arrival the archdiocese organized a two-day workshop on major initiatives of the year. The theme of the year: "With Christ, Word of God, let us build up small Christian communities (SCC), dynamic, holy, missionary."

In order to carry out this mission the priests of the archdiocese outlined any number of projects: continuing education programs, Bible study, formation of lay helpers, spiritual direction, and the distribution of Christian materials, especially the Bible.

Upcoming invitations

We have scheduled the visit of several local clergy to help us understand better the local church:

- the local pastor of the cathedral in which we live, Fr. Patrice Kaboré

- Fr. Dominique Yanoogo, the priest in charge of communications and media in the archdiocese

- Fr. Valéry Sakougri, in charge of youth ministry

- Mr. Jacques Nanema: a professor of philosophy at the University of Ouagadougou, who, we hope, will help us understand the great challenges facing society in this country

- Mr. Eyoum Ngangue, editor-in-chief of Planètes jeunes, a Bayard initiative (we want to discuss with him other Bayard projects)

- Fr. Désir Linderlhin, a Viatorian, who is the Dean for religious in the diocese.

Many thanks for your continued support and prayers for this Assumptionist mission.