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bben15
Guest
What do you think? Should the Church send more missionaries and priests to Africa?
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Ridgerunner
Guest
I voted “yes”, but it’s a very qualified answer.
Truth is, the U.S. is more a “mission territory” for African priests than the other way around. Seem to be more of them here all the time, and we are grateful for them.
What the real shortage is in Africa, as I understand it, is seminary space. Too many vocations for them to handle. So, perhaps what we ought to be doing is bringing some of those Africans here for seminary training so they can return to their own countries as “missionaries”. Either that or help finance seminaries there in Africa. Same thing with convents, by the way. I understand there are more applicants than they can handle.
Truth is, the U.S. is more a “mission territory” for African priests than the other way around. Seem to be more of them here all the time, and we are grateful for them.
What the real shortage is in Africa, as I understand it, is seminary space. Too many vocations for them to handle. So, perhaps what we ought to be doing is bringing some of those Africans here for seminary training so they can return to their own countries as “missionaries”. Either that or help finance seminaries there in Africa. Same thing with convents, by the way. I understand there are more applicants than they can handle.
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alpino
Guest
^^ Ridgerunner has the right idea, in fact to bring the best young adults over to the USA for various other types of vocations.
I spent 3 years in Botswana, but spent a fair amount of time in Uganda. The finest Christians I have ever met in my life, faith is in every aspect of their life to the morning prayer & songs in a secular school to AIDS prevention. The best we can do is share with Christian & especially Catholic communities.
And by the way, of ALL the charities on Earth, from saving wildlife to humans [what a concept] Catholic Relief Services etc have the best record of bringing the donations to the people, not buying SUVs and hotel rooms. I want to say 93 cents on the dollar. I told many Africans “I am here to share learning & life, not look at elephants” Africans are astounded the $$ people pay to save or see wildlife, while their children die of bad waterborne diseases.
And Christians in Africa have to deal with Islam militancy [just look at Nigeria] and hideous evil magic [beyond hideous] as well as Western missionaries trying to convert them to new flavors of Christianity, like Latin America, they call our faith “fetish Christianity”
I spent 3 years in Botswana, but spent a fair amount of time in Uganda. The finest Christians I have ever met in my life, faith is in every aspect of their life to the morning prayer & songs in a secular school to AIDS prevention. The best we can do is share with Christian & especially Catholic communities.
And by the way, of ALL the charities on Earth, from saving wildlife to humans [what a concept] Catholic Relief Services etc have the best record of bringing the donations to the people, not buying SUVs and hotel rooms. I want to say 93 cents on the dollar. I told many Africans “I am here to share learning & life, not look at elephants” Africans are astounded the $$ people pay to save or see wildlife, while their children die of bad waterborne diseases.
And Christians in Africa have to deal with Islam militancy [just look at Nigeria] and hideous evil magic [beyond hideous] as well as Western missionaries trying to convert them to new flavors of Christianity, like Latin America, they call our faith “fetish Christianity”
A
altms
Guest
We’re doing very well on our own if you ask me. Catholicism is very strong, people are very involved, and are not easily swayed by media (most don’t have access to it anyway)
Still, I welcome any missionaries from overseas. We have a lot here and they’re doing a great job. 11 years ago, I studied at a school founded by the Stigmatine Mission of Tanzania, and led by the Capuchin Tertiary Sisters. That is the most professionally run school I’ve ever gone to. It’s incredible to see the work they put to that community. Ironically, I don’t have good memories of that place, but that’s a topic for another day.
Still, I welcome any missionaries from overseas. We have a lot here and they’re doing a great job. 11 years ago, I studied at a school founded by the Stigmatine Mission of Tanzania, and led by the Capuchin Tertiary Sisters. That is the most professionally run school I’ve ever gone to. It’s incredible to see the work they put to that community. Ironically, I don’t have good memories of that place, but that’s a topic for another day.
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7armyrugrats
Guest
In the last 8 years, I have met 5 priests from Africa, two of them were Army chaplains, the other three were/are assigned to the Diocese of Owensboro. These were the most devout priests I have ever met, and I think they have so much to teach us here in the US. I guess I think we should bring more African missionaries here to convert America instead, but we should send more resources to Africa to help the people improve their lives, and also to fight the culture of death as it is trying to take over their continent.
po18guy
Well-known member
Physical and spiritual richness seem to exist in inverse proportion. America is physically rich, but spiritually impoverished. Africa is physically poor, but spiritually rich. In particular, seminaries in Nigeria are turning applicants away as they have no space for them. For this reason, the Holy Father’s mission prayer intention last month was: “That seminaries, especially those of mission churches, may form pastors after the Heart of Christ, fully dedicated to proclaiming the Gospel.”
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maklavan
Guest
Africa(and India) are the new missionaries. There are 670 African priests in France, and 1300 foreign priests,
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alpino
Guest
When I say Africa, too many countries to write, but being Christian is truly of life & death. Do not forget the martyrs in Sudan, Egypt or Nigeria. etc.
Sudan became Christian - Coptic & Catholic around 500ad via Egypt Ethiopia & Byzantine Rome. Our faith has survived in Islamic conquest, slavery & genocide. Below a pic of the hunter of our faith… satan could not have thought such things up
christianaction.org.za/articles_ca/2004-images/dochristianscare04.jpg
Sudan became Christian - Coptic & Catholic around 500ad via Egypt Ethiopia & Byzantine Rome. Our faith has survived in Islamic conquest, slavery & genocide. Below a pic of the hunter of our faith… satan could not have thought such things up
christianaction.org.za/articles_ca/2004-images/dochristianscare04.jpg
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