AFRICA /TOGO - Mission and the desire to leave for distant places

Thursday, 28 January 2021 mission   missionary animation  

SMA

Sokodè (Agenzia Fides) - "If someone asks me today why I want to be a missionary, the answer is different from that at the beginning. It is not just a feeling, it is something deeper", writes Sebastião Moniz, seminarian of the Society of African Missions (SMA), from Angola. "I feel that the Lord wants me to be part of His project of love for all, as Bishop de Brésillac said: 'Missionary for the glory of God'.
The seminarian tells of the initial difficulties of his vocation due to the opposition of his father, who had other plans for his son. "Over time, things have changed. With my mother's prayers and the advice of many friends, my father accepted what my heart desired".
"My vocation arises from the desire to serve where I am most needed. At first I did not know the charisma of the SMA very well, I simply saw the work of the White Fathers and this struck me a lot - he writes. Now that some years have already passed, I feel I have grown in prayer, love and understanding towards others. I feel my love for the Lord. I had to learn to close my mouth and open my eyes and ears to better understand what God wanted and wants from me".
Sebastiao Moniz grew up in the faith among the missionaries of the Society of Africa Missions in the parish of the Good Shepherd in Kicolo, Angola, and completed a spirituality year abroad in Calavi (Benin). He is currently working as an intern in the parish of Notre Dame de la Paix in the north of Togo, in an area of first evangelization, in order to, as he himself declares, "become a missionary from the bottom of his heart". (SM/AP) (Agenzia Fides, 29/1/2021)


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