AFRICA - Society for African Missions SMA : info

Rome (Agenzia Fides) - On December 8, 1856, a Lyons in France at the Shrine of Notre Dame de Fourvière, Bishop Melchior de Marion Brésillac (1813-1859), the first Bishop of Coimbatore in India, and six companions consecrated themselves to the service of the missions starting an Institute which was to be a ‘Society of Apostolic Life’ comprising priests and lay brothers and open to candidates from all over the world and operating in close connection with the Congregation de Propaganda Fide in Rome. In November 1858 the first three missionaries departed for Sierra Leone, followed in March 1859 by Bishop de Marion Brésillac and two more missionaries. Shortly after their arrival in Freetown, an outbreak of Yellow fever spread seeds of death and within two months all the missionaries had died, including the Founder. His first co-workers were left with the task of helping the SMA to grow and spread following the indications of the Founder.
The Society for African Missions worked to evangelise the peoples of west Africa helping considerably to plant and develop the present local Churches in Liberia, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Niger. Today there are SMA missionaries also in Egypt, Morocco, Central African Republic, Democratic Congo, South Africa, Zambia, Tanzania, Kenya and Angola and in Europe, France, Ireland, Holland, England, Italy, Spain, Poland, America United States, Canada, Argentina and in Asia in India and the Philippines.
The Society has 923 members today including 7 bishops, 824 priests 14 lay brothers, 18 deacons, 60 temporary members; 145 students without vows from Europe, America, Africa and Asia, 4 associated priests, 36 lay associates and 28 honorary members. (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 6/7/2006, righe 22, parole 293)