ACCRA JUNE 14, 2016 (CISA) – The Ghana Regional Council of the Society of African Missions (SMA), has hosted the Plenary Council Meeting of the congregation at its Regional House at Oshuiman, Amamoley Estate in Accra from May 30 to June 11, 2016.
The meeting is the second to be held in Africa since the establishment of the Congregation in 1856. The first was hosted by Kenya in 1980.
The Meeting was opened with a Pontifical Mass by Archbishop Jean Marie Speich, the Apostolic Nuncio to Ghana, who urged the Superiors to live the ideals of their founder and “always strive to see the newness of God in their missionary work.” Archbishop Speich further encouraged the participants that as they strive to follow the tenets of their Society, they should not forget their first task which is evangelization.
The meeting two-week meeting was attended by 27 participants made up of SMA Superiors from over 15 countries from the four Continents of the world including Britain, USA, Ireland, Poland, Canada, Spain, Philippines, Holland and India.
Africa was represented at the meeting by the Superiors of the three Districts in Formation in Africa- Gulf of Guinea in Formation made up of Burkina Faso, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Liberia, and Togo.
The Bight of Benin District in Formation is made up of Benin, Central African Republic, Nigeria whilethe Great Lake District in Formation is made up of Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia.
The SMA Missionaries started the Church in Ghana in the face of challenges and diseases and also introduced the Devotion of the Sacred Heart of Jesus into the country.
The Society was founded on December 8, 1856 in Lyon, France by Bishop Melchior with the blessing of Pope Pius IX. The initials refer to the name in Latin: SocietasMissionum ad Afros.
Its members come from around the world with a commitment to serve the people of Africa and those of African descent. The international administrative headquarters is in Rome.
