As part of her mission to advance Bagamoyo II:88, the General Council’s formation commission organized, and held a seminar on key elements of Spiritan spirituality for Anglophone Novice Masters and other Directors of Formation within UCAWA. The seminar was held from the 1st to the 31st of October, 2024 in the 2nd cycle formation community at SIST, Enugu, Nigeria. It was the first of its kind. Two confrere-facilitators, Frs. Joseph Lekundayo (Paroisse Sainte Clotilde, Réunion) and Richard Fagah (Centre for Research in Spiritan Sources and Spirituality, Poullart des Places House, Rennes, France), animated the seminar on Fr. Francis Claude Poullart des Places, and Venerable Fr. Francis Libermann respectively. Fifteen (15) confreres participated in the seminar. They included Frs. David Atuanya (Director of Formation, SIST), Deus Tarimo (Novice Master, Tanzania), Starford Mayaula (Novice Master, Zambia), Maurice Ozor (Novice Master, Nigeria South East), Matthew Kyosen (Novice Master-in view, Nigeria North East), Cyprian Faerenga and Br. Samson Achimugu (Novitiate community, Nigeria North East), Joseph Aloo (Director of Postulants, Nigeria South West), Marcellinus Obi (Director of Formation, Spiritan School of Philosophy, Isienu, Nigeria), Collins Obiezeani (Spiritual Director, Spiritan School of Philosophy, Isienu, Nigeria), Alfred Ofori Yeboah (Chaplain, Spiritan University College, Ejisu, Ghana), Lucas Binnah Junior (Vocation Director/Formator, Spiritan University College, Ejisu, Ghana), Valentine Onyekwelu (Holy Ghost Academy, Nigeria South East), Gabriel Kuku (mission in Sierr Leone), and Anthony Sevali (Director of Postulants, Nigeria North East). Due to visa issues, Fr. Joseph Tiep Vu (Assi stant Novice Master) from Vietnam could not make it.
The seminar made a very deep impression on us as we rediscovered our roots as Spiritans while reading about the people and socio-cultural milieu that influenced our two founders, Fr. des Places and Venerable Libermann. Again, we were deeply moved by reading the invaluable corpus of Spiritan literature and resources such as the documented retreats and powerful prayers and statements of Fr. Poullart des Places, fraternal letters written by Fr. Libermann, his Commentary on St. John’s Gospel, the Provisional Rule for his missionaries, Notes and Documents, Spiritan Anthology and many other volumes of Spiritan written work hitherto unknown to and unread by participants. With this background, we have been encouraged to become better acquainted with the heritage and lineage, and to show fidelity to our founding charisms. By so doing, we have been inspired to see mission as a genealogy which calls us to engender new relationships by bequeathing our spiritual patrimony to future generations in the face of contemporary challenges and the signs of the time. With Fr. des Places’ compassionate heart for the poor, Le Vavasseur’s action plan, Tisserant’s collaboration and Venerable Libermann’s missionary dynamism and charism of organization, premised on the interior life, marked by docility to the Holy Spirit and modelled on the apostolic heart of Mary, we have been invigorated to live the missionary spirituality of practical union, and to offer same and even more to future Spiritans. We cannot and must not do otherwise!
The seminar was a renewal for us, and there was ample time for rendezvous on frank discussions about our common life as confreres. One focal point was Libermann’s doctrine of the hidden life, with St. Joseph, husband of Mary as the perfect model of the spirituality of the priesthood. A general conviction was built on the fact that confreres should be actively engaged in practical solidarity with one another – confrere with confrere, one province with another, etc. The participants requested that since Spiritans have a double consecration – to the Holy Spirit and the Blessed Virgin Mary – emphasis must be placed on both the ‘Spiritan’ and ‘Marian’ dimensions of our consecration. Perhaps, having a novena to the Holy Spirit and to the Blessed Virgin Mary in preparation for the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception (8th December) would deepen Spiritan spirituality. Finally, as the seminar was meant to rediscover our sacred roots and to re-read our history, we are all encouraged to use our full name at all times: Congregation of the Holy Spirit under the Protection of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, to reflect the profound theological significance of the union of the two Congregations.
Written by Lucas Binnah Junior, CSSp (On behalf of participants)
