Launch of the work of the residence at the Holy Cross parish

The project for the construction of the Blessed Sacrament Fathers’ residential house at the Sainte Croix parish in Yaoundé was begun on 17 January 2019. The work was blessed on 26 January after the Mass presided by Father Nicaise Milandou Semo sss, who is responsible for the community and parish priest, assisted by Fathers Gires Princilia Younga sss and Chally Gombessa Matondo sss. Father Gires carried out the blessing in a climate of prayer and thanksgiving for the Province of Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament and benefactors through the Missionary Centre.

Since 17 January Fr Mauro Mosca sss, the project designer, and Fr Nicaise, the project manager, have been working closely together. The technical team is composed of young workers from our parish of the Blessed Sacrament in Ndoumbi. Given the urgency of having a residence close to the parish, the workers are at the construction site every day. The complete realization of this project will be a great contribution to the SSS mission in Yaoundé, ensuring a reduced distance, pastoral proximity and availability to the requirements of the faithful.

All the SSS religious in the Cameroons are proud of this project being undertaken and are grateful to the Province of Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament, the community of Lommel (in Belgium) and all the benefactors for their solicitude shown towards our communities in the Cameroons and for the people of God eagerly awaiting the actual arrival of religious in their village of Ovangul.

The life of our two communities

Our community of Yaounde comprises four religious priests since last July, namely, Fathers Nicaise Milandou Semo from the Republic of Congo (responsible of the community and parish priest of Sainte Croix), Jef Willems from Belgium, Gires Princilia Younga and Chally Gombessa Matondo from the Republic of Congo.

Fathers Gires and Chally are doing specialisation training, respectively in the second year of Canon Law and in the first year of philosophy of education at the Catholic University of Central Africa (UCAC). They also participate in the pastoral activities of our parish. While Father Nicaise organizes the pastoral activity of the parish, Father Jef collaborates in the pastoral work of the St Josephine Bakhita parish, directed by an Indian father of the Congregation of St Francis de Salle.

In a general way since last December the pastoral activities have been followed by the faithful organised in 10 basic ecclesial communities. Five Masses are celebrated on Sunday throughout the parish and two Masses daily each week. After Mass there is Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.

We hope to see in the following months a great mobilisation of the population and their participation in pastoral life. With regard to this we are conducting each year a pastoral outreach by carrying out visits to families and the animation of the basic ecclesial communities in which the laity’s sense of responsibility has been remarkable.

In the community of Ndoumbi, in the East of the Cameroons, our presence is more and more realised by Fathers Mauro Mosca (the superior) and Ugo Presazzi (the parish priest). With the building of the church of Bonis our presence in this area has just gone a stage further, namely, that of seeing the faithful praying in a welcoming place. However, the number of communities to be served requires a new impetus. Thus, since last year this community is awaiting the arrival of a religious from the Region of Cardinal Emile Biayenda from the Congo.

We rely on your encouragement and prayers to assist our mission in the Cameroons to become increasingly evident and active.

By Fr. Nicaise Milandou Semo, sss