In the past, missionaries were sent out from “Home Provinces” (Europe, Canada, USA) to work in Africa. Now, with the increase in numbers of African missionaries, the provinces in Africa have become “Home Provinces”. Different countries were linked together to form these provinces and all the provinces are on an equal footing, although each has its own character. A Missionary of Africa can be sent to work in any province and whilst working there, belongs to that province.
Generalate
The Generalate in Rome
When the Missionaries of Africa were founded in 1868 the Generalate (also known as Mother House) was in Algeria. After Algerian Independence the Generalate (together with the body of Cardinal Lavigerie) was moved to Rome.
The Generalate is the centre of the Society in many ways. It is the largest community with around 40 confreres at any given time and the confreres there have various activities.
First there is the General Council, composed of the Superior General (Fr. Stanislas Lubungo from Zambia), and his 4 councillors ( Fr Francis Bomansaan from Ghana, Fr. Anselme Tarpaga from Burkina Faso, Fr. Martin Pawel Hulecki from Poland and Fr. Maria Joseph Leo Laurence from India). The mandate for the present General Council finishes in 2028 with the next General Chapter.
The Superior General is in overall charge of the Society. He and his 4 Assistants are elected for 6 years. The Assistants have specific areas of responsibility in the Society and travel around visiting confreres in the various Provinces, before coming back to Rome to share their experiences and news as a team. It is their task also, in the light of their visits and news, to put into effect the decisions and wishes of the General Chapter which elected them.
Then there are the confreres who look after the necessary administrative functions (Finance, Secretariat, Translations, Archives, Media, Maintenance, etc.).
There are the confreres in Rome for further studies. Many are preparing for responsibilities in the Formation of future missionaries, but others are preparing for specialised ministries, e.g. Justice and Peace, Islamic Dialogue. These student confreres make up about half the number of residents in the Generalate.
The community of PISAI (Pontifical Institute of Arabic and Islamic Studies) is also in Rome (in a separate house) and is dependant on the Generalate. Originally founded by the Missionaries of Africa in 1926 in Tunisia, PISAI was transferred to Rome in 1964 as the IPEA (Pontifical Institute for Arabic Studies). PISAI is an ecclesiastical institute of higher education and has the right to award academic degrees by the authority of the Holy See. Its aim is to promote a culture of dialogue, mutual understanding and co-operation between Christians and Muslims.