BULACAN, Philippines - The Philippine Delegation of the Montfort Missionaries had their five-day annual retreat at the Montfort House of Prayer in San Jose del Monte City, Bulacan from October 25 to 29, 2021. The retreat was in a way special for this year because of two reasons. First, it was the first time for the delegation to gather again physically for retreat during the pandemic. Second, the retreat was facilitated by Rev. Fr. Sherwin Y. Nuñez, SMM who just arrived last June from Canada after his two-year stay for a formation program...

SAINT-LAURENT-SUR-SÈVRE, France - "What do you want me to do for you?" This was the common thread in the life of Gabriel Deshayes, tireless founder of congregations and educational, health and social works. 200 years after his arrival in Saint-Laurent-sur-Sèvre in 1821, his many heirs lived on Sunday, October 24, 2021, in the Basilica of St. Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort, a day radiant by the weather and luminous by the shared joy. Celebration, forum with testimonies from missionaries, official launch of the Gabriel Deshayes Album, before a symbolic dispatch marked this meeting of memory and fully turned towards the future on this World Mission Sunday. The religious and lay people of 5 congregations - Sisters of Christian Instruction, Saint-Gildas-des-Bois, Brothers of Christian Instruction - La Mennais, Ploërmel, Montfort Missionaries, Fathers and Brothers of the Company of Mary, Daughters of Wisdom and Brothers of Saint Gabriel - totaling a presence in 70 countries were also surrounded by members of the Association of Friends of Gabriel Deshayes and the network of pastoral care for the deaf of Morbihan and Loire-Atlantique. The day was also marked in memory of Father Olivier Maire, SMM...

UGANDA - This year 2021, the Montfortian Lay Associates (Mary Queen of All Hearts) in Uganda were privileged to meet the Superior General of the Montfort Missionaries, Fr. Luiz Augusto Stefani, SMM and his Councillor for Africa and Madagascar, Fr. Felix Mabvuto Phiri, SMM together with the representative of the General Delegation of Anglophone Africa, Fr. Jacob Ombidi Otieno, SMM who came for the Continental Mission Year for Africa and Madagascar. Their visit was to participate in the life, ministry and mission of the members of the Montfort Missionaries in Uganda...

On 25 October 2021, Father Luiz Augusto STEFANI, SMM, Superior General, with the consent of his Council (C 215), has appointed Father Paul Lonely MASHONGA, SMM as Superior of the General Delegation of Anglophone Africa for a second mandate of three years. The mandate of the new administration is effective starting from today, 25 October 2021...

QUEZON CITY, Philippines - On October 18, 2020, the Feast of St. Luke the Evangelist, the sending off celebration for Rev. Fr. Richard Magararu, SMM to his new mission in the United Kingdom, a collaborative missionary effort for the Philippines-United Kingdom entity, was held at the Mary Queen of All Hearts Chapel in South Triangle, Quezon City...

RUTENG, Indonesia - We received abundant blessings again as a big family of the SMM Province of Indonesia this October. Deacon Hironimus Edison, SMM, 7 deacons of the Diocese of Ruteng and 1 deacon of the CICM congregation were ordained priests on October 14, 2021. The 9 deacons were ordained by Mgr. Sincerely Cyprian at the Cathedral of the Diocese of Ruteng. Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, the thing to be grateful for is that the Ruteng Diocese is still getting a harvest with the ordination of 9 new priests who happen to be local sons who all come from Ruteng Diocese. We should also be grateful that the Diocese of Ruteng is one of the fertile dioceses for priestly and religious vocations. Without exception for the extended family of the SMM Province of Indonesia, especially with the ordination of Fr. Hironimus Edison, SMM, this has added the strength of the ranks of the Indonesian Province SMM clergy who came from Flores Island, NTT...

MAKATI CITY, Philippines - The COVID-19 pandemic may have prevented most of us from going to church and celebrate special occasions, but it will never take away our faith. It roars on for 2 years now, but despite the restrictions, hundreds of devotees still continued to join us physically and virtually in commemorating the Feast Day of our patroness, St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus last October 03, 2021, with its theme: “Parokya ng Santa Teresita, Padayon sa Hamon ng Misyon sa Panahon ng Pandemya”. The parish fiesta theme was aligned with the 500 Years of Christianity in the Philippines, also known as the Year of "Missio ad Gentes" (Mission to the People), which had the theme "Gifted to Give." Thousands of missionaries from all over the world have committed their lives to establish the Christian faith to our country and seeing it flourish. They were grateful for the gift of faith they had received and wanted to share it with others. This "giftedness" has encouraged generous missionaries throughout history, and it must continue to inspire us all to take part in the essence of mission to share the faith wherever we are and whatever challenges we are facing in this dire time...

On 19 October 2021, Father Luiz Augusto STEFANI, SMM, Superior General of the Company of Mary, with the consent of his Council has appointed Father Jailos Augustine MPINA, SMM from the General Delegation of Anglophone Africa, as the new Director of the SMM Communications. His mandate is effective starting from today, 19 October 2021...

MBARARA, Uganda - On Friday evening, the 8th of October 2021, Mbarara Montfort Missionaries community was graced with the arrival of the Superior General of our congregation, Rev. Fr. Luiz Augusto Stefani, SMM with his assistant, Fr. Felix Mabvuto, SMM and Fr. Jacob Otieno Ombidi, SMM who was representing the superior delegate of the Africa Anglophone Delegation. We really cherished this presence. He is indeed the Father at home...

MANGOCHI, Malawi - Recognizing the importance of maintaining who we are as well as actualizing the spirit of ongoing conversion, Anglophone Africa General Delegation had a 4-day annual retreat, from 3rd to 7th October 2021 at the Montfort Lakehouse Namiasi, Mangochi-Malawi. Besides gathering as one family of Montfort Fathers working in Malawi, we were joined by 4 Daughters of Wisdom and 4 Lay Associates. Fr. Wismick Jean-Charles, SMM, Assistant General of the Company of Mary, passionately and joyfully facilitated the retreat on the theme: “Coming Home to our Montfortian Identity”...

GITEGA, Burundi - While the entire Catholic Church was celebrating “Our Lady of the Rosary”, the particular Church of the Archdiocese of Gitega, more precisely the Montfortian Parish “Mary, Daughter of Nazareth” was in great joy to welcome again Bishop Simon NTAMWANA for the blessing of the parish church whose first stone was laid by him last year in August 2020...

OIRSCHOT, Netherlands - Many people know the former grand seminary in Oirschot (the Netherlands). In 2009, the whole complex was sold and at the end of 2011, the last group of Montfortians moved to the community in Vroenhof, Valkenburg...

ANTANANARIVO, Madagascar - On the 3rd of October 2021, the postulant community of Andraisoro-Antananarivo had the joy of welcoming seven new young men from all over the country, wishing to respond to the call of Christ through the Montfortian charism and spirituality...

NAIROBI, Kenya – The Vicar General, Fr. Wismick JEAN-CHARLES, SMM, arrived in Nairobi at our International Scholasticate community on 29th September, 2021, in the morning hours. He was received at Jomo-Kenyatta International Airport by Fr. Jacob Ombidi, SMM, the superior of International Scholasticate community...

BANDUNG, Indonesia - On September 24, 2021, around 5:00 Western Indonesia Time (WIT), Brother Petrus (Piet) VAN HOOF, SMM breathed his last, leaving a sombre- heartbreaking mood in the province. Our confreres in the Bandung Province community held a Requiem Mass led by Fr. Niko SCHNEIDERS, SMM. Two days later, the body was flown from Jakarta to Pontianak then to Menurai for burial...