History

Our founder

FOUNDER

Cardinal Charles Lavigerie (1825-1892)

 Born in Bayonne (France) on the 31st October 1825, he died at Algiers on 26^th November 1892. He Was a man of faith, broadminded with extraordinary vision and foresight. He longed for a universal Church, adapted to the times and close to all people in all the continents. When he accepted to become Archbishop of Algiers he saw this as an open door “to the continent of Africa for the spreading of the Gospel. He had a passion for liberty and human dignity for all and he struggled mightly against the slave trade in Africa.’’  I am a human and nothing that is human is indifferent to me, I am a human and injustice against another human being revolts my heart…’’ (Cardinal Charles Lavigerie). To accomplish this, he founded in Algiers the Missionaries of Africa in 1868 and the Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Africa in 1869.

He wanted his missionaries to be true Apostles of Christ. "Be apostles, nothing but apostles, or at least, be nothing else except with this in view. I beg you, to think that you are apostles; try to think, to speak and to write as apostles. Missionaries must never forget that they are neither explorers, nor travelers, nor tourists, nor scientists, not anything else but people looking for souls. Zeal is the proper and distinctive characteristic of a missionary." Cardinal Lavigerie.

"In spite of the zeal of the Missionaries (Fathers), their efforts will not produce sufficient fruit if they are not seconded by women apostles working with the women.

Men cannot give this service themselves, only women have free access to pagan women and are able to maintain charitable relations with them; help them in their trouble and so touch their hearts. This apostolate does not stop with the women, for a woman is a fountainhead because she is mother." (letter of Cardinal Lavigerie).

Cardinal Lavigerie understood the importance of the woman’s place in the world and in the Church. He saw her as an agent in the transformation of society through her role as "head" of the family, parallel to that of the man. Hers is a ministry of love and of humanity.

 It is with the conviction above that he founded the Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Africa, who very soon were sent to different parts of Africa, North Africa at first, and to West and Central Africa.

  He insisted that they study and speak the language of the people among whom they were living and He sent them out as international communities.

Mother Maria Salome

Marie Renée Roudaut, SISTER MARIE SALOME (1847-1930)

Marie Renée was born in Britany, France to a family of farmers. She wanted to become a religious but did not know where the Lord was calling her.  Her cousin Yvonne told her about the hard work in the fields that the sisters were doing in Algiers, to assure their livelihood and that of the orphans of the famine, in their care. Marie- Renée felt that it was there that the Lord was calling her. Feeling the Lord’s call to become a religious, she heard Cardinal Lavigerie’s appeal to come to Algeria, where Muslim orphans were waiting for a congregation to care for them.

 She received the religious name of Sister Marie –Salomé. In 1882, during a meeting of all the sisters, she was elected the first ‘’General Superior’’ of our congregation. She and her first sisters embodied the vison and charism of the new congregation which they have passed on to us. As a woman of faith, prayer and tenacity, she held a vital role in the young missionary congregation’s existence. In 1894, Mother Marie Salomé sent the first sisters to Tanzania and in 1909 to Rwanda /save.

“Be of one heart and one soul. Be truly sisters one to the other. To love and help one another are the two pillars of community life. Take with a good spirit whatever your companions do or say." Mother Marie-Salomé

 

The first sisters

  Arrival of the Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Africa in Rwanda

In Rwanda, our congregation was the first women congregation to arrive on 13^th March, 1909 in Save. The congregation was entrusted the mission of evangelization, through   teaching catechesis, establishment of Schools, and training teachers, health centers and the training of the medical field, social worker centers, training house girl’s centers and working with women at all level. Places where the congregation of the missionary sisters of our lady Africa expended the mission in Rwanda  

v Save:  from March 13^th, 1909- August 9^th, 1961

v Activities: Health, Catechism, Normal School, Promotion of women, Caring for children, and Preparation for Rwandese Religious Life.

 

v Nyundo: from January 25^th, 1911- January 15^th, 1988

v Activities: Basic education, Catechism, Health, Visits to families, creation of Hospitals and homes for the incurably ill, Crafts and Household art

 

v Rwaza:  from 11^th, October 1913- 29^th August, 1959

v Activities: Promotion of women, Catechism, Basic education, Hospitals, Crafts, welcoming of the needy: orphans, and people abandoned by their own

 

v Kabgayi: 26^th October, 1923-  24^th March, 1985

v Activities: Catechism, Basic education, alphabetization, Household art, General health and hospitals, maternity hospitals, Handicrafts and domestic work, Health schools, Weaving and sewing, Caring for the poor, and lepers and, social schools

 

v Zaza: 5^th November, 1926- 18^th July, 1990

v Activities: Catechism, Nursery, primary and secondary schools, Culture and youth movements, Training of catechists, establishments of Health: Schools and dispensaries, Orphanage, Weaving.

 

v Astrida Mission / Butare parish: 29^th July, 1931- 6^th September, 1980

v Activities: Catechism, Elementary education, Normal school, Catholic action movements, Household art, Crafts: weaving, the chaplaincy of the military camp.

 

v Save Novitiate of Benebikira: 5^th December,1919- December 1956

v Activities: started training and accompanying the first Rwandan religious congregations, Helped in the beginning of the Benebikira Sisters

 

v Gisagara: from November 1976- December 31, 1995

v Activities: Starting the training and accompaniment the first Rwandan religious congregations, Help in the beginnings of the Abizeramariya Sisters

 

v Kinazi: from February 1980- July 13, 1992

v Activities: Training and supporting the Abizeramariya for the   opening of a new   community in Kinazi.

 

v Save - School for instructors: 1938- July 15, 1975

v Strengthening the Principle of Education in Rwanda: Training Teachers and Starting Normal Schools.

 

v Nyanza:  from January 15, 1950 - September 22, 1981

v Activities: Strengthened the Principle of Education in Rwanda: Train Teachers and Start Normal Schools, Household Art Teaching.

 

v Asitirida- Butare (clinic):  10^th, December 1995- 15^th July 1968

v Medical hospital, maternity school, nutrition for children, and hospital care

 

v Butare Huye: 7^th, October 1963- 3^rd July 1994

v Reformed catechism: African theological college (I. C. A.), education for teachers, youth, and lay people

 

v Kanombe: 29^th, September 1970- 11^th April 1994

v Nursing for Women and Children: Nursing at the Military Camp, Examination of Pregnant Mothers, Births, Hospitals, National Center for Family Planning (ONAPO), Paediatrics, Care for Girls and Prostitutes parish life, catechism, literacy, caritas, street children, girls' education, libraries and libraries, media and film, devotion, participation in the organization's activities 'Religious Families in Rwanda'

 

v Kigali: 1^st November 1972- December 2015

v Print: Historical, Hobe; catechism, herbalism; theology in parishes and dioceses; families; organization of volunteers, catechism teachers' associations; training primary school caregivers; attending prayer meetings; co-ordination of former students in convents; encouraging devotion to God as an important and necessary activity; children living on the street; visiting inmates; Patient care]

 

v Busogo (Ruhengeri): 25^th August 1977- 8^th April 1994

v Medical and Social Welfare, National Center for Family Planning (ONAPO), Social Centers, Small Animal Husbandry, Catechism in Secondary Schools, Devotion to God, Refugees in Times of War

 

v Butare- A House of God-Preparedness: September 1980- September 1993

v Visiting the homes of the elderly, orphans, mentally ill, participating in parish activities: singers, billboards, preparing children for the sacraments

 

v Butare Parish (Reopening of Families): November 12, 1995 ---- To this day

v We are on a mission to build humanity, religion, partnership with the church in Butare and the rest of the country in the development and welfare of the people, health and well-being in general, careers for people with disabilities, basic education for children they live with their mothers in prisons, visiting homes at home and encouraging devotion