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| The Mission of the Avignon-Aquitaine Discalced Carmelites to Senegal |
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Curia OCD
Roma (01-04-2009).- In 2002 the brothers of the Avignon-Aquitaine Province wanted to establish a mission in Senegal. Mgr. Benjamin Ndiaye, who had just been ordained bishop of Kaolack, was at the same time looking for a contemplative community for his diocese. Kaolack is an important town, about 300 kms south of Dakar. Mgr. Ndiaye proposed the foundation of a Discalced Carmelite priory in view of his project Keur Mariama (House of Mary), for the diocese. The project aims to respond to the needs of the diocese by establishing a spiritual centre on a 30 acre piece of land near the town of Kaolack. In the same area will be a religious congregation with a contemplative dimension, the Discalced Carmelite Brothers, a seminary for first year students wanted by the bishops of Senegal and a diocesan pilgrimage centre. The bishops plan to add a community of religious women who will run a dispensary.
The project has taken flesh, it has become a reality, even if there is more to be done. The seminary will open its doors in September 2009. The diocesan pilgrimage centre which started off on a vague terrain in 2004, has now established its sanctuary dedicated to Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Patroness of the diocese. This will become a suitable venue for the annual diocesan pilgrimage, as well as for parochial pilgrimages and others. The Discalced Carmelite brothers are in temporary accomodation, 15 kms away, in Kaolack. The construction of the priory should begin in the spring of 2009. This will allow the brothers to secure a contemplative presence and at the same time welcome retreatants, as well as to help with formation of the young seminarians. Vocations have already begun to materialize and at the moment we have one postulant, a novice and a brother in simple vows. The brothers take care of the many services according to the needs of the diocese and Church in Senegal: preaching, retreats and days of recollection, conferences, spiritual formation, spiritual direction of the students and collaboration with the parishes.
Already the initiatives have started for the site at Keur Mariama: they have built a new plant that distributes water to the local villages, farms and irrigation systems. They have also begun to build a school. The brothers now earnestly hope to be able to build a priory and to put down roots in the place.
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