Fransalian Missionaries in Chad-Cameroon with the Superior General and the Provincial 

Catholic Church in Adamaoua

The history of the Catholic Church in Adamaoua may be traced back to 1912 when Rome entrusted the newly created Adamaoua Prefecture to the German Sacred Heart Missionaries. Unfortunately the two World Wars that followed did not allow the first missionaries to penetrate deep into the northern parts of Cameroon. The real story of evangelization in these regions therefore begins only with the arrival of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate in 1946. Eventually Ngaoundéré was raised to the status of a diocese in the year 1983.

Msgr. Joseph Djida, the Bishop of Ngaoundéré entrusted to the congregation the three parishes of Bini-Dang, Berem and Mbe-Karna in April 2004. Three young priests are assigned to this new mission. Fr. Binoy Kidangathkarot, Fr. Jaison Pezhathinal and Fr. Joshy Nellimalamattam live as a community at  Bini-Dang and look after the three parishes.

The University Church at Bini-Dang, Ngaoundere

with Fr. Jaison, Fr. Binoy and Fr. Joshy

Fr. Binoy Kidangathkarot is the Parish Priest of  Bini-Dang and Berem besides being the Chaplain of the University Students. He is also the Local Superior of our religious community at Bini-Dang. The Bishop of Ngaoundere has recently appointed Fr. Binoy as one of the Episcopal Vicars in the diocese. Fr. Jaison Pezhathinal is the Parish Priest of Mbe-Karna, a rural parish at a distance of about 70 kms from Ngaoundéré. Fr. Joshy Nellimalamattam serves as Assistant Parish Priest at Bini-Dang and at Berem and as Assistant Chaplain to the University Students.

PASTORAL SITUATION IN THE THREE PARISHES

1.  St. Thomas More Parish and University Chaplaincy at Bini-Dang, Ngaoundéré

St. Thomas More Parish at Bini-Dang is primarily a University Parish. The parish was established in the year 1990.  It is estimated that there are about five thousand catholic students at the University of Ngaoundéré out of whom about 2000 students regularly attend the Sunday Masses at Bini-Dang parish. A good number of them participate in the daily Eucharist as well as in the Morning and Evening Offices at the Church. The students frequent the Parish Centre and make use of the facilities made available to them such as a library, study hall, catechism classes etc, besides seeking counselling and spiritual direction etc.

A three year catechism programme is arranged in view of preparing the students for the sacraments of initiation. Films and videos on religious and social themes are screened at regular intervals. A large number of students benefit from the English coaching classes offered at the Centre. A number of associations are formed under five different categories namely liturgy, prayer, charitable works, social action, arts and sports. Spiritual recollections, debates, discussions and conferences on social, religious and moral themes are organised for the students at regular intervals. Visits to prisons and leprosarium are conducted from time to time. There are four sub-stations under this parish namely Malang, Be’ka, Borongo and Mbi-Djoro

There are a number of Groups and Movements most of whom are being revived and renewed since the arrival of our confreres. Apart from the large number of University Students the Parish has small communities of local catholics especially in the sub-stations. In some of these sub-stations, most of the catholics are the migrant labourers from the neighbouring Chad who are generally very poor. There are a number of catechumens in all these centres. Adult baptisms among the University Students are also very common. Mass is given at every alternate Sunday in each of these villages. When the priest is absent, the community gathers together to celebrate the Word of God presided over by a religious sister or a catechist. The local communities are divided into several Basic Christian Communities (BCC). They come together once a week for prayer, bible study and to share and discuss matters concerning the community animated by a priest or a religious sister or a catechist. In all these villages catechism classes are conducted for the adults and the young to prepare them for the sacraments of initiation and marriage. A five year catechism course is offered to the children in all the villages. Programmes of literacy, moral and health education, tailoring, cooking etc. are organised.

There are two communities of religious sisters in the parish: They are Filles de Jésus de Kermaria with a Novitiate and the Filles de Saint François de Sales. The latter established their community in the parish only very recently in September 2004. The two communities collaborate with the Fransalians to build up the parish community of Bini-Dang. 

2. The Parish of Berem

3. The Parish of Mbe-Karna

Saint Andrew’s Parish of Karna was established in the year 1952. It is situated at about 60 kms from Ngaoundere. The former Parish Priest, a Polish Missionary of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate was found assassinated in his presbytery at Karna five years ago. Ever since the parish has been vacant. There is a sizable community of catholics at Mbe, a sub-divisional town situated at 10 kms further north of Karna. Mbe-Karna is now functioning as a twin-parish served from Ngaoundéré by Fr. Jaison Pezhathinal, the newly appointed Parish Priest.

The Parish of Mbe-Karna is all set for a revival after  five years of isolation and lack of care. There are some 13 sub-stations under this parish. The number of catholics in each of these sub-stations are few. But all these villages offer very good prospects of evangelization and developmental activities. The total number of catholics in the twin parishes of Mbe and Karna  is estimated at around six hundred only.   

FORMATION OF CATECHISTS AND LAY LEADERS

There is no systematic formation programme for the catechists at the diocesan level since several years. It is yet to be organised. There is a religious sister who is in charge of animating the catechists for the whole of North Cameroon. All the three parishes are in dire need of a renewal. Our confreres have worked out a faith formation programme for the three parishes. During the next couple of years the priority is on the formation of catechists and lay-leaders. Four intensive sessions were planned at two centres namely at Bini-Dang and at Mbe-Karna. Two such sessions were conducted in Mbe-Karna with great success during the current year. Another session was conducted at Bini-Dang for the two parishes of Bini-Dang and Berem recently.At Bini-Dang and Berem alone, there are 12 catechists and 28 animators/leaders from 7 villages which are divided into 16 Basic Christian Communities. At Mbe-Karna there are 26 catechists and 28 village leaders who collaborate with our confreres to bring about the much desired renewal in the entire mission.

EDUCATION AND DEVELOPMENTAL ACTIVITIES

The three primary schools in the Mission do cater to the poorest sections of society. The children in Berem and Gop-Rey  do not have however the possibility of secondary education. Large number of people are still illiterate. The Fransalians in Ngaoundere are convinced that the people need to be helped to have basic education for their children and opportunities for employment are to be created. Health care facilities are so insufficient or totally absent in the interior villages that the entire population is looking for outside help..

The Fransalians in Ngaoundere are in the process of initiating a number of projects for the overall development of the people especially in the field of education, health care, and agriculture. The Fransalian Mission in Ngauondéré is indeed a Mission full of challenges as well as opportunities. The Mission is certainly poised for steady growth in the years to come.

Fr. Thomas Cherukat MSFS

Mission Superior, Yaoundé, Cameroon