Open Letter to the Chapter
from the Missionary Movement of Africa

Preamble
Who are we? We are a Mission oriented lay movement, consisting of people of all ages and nationalities, married and single. Inspired by the Gospel and by the charism of the Missionaries of Africa (Men /Women) and their founder Charles Lavigerie, we try to live a spirituality of simplicity, peace and community. Trying to be bridge builders, we work for and with Africa; where possible in collaboration with the Missionaries of Africa.

Introduction
Over the past four years, since we started with our lay Missionary Movement of Africa (MMA), we have often heard conflicting views on the relation between M. Afr. and lay movements.
For some M. Afr. it is clear that there is no future: "We are dying out peacefully, in Europe there is no future, why bother yourselves with an ageing society?" For others the view is more optimistic, one of pride that lay people are attracted to the charism of the M. Afr., and that there might be an alternative in the future with lay people.
We think that Mission is the responsibility of everyone and not only of the clerical community. M. Afr. and lay people face the common challenge of ever-changing societies and cultures that influence the way we interpret and proclaim the Gospel.
Our lives have been touched in various ways by the charism, work and lives of the M. Afr. This has generated a longing by us as lay people to continue the inspiring work of the Missionaries of Africa, as we are about to express in the following document:

Mission
Mission, as we understand it, has to do with the African world, whether in Africa itself or in Europe. As all members of the MMA are currently living in Europe, we would like to bring some positive values of Africa to the world we live in.
Although we realise that, as Missionaries, we share in the mission of the Church, as do the M. Afr./MSOLA, yet as lay people we often find ourselves outside the Church structures, or on the margins. In this secularised environment, we want to become bridge builders and be visible followers of Jesus. In following Jesus, we choose to be on the side of the marginalized, not doing things for them but with them. We listen to, and search together with them, bringing little sparks of hope in the midst of seemingly desperate situations. For the MMA, Justice and Peace issues and Dialogue with other religions seem logical priorities for the M. Afr. We feel there are manifold opportunities to collaborate with the M. Afr. in these matters.

Formation
The members of the MMA are searching for a solid spiritual and missionary formation. We propose that the M. Afr. open up formation opportunities to other members of the Lavigerie family. By this we mean taking part in the Spiritual Year, sessions in Jerusalem, midlife sessions in Rome, meetings of young confreres. This could be a mutually enriching experience: not only would members of the MMA receive a training, it would also create chances for networking, identifying opportunities for collaboration, and simply getting to know each other better. We presume that the (ongoing and initial) formation of M. Afr. is meant to train missionaries in the first place, not necessarily priests.
Next to participating in existing formation sessions, we could organise sessions, recollections, retreats etc., together, for example at European level. This could be an already planned event in which we participate, or a new initiative in which we combine forces. It should be open to all the members of the Lavigerie family.

Commitment
We as MMA members are called to a lifelong commitment as missionaries. Being a missionary is a way of life, which might take different forms as we move on. This means that we could be involved in concrete missionary projects similar to the present Karibu project that we run in Leuven (Belgium). Once we commit ourselves to a project, it fully engages us for the promised duration.
The M. Afr. state that personnel is scarce. However, if one includes in personnel a broader spectrum of missionaries, more possibilities are opening up. The criteria for the MMA for taking up a commitment are: having to do with the African world; being a missionary project; preferably outside the Church structures; something within our competence and capabilities; ideally in collaboration with M. Afr / MSOLA / other members of the Lavigerie family. A good example of this is the management of Karibu, which the MMA has taken over from the M. Afr. Karibu is an international student house in Leuven (Belgium), aiming at making Africa known in student milieus. Another MMA member is an active member of the M. Afr. community in The Hague (Netherlands). As laypeople, we feel we can contribute in a different way to the same Missionary work.

Community
We see community in the perspective of a wider family, whose members can vary as to age, sex, marital status, nationality, profession, ordained or not. Members forming one community do not necessarily live under the same roof. They can invite people who live outside the physical community to meetings, and involve them in times of sharing, prayers, etc. Being a community is not only sharing a common daily rhythm; it is also being tuned in to each other. We dream of more mixed communities (MMA, MSOLA, M. Afr.), both in Europe and in Africa.

Epilogue
Since the beginning of the MMA we have been supported by the M. Afr. and MSOLA. We are grateful for the help and assistance we received. We would like to continue our dialogue and focus on the future: how does lay mission play a role in the vision of the future for M. Afr.? In the trials and struggles of this search we are looking forward to your encouragement and concrete support. We feel the Chapter is an opportunity for M. Afr to formally state that one of its aims for the future is to go a step further towards an active engagement in our common Missionary vocation. Are the M. Afr. ready to commit themselves to the MMA and other lay groups by sharing experiences and resources, and in which ways?
We pray that the Holy Spirit may inspire you during the Chapter so that it will become a blessing to all members of M. Afr. and MMA.