Father Michel Mukendi Mbayabu, an African missionary priest from the Democratic Republic of Congo, shares his eye-opening experiences serving in rural France. He contrasts the material and spiritual poverty he encountered with his upbringing in the Congo. Michel discusses his challenges, including cultural differences and experiences of rejection based on ethnicity. He emphasizes the vital role of African missionaries in revitalizing local faith communities, fostering deep connections, and engaging laypeople in church activities, highlighting the transformative power of their mission.
Father Michel's experiences as a missionary reveal the stark cultural contrasts between devout communities in Africa and the reserved nature of French parish life.
The reliance on African priests in France highlights the challenges faced by the church amidst declining attendance and shifting societal values towards secularism.
Deep dives
The Role of African Priests in France
A significant aspect of the church in France is the increasing reliance on African priests to compensate for a dramatic decline in local clergy. With the number of priests in France reducing from ten per decade to just three, bishops have turned to countries like Senegal and the Democratic Republic of Congo to send missionaries. Father Michel Mukendi, for example, is among 2,500 African priests helping sustain Christian communities across rural France. Such missionaries not only perform religious duties but also navigate cultural challenges as they integrate into local communities that are often wary of change.
Cultural Exchange and Challenges
Father Michel highlights the cultural differences between his experiences in Africa and his current life in France. In Congo, priests hold a revered status, and services are characterized by energetic participation, while in France, the church community is more reserved, often leading to feelings of isolation among foreign priests. Despite facing occasional prejudice, such as being judged by the color of his skin, Father Michel emphasizes that respect for local customs is crucial for acceptance. He argues that building relationships and understanding the local culture fosters a supportive environment for both African and local clergy.
The State of Faith in Europe and Africa
The podcast explores the broader implications of diminishing faith in Europe, where fewer people attend church and consider themselves religious. Father Michel notes that as societal values shift in France towards secularism and personal freedom, the transmission of faith among younger generations falters. Conversely, Africa is also beginning to experience a similar trend, albeit at a slower pace, with modernity influencing young people's perspectives on traditional frameworks like priesthood. Father Michel suggests that the church in France is in a precarious state and that African priests are essential to its survival, but the future remains uncertain as the mission to revitalize faith continues.
Father Michel was brought up in a devout family in a devout country. He witnessed the horrors of the Second Congo War but when he was sent to France he was nevertheless shocked to find so much material and spiritual poverty there. His first posting as a missionary was working with young people separated from the parents because of violence, addiction, abuse. Now he has a parish in Alsace, or rather 12 parishes. He tells us about the joys and pains of being an African missionary in Europe. We hear too about his experience of rejection because of his ethnic background. But above all the warm welcome he has received from active Catholics who have become dependent on these “missionaries-in-reverse” from Africa for the practice of their faith.
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