From May 9 to 13
The Provincial Superior, with the consent of his Council,
may convene a Provincial Assembly,
bringing together either the entire membership of the Province or its representatives.
Its task is to reflect on the state of the Province and to formulate
guidelines and plans of action (CICM Constitutions, Art. 90)
The CICM Province of Central and West Africa (ACO) held its Provincial Assembly from May 9 to 13, 2022, at the Provincial House of Mvolyé, Yaoundé, Cameroon. Msgr. Faustin Ambassa Ndjodo, CICM, Archbishop of Garoua, was the facilitator of the Assembly. The preparation of the 16th General Chapter (June 4–30, 2022, in Rome) and the internal organization of the Province to better respond to current missionary needs were the goals of the Province Assembly of the 6th Provincial Assembly of the ACO.
To carry on t the mission entrusted to CICM in Central and West Africa, the participants of the Assembly made the following declaration:
We, the CICM Religious Missionaries working in the Province of the ACO (...), commit ourselves to
1. Work on revitalizing our religious and missionary life with particular attention to the living of our vows, fraternal communion...
2. Organize quarterly recollections in the community or during the important times of the Church...
3. Continue to be inspired by the missionary zeal of the first confreres by updating our ACO Missionary Project, by opening up to the virtual world (communication in social networks), by embarking on new forms of apostolates: Missionary animation, JPIC, Orphanages, Agro-Pastoral Center, Street children, Center of missionary animation and accompaniment of couples, taking into account the talents of the confreres, animating and raising the awareness of the confreres so that they make themselves available to the calls of the Provincial Government. . .
4. In the spirit of Pope Francis’ Encyclical Letter “Laudato Si’ ” and the Declaration of the 15th General Chapter of our Institute, we commit ourselves to the protection of our “Common House” by building public toilets in our parishes, by separating biodegradable from non-biodegradable waste in our communities, by being aware of the need to protect the environment, by raising awareness of the populations on the potabilization of water, the use of LED lamps and renewable energies, by working to improve the living conditions of our people, by sensitizing the breeders on ecological issues, by planting trees in our parishes and neighborhoods.
5. Organize sessions on self-knowledge and inner healing; to facilitate the accompaniment of confreres in crisis by sensitizing them on the need for psychological accompaniment, by bringing confreres to take advantage of the psychological accompaniment and training that are already given in our formation houses, by training more confreres in this field, by valuing the ministry of our confreres as psychologists, while encouraging them to put themselves at the service of our Institute and our particular Churches.
6. Be open to new insertions in the countries where we are already present and in other countries.
In preparation for the 16th CICM General Chapter in Rome, Italy, at the Centro Ad Gentes from June 4 to 30, 2023, the Provincial Assembly of ACO also elected the delegates and substitutes for the 16th CICM General Chapter.
1. Ghislain H. Toussé, Provincial Superior, ex officio delegate.
a. Éric Tonduangu, Vice-Provincial, ex officio substitute,
2. Etienne Didier Youssé, elected delegate
b. André Aboudi, elected substitute
3. Éric Tonduangu, elected delegate
c. Amos Onezaire, elected substitute
Confreres who have the right and duty to attend the General Chapter are:
a) by right of their office:
- the Superior General and his Councilors;
- the Superiors of the Provinces and Autonomous Districts which have at least twenty members on the date of the convocation of the Chapter;
b) by right of their election:
the delegates elected by their Province or Autonomous District;
c) by right of an appointment:
a maximum of three confreres whom the Superior General, with the consent of his Council, can appoint.(CICM Constitutions, Art. 113)