One of the dynamic inspirations that motivated our founders, Claude Poullart des Places and Francis Mary Paul Libermann was the holistic and authentic formation of the clergy. In the humble beginning of Holy Ghost seminary, Poullart des Places directed that his seminarians should be formed in “knowledge and virtue”. For Poullart des Places, “neglected souls need educated priests because they are just as worthy as those of high nobles”. This formation pedagogy of Poullart des Places aimed “to train hardworking, capable and selfless priests who would be willing to serve the church’s mission and the faithful entrusted to them; priests for the people”. The “lasting imprint” for Poullart des Places’ formation is training “the poor to evangelize the poor”. In his missionary enterprise for the two Guineas, Libermann, emphasized the formation and education of the local clergy. For him, “the training of the local clergy was the best way to consolidate the Church in Africa”.
Drawing from the ever-living inspiration of our founders, we, Spiritans commit ourselves to the formation of the clergy, to better equip them for ministry in a complex, yet fast changing world. In many of our Spiritan circumscriptions, confreres have continued this tradition through administration and formation in diocesan seminaries, theological institutes, and other formal and informal schools inspired by the admirable intuition of des Places and Libermann.
Bagamoyo II
This intuition informed the deliberations of the XXI General Chapter (Bagamoyo II) of our congregation, which had as its theme “Behold I am doing something new” (Is. 43:19). Yet, as the Superior General wrote in his 2021 Christmas letter “newness always surprises us, sometimes in uncertainty and insecurity, but it also is an act that wants us to renew ourselves every day, and to renew our trust in God who always knows what is good for us”.
Collegio San Paolo
Following the intuition of our founders and in the spirit of Bagamoyo II, the General Council has responded favourably to a call from the Dicastery for Evangelization, section for the First Evangelization and New Particular Churches that our congregation serve at St. Paul the Apostle International Pontifical Missionary College (Collegio san Paolo) in Rome, home to about 200 priests from the territories entrusted to the Dicastery for the Evangelization of Peoples, who come Rome to obtain a specialization in the various faculties (Theology, Missiology, Canon Law, Church History …) and then return to their countries.
In accordance with SRL 248.3.5, the General Council believes that this call from the universal Church resounds with the founding intuition of des Places and Libermann that their missionaries play an active role in the formation of local clergies, particularly those from areas of primary evangelization and new particular Churches.
On 30th April 2024, at the Palazzo di Propaganda Fide, our Superior General, Fr. Alain Mayama and the Cardinal Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery, Luis Antonio Gokim Card. Tagle in the presence of the Secretary of the Dicastery, Archbishop Fortunatus Nwachukwu, signed the convention that entrusted the administration and formation of the clergy from different mission territories, who reside at the Collegio San Paolo, to the Congregation of the Holy Spirit under the protection of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, for an initial trial period of five years, effective from 1st July, 2024. This new initiative requires our prayers, and involves the opening of a new Spiritan community at Collegio San Paolo, which we baptized “Poullart des Places Community”. An international and intercultural team of experienced Spiritan confreres has been identified. The team will work under the supervision of the General Council, while being accountable to the Dicastery for Evangelization.
First Formators:
On the proposal of the Superior General and his Council, the Dicastery has appointed Fr. Albert Mpaka Mvangu, C.S.Sp as the Rector and Fr. Frederick Rossignol, C.S.Sp as Spiritual Director. They will initially be introduced into the work by two diocesan priests who are already serving at the College as Vice-Rectors, to allow an initial integration of the Congregation into the College. Two more other Spiritan confreres will join the team as of September 2025.
Frs. Mpaka Mvangu and Rossignol will begin their new mission at St. Paul the Apostle International Pontifical Missionary College on 1st July 2024. We commend them and this initiative to the mercy of God through the intercession of our Blessed Mother and our founders, and reaffirm our commitment as a religious missionary Congregation, to be available for service in those areas where the church finds it difficult to find workers (SRL 12).
