Presence of Xaverian Brothers in the Congo dates from 1931 to the present. What started as an effort to develop an educational ministry there continues at the end of the century as a multi-faceted effort faced with many obstacles, but filled with promise for the future. The Calls of the most recent and 24th General Chapter give definition to the current effort. "With lives rooted in Gospel values, the example of St. Francis Xavier and the vision of Ryken, we are called personally and congregationally to a contemplative stance in the world and to mission among the poor and the marginalized." To realize this challenge the Brothers focus on nurturing their own spiritual lives in community and respond in diverse ways to a multitude of people in need.
Called to a contemplative stance Communauté Sacré-Coeur, Communauté Notre-Dame de la Foi, and Communauté Saint Charles Lwanga in Likasi, and Communauté de l’Epiphanie and Communauté Saint Joseph in Lubumbashi place great emphasis on the communal dimension as they strive to live the Fundamental Principles of the Xaverian Brothers. They strive to be hospitable and welcoming and are perceived as such. A spirit of prayer is cultivated to sustain the members in ministry to one another and to those they serve.
An encouraging number of young Xaverians generates much hope for the future and requires a lot of attention in the present. Nine temporary professed Brothers, two novices and five postulants are progressing in their initial formation in the congregation. The period of postulancy provides for a gradual discernment of and introduction to the call of discipleship as a Xaverian Brother. This introductory period includes personal spiritual direction, experience of community living, guided ministerial involvement in the parish and school and opportunities for spiritual and professional study. In order to be eligible for admission, young Congolese must have finished high school and have been in touch with the Brothers for at least a year through meetings, reflection days and retreats. Novitiate follows postulancy. This phase is the period of preparation immediately preceding the profession of temporay vows. It is a time to center more intimately into communion with God and to respond to His call as a Xaverian Brother. During this time the novice also deepens his understanding of the Gospel counsels of poverty, chastity and obedience, and thoroughly acquaints himself with the Constitutions and history of the congregation. Novitiate closes with the taking of vows. The Brother continues his efforts to grow in the integration of the spiritual, communal, academic and apostolic dimension of his vocation. Clearly, guiding the young Xaverians through this growth process requires considerable efforts and resources.
Future teachers and leaders need professional training and guided experience. Two of the temporary professed are involved in teaching in Likasi. Five others are studying in the university in Lubumbashi; agronomy, commercial and business science, economics, pre-legal studies and psychology are their areas of concentration. Two others are studying at the teacher training college in Lubumbashi, pursuing study in history and biology and chemistry. One final professed Brother is earning a higher degree in English at the teacher training college, where Brother David Mahoney, CFX, has been teaching and serving as Chair of the English Department, in addition to his role in formation. Providing invaluable assistance and mentoring in formation are Brothers Roger Demon, Placide Ngoie-Munanga, John De La Croix Kalumba-Yena and George Willenbrink. Seeing the progress of the young Brothers gives hope and enthusiasm to the professed Brothers and fuels their teaching and formation efforts.
In spite of the disruptions that war occasions, a fragile infrastructure, woeful compensation for many workers and numerous other disadvantages, Xaverian ministry continues in a multitude of forms. Institute Tutazamie provides six elementary grades and six secondary grades, meeting the needs of 1,300 students. This school enjoys a fine reputation and a long tradition dating back to August of 1931. In 1995 the Brothers took back administration of St. France Xavier primary school in Kikula, which they started in 1933 on the outskirts of Likasi and surrendered in 1971. In 1997 and 1998 alone, over $25,000 in congregational funds and manual labor by novice, postulants and young men considering becoming Brothers, called "aspirants", have made an encouraging start in renewal of the facility. The local population shows strong appreciation of the effort to improve the educational environment that will enhance preparation of disadvantaged students for the competitive Institute Tutazamie program. In the future the Brothers hope to return to the mission in Kasenga, where until 1995 an elementary and secondary school with a well-organized boarding section, teacher training centers for teachers of the lower grades and a technical section specializing in car and truck drivers was provided.
Apart from school involvements, the Brothers have addressed basic human needs. Concern for unemployed young people prompted Brother Joris, brother of the recently deceased Brother Germain, to formulate a plan for the establishment of "agricultural co-operatives". At present, this undertaking started in 1968 permits participants to settle on the grounds of the co-operatives in several different places. Together with their families, they live in houses they built themselves. Enabled by the initiative involving cooperation of the Brothers and under the leadership of the Archbishop of Lubumbashi, their lives are enhanced. In addition to that effort, Brother Joris also took the initiative to open a center for abandoned children in order to respond to the recently acute crisis of children with no home but the street. Acres of swampland have been drained to allow for growing crops that will help feed around 130 youngsters. If this were not a taxing effort under the best of conditions, unhelpful weather and other problems exacerbate it. In spite of the obstacles, the efforts persist.
Although they are strongly supported by their western confreres, the Congolese Brothers want to be as self-supporting as they can be. To this end they started running a farm where they raise cows and goats and grow corn, soybeans and peanuts. Help is desperately needed, however. Generous congregational support was supplemented this past school year by a wonderful response from the St. Xavier school community in Louisville, Kentucky. Brother Roger Demon, a General Councilor and missionary in the Congo, wrote to Brother James Kelly, the President of St. Xavier, asking if the school could assist the St. Francis Xavier school in Kikula. Brother James mentioned this to the Board of Directors of St. Xavier, and one of them offered an anonymous challenge to the Board of $10,000 toward the Brothers’ missionary efforts. Board members responded with an additional $6,500. Until recently the students at St. Francis Xavier did not have textbooks. Last year St. X purchased for the boys and the girls in the eighth grade a French book and an arithmetic book, which would help them to prepare for entrance examinations for further education. The St. X student body, during their Lenten collection for the missions, sent an additional $1000 to assist the Xaverian efforts in the Congo. In addition to the Board and student efforts, Br. George Willenbrink, CFX,
a St. X graduate and long time member of the faculty, has been helping the formation program in the Congo during the 1998-99 school year, before returning to St. X. This was a truly generous response by one school to an expressed and ongoing need for assistance.
On the threshold of the new millennium, the Xaverian efforts in Congo, along with those in Kenya, Uganda and Sudan, hold out great promise in the face of adversity and with God’s help allow for dreams of a brighter tomorrow. The efforts build "on the shoulders of giants". Brother Paul Scanlon, CFX, Fifth Superior General of the Xaverian Brothers and first American born Superior General of a international religious order, responded favorably to the request to send Brothers to the Belgian Congo in 1928. Thus began in 1931 an outstanding investment and contribution by the Xaverians of the Belgian Province that continues to evolve as planned with the growing transition to a Congolese Xaverian presence. In harmony small things have grown and will continue to grow.
(The editor acknowledges and is most grateful to Brother Roger Demon and Brother Richard Mazza, General Councilors, and Brother James Kelly, President of St. Xavier High for input, guidance and photos for this piece.)