Novo Porta Lagoon 1800s
At the end of April, the Sisters of Our Lady of Apostles and the Society of African Missions will gather in Benin to begin a year of quiet celebration. Together, we mark a shared journey—one that stretches back across generations and continents, rooted in the courage of those who first set foot on the West African coast and carried with them a vision of mission shaped by faith, humility, and presence.
This time of gathering marks the beginning of our lead-up to three significant anniversaries in 2026:
- 150 years since the founding of the OLA,
- 170 years since the founding of the SMA,
- and 200 years since the birth of our Founder, Fr. Augustine Planque.
Benin holds a particular place in this story. It was here, in the towns of Ouidah and Porto-Novo, that early missionaries planted the first seeds of what would become a long-standing, evolving witness—a mission that continues to this day in many forms and across many borders. These places, once unfamiliar ground, became home to a way of living and working shaped by presence, relationship, and trust.
This moment of gathering offers space to pause and take stock—to remember the quiet beginnings, the enduring relationships, and the deep questions that have shaped our way of being in the world. It is a time to listen again to the call of mission, and to remain attentive to how it continues to unfold.
As we begin this year, we carry forward not only the memory of those who came before, but also the questions they held and the hope that still draws us onward. It is a hope rooted in relationship, in a willingness to be changed, and in the quiet confidence that mission, when lived with openness and care, continues to speak to the needs of our world today.
Read more about our Jubilee and watch the launch video “En Route Towards 2026” where Sr Mary T Barron, Superior General of the Sisters of Our Lady of Apostles and Fr. Antonio Porcellato, Superior General of th Society of African Missions: A Time to Remember and Look Forward