As we move gently but intentionally towards the official launch of our Jubilee 150, we prepare to mark three deeply significant milestones in the shared history of the OLA and SMA:
- 200 years since the birth of Fr. Augustine Planque, founder of the Sisters of Our Lady of Apostles
- 150 years since the foundation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Apostles (OLA),
- 170 years since the foundation of the Society of African Missions (SMA).
These anniversaries draw us into a sacred rhythm of memory, gratitude, and renewed commitment. They bring into focus the lives of all those who came before us and responded to the call of mission with courage and faith. They also stir within us a deeper call to walk with today’s communities, especially those on the margins, in a spirit of prophetic hope.
The roots of this shared journey go back to 8 December 1856, when a small group gathered at the shrine of Fourvière in Lyon. Among them were Bishop Melchior de Brésillac, Fathers Louis Reymond and Augustine Planque, and four seminarians. This moment is recognised as the foundation of the SMA. Within a few short years, only Fr. Augustine Planque remained from that founding group—Brésillac and Reymond both died on mission in 1859, and the seminarians eventually left.
For the next fifty years, Fr. Planque carried the vision forward. He founded the seminary in Lyon, formed and sent missionaries to Africa, collaborated with Propaganda Fide to open new mission territories, and secured resources for the growing work. Early on, he recognised the importance of women in mission and began collaborating with religious sisters to support ministry in West Africa. These early partnerships would eventually lead him to found a new congregation.
In 1876, with the encouragement of Propaganda Fide, Fr. Planque established the Sisters of Our Lady of Apostles. From the beginning, the congregation was international. Its founding members included women from France, Ireland, and even one from Ethiopia. Within a short time, they began arriving in West Africa. Today, OLA sisters serve in 21 countries across four continents, with a continuing emphasis on presence, dialogue, and service—particularly in Africa.
At the heart of this Jubilee year lies the invitation to prepare ourselves spiritually, to enter this moment in both celebration and prayer. We are invited to listen for the voice of the Spirit stirring in our hearts, deepening our purpose and grounding us in what matters most. The journey towards 2026 is a living path, shaped by the calls of our time and the Spirit’s quiet prompting.
The official opening of Jubilee 150 will take place during Mass in Porto Novo, Benin, on 1 May 2025. This moment will be shared in prayer by OLA and SMA communities around the world. Whether gathered in person or in spirit, we invite all to take part in this shared expression of faith and heritage—rooted in our missionary charism and lived out through presence, service, and hope.
We hold this time with care, praying for its fruitfulness and trusting in what lies ahead. We ask for a strengthening of our shared purpose, and a deepening of our trust in the Spirit’s quiet movement among us. May the seeds planted long ago continue to bear fruit in our lives and in our world.