Society of African Missions

The Society of African Missions (SMA Fathers) is a community of
Roman Catholic missionary organizations [ [http://www.inaword.com/ARCHIVE%20FOLDER/IAW%202001/2001_11.pdf IN A WORD A MONTHLY PUBLICATION FOR AND ABOUT AFRICAN AMERICAN CATHOLICS] ] who come from around the world with a commitment to serve the people of Africa and of African descent.

The Society was founded in 1850 by Mgr de Marion Brėsillac (Bishop Melchior de Marion Brėsillac) with the blessing of Pope Pius IXcite book | last = Darley Dale, Francesca Maria Steele | title =Monasteries and Religious Houses of Great Britain and Ireland: | publisher =Benziger bros. | date =1903 | location =Original from the New York Public Library | pages = Page 209 | url =http://books.google.com/books?id=MMAQAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA209&dq=%22Society+of+African+Missions%22&as_brr=1&ie=ISO-8859-1 | doi = | id = ] . The initials refer to the name in Latin: "Societas Missionum ad Afros" [ [http://www.sma.ie/index.php?article=about_sma Society of African Missions, Irish Province] ] .

For 150 years, SMA missionaries have been present in Africa. The members of the Society of African Missions – priests, brothers and lay missionaries - strive to be a living witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the sixteen countries in Africa where they are present and among people of African heritage wherever they live.

In keeping with their founder's goal of preserving the culture of African peoples, the US Province of the SMA maintains the African Art Museum in Tenafly, New Jersey, one of five maintained by the Society.

The American Province is also headquartered in Tenafly [ [http://www.smafathers.org/ Society of African Missions American Province] ] . The Irish Province is headquartered in Cork, Ireland.

ee also

*African Museum of Lyon

References