Brother Yakob’s ordination to the diaconate took place on Saturday 7 September in the parish of St Antony of Padua, London (England), in the presence of the Most Reverend Alan Williams, Bishop of the Diocese of Brentwood (London). Brother Leopold tells us.

D-day has arrived!  

It’s Saturday September 7th, 2024, and Saint Antony’s parish is in celebration. Because today is the diaconal Ordination of brother Yakob. The library of the brothers has been transformed into sacristy. Brother Yakob himself is attending to the needs of the visiting brothers and priests, anticipating his ministry of service. From Ethiopia have travelled the deacon-to-be’s sibling, Abba Tesfaye Bishamo, who paved the way in the family – having been a priest for the last 22 years! – together with some friends and also brother Philippe-François, the superior in Addis-Abbeba. The Netherlands aren’t badly represented either: apart from brother Ignaz-Maria, our Provincial, and brother Richard-Maria from Utrecht, Abba Petros Berga, Apostolic Visitor for the Ethiopian Catholics in Europe, has come from his parish close to Amsterdam. And from all around London had come a fair number of Ethiopian friends, priests and laity alike.  

I testify that he has been found worthy!  

Picking up on br Ignatius’s presentation of the candidate, which suggested that brother Yakob had been a trailblazer and pioneer of the Ethiopian brothers in the Congregation, Bishop Alan Williams turned our eyes towards Christ, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith [Hebrew 12], reminding us how Saint John himself was progressively perfected throughout the years. Bishop Alan also witnessed how, during his own life and ministry, he had constantly experienced the action of Jesus Good Shepherd bringing back the lost sheep. He reminded us also that Saint Antony’s charism was to be the patron of the lost, and exhorted our brother to do the same. 

Rejoice O Mary Heavenly Queen 

After communion, Abba Petros led a venerable Marian chant and dance, sung in Ge’ez, the liturgical language in Ethiopia, which he was kind enough to translate for the uninitiated. After Mass, the gardens behind the priory hosted a pleasant party full of Ethiopian flavours and rhythms, under an unusually clear and sunny London sky. The day ended – how else, on such a joyful day? – with more dancing.

Brother Leopold

Thanksgiving

Brother Antoine de Padoue TOURÉ (Ivory Coast) and Brother Paul-Clément DJON BISSES (Cameroon) were ordained deacons with a view to the priesthood on Saturday 29 June 2024, by Monsignor Benoît Rivière, Bishop of Autun, Chalon and Mâcon, in the presence of Brother Côme-Emmanuel CODJIA, Prior of the Province of Africa.

Upcoming events

The priestly ordinations of the Africa Province will take place on Saturday 13 July at Abidjan Cathedral, by Monsignor Jean-Salomon LEZOUTIE, Bishop of the Diocese of Yopougon (Côte d’Ivoire).

Ordinations to the diaconate

Brother François-Xavier CAZALI, Prior General ;
Brother Côme-Emmanuel CODJIA, Prior of the Province of Africa ;
The Brothers of Saint John and the families of the Brothers are pleased to inform you of the diaconal ordinations of Brothers

Antoine de Padoue TOURÉ (Ivory Coast)
Paul-Clément DJON BISSES (Cameroon)

At Notre-Dame de Rimont, on Saturday 29 June, by Monsignor Benoît Rivière, Bishop of Autun, Chalon and Mâcon.

Priestly ordinations

Brother François-Xavier CAZALI, Prior General ;
Brother Côme-Emmanuel CODJIA, Prior of the Province of Africa;
The Brothers of Saint-Jean and their families are pleased to inform you of the priestly ordinations of the following brothers

Elisée DJOGBA (Ivory Coast)
François-Emmanuel-Marie ZIGGAR (Togo)

On Saturday 13 July at Abidjan Cathedral, by Monsignor Jean-Salomon LEZOUTIE, Bishop of the diocese of Yopougon (Ivory Coast).

Brother François-Xavier CAZALI, Prior General ;
Brother Ignaz-Maria, Prior of the Province of Europe ;
the Brothers of Saint John and the families of the Brothers are pleased to inform you of the diaconal ordinations of the following Brothers

Yakob DESALEGN BISHAMO (Ethiopia)

On Saturday 7 September in the parish of Saint Antony of Padua, London (England), by the Most Reverend Alan Williams, Bishop of the Diocese of Brentwood (London).

Elijas BUTKUS (Lithuania)

On Saturday 21 September at 10 AM at the priory of the Brothers of Saint John, Vilnius (Lithuania), by His Eminence Cardinal Audrys Juozas Bačkis (Vilnius).

On 19 May 2024, two receptions of habit took place at the novitiate of the Brothers of St John in Guadalupe (Mexico), for the Province of the Americas.

Brother Emanuel do Menino Jesús CUNHA (Brazil)
Brother Tadeo de Jesús LÓPEZ MARTÍNEZ (Mexico)

Receptions of habit

Bruno OBAKOU (Togo)
Paul KPOBiÉ (Togo)
Roger AWADE (Togo)

Friday 31 May 2024 at the Noviciat Notre-Dame de la Providence in Lumen Valley (Togo).

Professions simples

Brother François-Xavier CAZALI, Prior General; Brother Côme-Emmanuel CODJIA, Prior of the Province Africa, the Brothers of Saint-Jean and the families of the brothers are pleased to inform you of the Simple Profession of the following brothers

Matthieu HONYIGLO KOFFI (Togo)
Vianney KENGA’A KEUNANG (Cameroun)

Mass will be celebrated on Saturday 1 June 2024 at 10am at the Noviciat Notre-Dame de la Providence in Lumen Valley (Togo).

Perpetual Professions

Brother François-Xavier CAZALI, Prior General; Brother Côme-Emmanuel CODJIA, Prior of the Province Africa, the Brothers of Saint-Jean and the families of the brothers are pleased to inform you of the Perpetual Profession of the following brothers

Jean-François OYIE (Cameroun)
Mass will be celebrated on Saturday 22 June 2024 at 10.30am at the Prieuré Notre-Dame des Grâces in Kendoumayah (Guinea).

Élie-Marie SERI (Côte d’Ivoire)
Jean-Pio N’GUESSAN (Côte d’Ivoire)
Mass will be celebrated on Sunday 30 June 2024 at 9.30am at the University Parish of Saint Jean Apôtre in Lomé (Togo).

Brother Marie-Alexandre Dallaporta, professor at the Studium of theology in Rimont, defended his thesis on May 3, 2024, at Catholic university of Paris. It was awarded magna cum laude (very good). Here is the presentation of the thesis from the author.

This is a thesis in patristics, directed by Professor Charbel Maalouf, and entitled : “The providential Trinity : Athanasius of Alexandria’s contribution to the Trinitarian and Christological theology of providence “. In the context of a contemporary theology seeking to renew its discourse on providence and divine action, this study sets out to show the contribution of an author of the IVᵉ S, Athanasius of Alexandria. While the latter is recognized as one of the Church Fathers whose work is decisive for Christology (one of the first Christian authors to have written a treatise on the Incarnation) and Trinitarian theology (his participation in the Council of Nicaea in 325 and his constant defense of the divinity of the Word in the face of Arianism), he has been little studied for his conception of divine providence. However, one passage from his work, the Treatises against the Arians, has prompted and guided our research, the one in which he states:

This excerpt is to be understood in the context of a Christological reflection on certain difficult passages of Scripture (those relating the agony, ignorance or receptivity of Christ…), which Arianism used to show that the Word could not therefore be of a divine nature. For Athanasius, on the other hand, the receptivity of the Son (Mt 11:27) must be understood from both the eternal and temporal points of view, based on the unity of nature between the Father and the Son and unity in the exercise of their providence. Hence the question that drives our research: is this an isolated statement, or does it shed light on the way in which Athanasius can link, in his theological reflection on providence, a Christological and Trinitarian affirmation ?

After making a detailed study of the use of the term providence (pronoia in Greek) in Athanasius’ entire work (1st part), our study proposes to show different aspects of this contribution to Athanasius’ theology.

Firstly, in the way his apologetic works attribute providence to the Logos, his theology is based on a philosophical discourse (2d part). Among the various influences, we have highlighted Philo of Alexandria, a Jewish author of the 1st century, who draws on both philosophy and Sacred Scripture to discuss the role of the Logos in relation to creation.

Secondly, in the face of the Arian heresy, Athanasius elaborates a specifically Christian discourse on providence in the biblical hermeneutics of his doctrinal works (3rd part). Using Johannine verses on the unity of Father and Son (Jn 10:30, 14:9…), as well as the book of Proverbs on Creative Wisdom (Pr 8:22-30), he shows that, while respecting their distinction, Father and Son are one in the exercise of providence. The Son appears as the heir of the Father’s goods (Hb 1:3), the one who receives them but also distributes them in this unity with Him.

Athanasius’ contribution is also assessed within the patristic tradition (4th part). The Alexandrian is situated in continuity and discontinuity with the ante-Nicene Fathers (Irenaeus, Clement of Alexandria, Origen). Faced with the Arian heresy that reduces the Son to a mere intermediary or instrument of creation, and Origen’s position that affirms the unity of the Father and the Son, but considers the latter above all as an efficient minister of providence, Athanasius gives full scope to the Son’s mediation in providence, considered above all from the point of view of the immanent unity between Father and Son. Thus, the Son appears one with the Father in our divine election, being himself the Will of the Father in his person.

Athanasius’ thought also paved the way for later developments in patrology, notably by Gregory of Nyssa and Cyril of Alexandria (5th Part). These authors clarify the place of the Holy Spirit in the sanctifying and divinizing action of the divine persons. Nevertheless, Origen is the most explicit on this point, since he is the only one among the Fathers, subject to a possible addition by his Latin translator Rufinus, to use the expression Providentiam Trinitatis. In his commentary on the Epistle to the Romans, he affirms how, in the Holy Spirit, divine providence is in all things.

A final contribution is highlighted in the fruitful links between his doctrinal theology and his spiritual theology. Athanasius’ works such as Apology for his Flight, the Festal Letters and the Life of Anthony bear witness to the way in which the Christian is invited to combine human prudence and abandonment to providence, and how, by allowing himself to be taught by God, he participates in the knowledge of divine designs.

At the end of this study, we outline some of the avenues opened up by Athanasius’ thought in relation to questions posed by contemporary theology. The latter seeks to better grasp how Christ, in his humanity, was able to receive and live according to paternal providence. It also underlines the incomprehensibility of the divine plans for the Son, who lives them in obscurity and distance from his Father. Conversely, Athanasius, and Alexandrian theology in general, have rightly been criticized for not focusing enough on Christ’s humanity, as the question of his soul was still underdeveloped in his time. Nevertheless, the insistence of Alexandrian theology on examining divine providence in the light of these Trinitarian and Christological questions, prompts us to examine how the Son, who is one with the Father in the eternal decision concerning our salvation, was able in his will and human nature, even in the trial of agony, to live this unity with the Father’s will.

Brother Pacifique, Brother Jean-Baptiste de l’Agneau and Brother Raphaël made their perpetual profession on Saturday 13 April 2024. A “humble choice”, as Brother Henri-Dominique, Prior of the Province of France, emphasised in his homily.

Brother Charles Basani made his final vows on April 6, 2024 in Christchurch, New Zealand. The mass was presided by Mgr Michael Gielen, Bishop of Christchurch. Some members of the brother’s family were able to be present and there was a fraternal lunch after the mass celebrated at the Brothers’ parish.