The Philippine missionary, Fr. Vincent Cadeliña, has returned to Sierra Leone (West Africa) for the second time. His first visit was during the Ebola outbreak in 2014 and 2015 but after that experience, he decided to return for a while to the Philippines. Seven years later, in 2022, he returned to Africa to continue his missionary work. In their parish, Our Lady of Sierra Leone, the Augustinian Recollect missionaries work with 46 communities and support 26 schools.
As he explains in this interview, preaching the Word of God is just one of the jobs he does in the African country: I have to go out to meet the people and not only preach the Gospel, but also do what is the mission of Christ, help with charity and carry out social actions to help the community.
Although this is his second time living in Sierra Leone, Fr. Vincent confesses that there are many challenges that he continues to face on a daily basis, but that his faith and commitment to the mission motivate him to keep going: the main challenge for a missionary, especially when you are in a foreign land, is language and training. We have our own culture and as we enter into a different one, we must be humble, see their culture and how it conforms to the values of the Gospel, and also how we can create a dialogue between the two.
In Sierra Leone, 66% of the population is Muslim compared to 4.21% of Catholics, so Fr. Vincent explains that the mission there is particularly challenging but also very rewarding and that it is necessary to take care of it a lot, as if it were a baby: ” The faith here is like that of a baby that needs to be accompanied and guided to grow,” the missionary explains. When you see a baby, it needs a lot of help to grow: giving advice, direction and everything necessary for the baby to learn.
In conclusion, he expresses his deep commitment to his mission: My dream is to be assigned to the mission, even to die in the mission, because there is something in me that needs to be filled as a priest and religious. Undoubtedly, their dedication and sacrifice are a testimony to their faith and devotion to the service of others. I want to continue in the mission because I feel that there is something in me that is missing, that needs to be completed.
The mission of our Order in Sierra Leone
The Augustinian Recollects have established a strong missionary presence in Sierra Leone, a country marked by its history of conflict and social challenges. Since its arrival in 1998, the order has worked tirelessly in the Kamabai region of the Northern Province, dealing with the aftermath of the devastating civil war that left the country in ruins. Despite the difficulties, the missionaries have played a crucial role in the reconstruction and strengthening of the local community, excelling in areas such as education, health and infrastructure.
The mission of the Augustinian Recollects extends beyond the purely religious, encompassing projects that promote social justice, equal opportunities and the defense of the most vulnerable. Their work has become an example of commitment and service for the entire population, regardless of their religious affiliation or personal convictions.
Sierra Leone, mostly Muslim, is home to a Christian minority among which the Catholic community is scattered and faces deep-rooted social challenges such as polygamy, female genital mutilation and traditional practices that limit the advancement of human rights. Despite these obstacles, the Augustinian Recollects continue to work closely with the local population, promoting interreligious dialogue and building a path towards a more inclusive and prosperous future for all Sierra Leoneans.
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