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Alain Mayama of Congo-Brazzaville is the new superior general of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit (C.S.Sp), a worldwide missionary order founded three centuries ago
By Venceslas Deblock | Congo
The Congregation of the Holy Spirit (C.S.Sp), an international order of men religious that was founded in 1703 in France, has elected a Congolese priest as its first-ever African leader.
Delegates from the congregation, also known as the Spiritans, elected Father Alain Mayama of Congo-Brazzaville as superior general during the C.S.Sp general chapter, which took place from October 3-24 in Bagamoyo, Tanzania.
The 50-year-old priest, who has been the congregation's Rome-based assistant general since 2012, begins his eight-year-term as the Spirtian's top leader next month.
His election marks an important step in the 318-year history of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit.
From Congo-Brazzaville to Rome, a diverse background
Father Mayama made his perpetual religious profession in 1999 and was ordained a priest the following year.
His missionary life began in Cameroon as a formator.
After further studies at Duquesne University, which the Spiritans run in Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania), he served from 2007-2008 as head of chaplains at a hospital in Port Huron (Michigan), just north of Detroit.
Mayama then returned to Africa where he spent 2008-2010 as formator for the Spiritans in Libreville (Gabon).
He was then elected superior of the Congo-Brazzaville Province, a post in which he served for two years until he was elected the Spiritans' assistant general at the 2012 chapter.
Charism and mission of the Spiritans
French priest Claude Poullard des Places founded the Congregation of the Holy Spirit (Spiritans) in 1703 in Paris to train priests "for the service of the most neglected missions".
The community's motto and rule of life has always been based on the Gospel according to Saint Luke: "The spirit of the Lord is on me, for he has anointed me to bring the good news to the afflicted. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives, sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim a year of favor from the Lord" (Lk 4,18-19).
Since their creation, the Spiritans have put themselves at the service of the mission in the Far East and in America.
Their arrival in Africa in the 19th century led them to become involved in the fight against slavery.
Concerned with training its priests in a more universal spirit, the Spiritan congregation created the French Seminary of Rome in 1853, which it ran until 2009.
There are currently more than 2,600 Spiritans living and working in over 60 countries on five continents.
Thousands of lay people also share their spirituality and mission.
Now it will be Mayama's mission as superior general to accompany them in fidelity to the founding charism.
A man who is "humble", "a good listener", "who does not play the boss"
His election was widely applauded by his confreres, as attested by comments posted on the congregation's website
A Spiritan identified as Jean-Claude, and who is also from the Congo-Brazzaville Province, said Mayama's election was a moment of "great pride, especially for us, the Congolese".
"Alain is a responsible man who does not play the boss," he said.
Another Spiritan named Paulérik hailed the new general as "a conciliatory man, a good listener, reserved, jovial and friendly".
"With his French and English culture, he is a man of synthesis," the confrere said.
A priest named Zacharie described Mayama as "humble, very accessible, close to his confreres".
"He reflects the face of the Spiritans. His qualities of discernment and synthesis allow him to consolidate diversity within the unity of the congregation," Zacharie said.
Another Spiritan named Wilfried summarized the thoughts and hopes of many, saying: "With his team, he will bring a new missionary zeal to the congregation".
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