The Dominicans, the Order of the Preachers of St. Dominic, erected their third province on the African continent.
Newsroom (04/10/2022 10:15 PM, Gaudium Press) The Order of Dominicans have founded a new province in Africa.
The new province includes the following countries: Cameroon, the Republic of Congo, the Central African Republic, the Republic of Chad, and Gabon.
Until now these countries were linked to the ecclesial province of France. From now on, this territory forms the Province of Equatorial Africa of the Dominican Order.
The creation of the new province was made by Friar Gérard Timoner, Master of the Dominicans Order, who signed the decree of the new jurisdiction last September 21st.
Autonomy of administration
The Dominican provinces are entities that possess autonomy in their governments and other aspects, including economic ones, but that keep communion with the rest of the Dominican order and with the successor of Saint Dominic of Gusmão, the founder of the order.
The new province has 70 members coming from the five countries that compose it and residing in five different convents (the convents of St. Joseph and St. Dominic in Cameroon, the convent of St. Catherine of Siena and St. Martin in the Congo, and the convent of St. Dominic in the Central African Republic).
With the foundation of the province of Equatorial Africa, the authorities of the new province began to administer all apostolic activities in the territory.
The material goods, which also belonged to the French province, will be transferred to the administration of the new jurisdiction.
Father Gabriel Samba, originally from the Republic of Congo, has been designated as the new vicar provincial. He must submit the final draft of the new statutes of the newly founded province by October 7, so that they can be approved by the Dominicans’ superior.
Third African Province
The new province, called Saint Charles Lwanga, is the third province of the Dominicans in the African continent.
Together there are the provinces of West Africa, called St. Augustine’s Province, which includes Benin, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, and Senegal. The Province of St. Joseph the Worker is composed of Nigeria and Ghana. (FM)
Compiled by Dominic Joseph
