Missionaries of Africa (White Fathers)
White Fathers

(Society of Apostolic Life - Men)

Missionarii Africae (Patres Albi)

Leader(s)

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Society of Apostolic Life - Men
Founded: 1868
Official Web Site: http://www.missionaridafrica.org/
Mailing Address: Via Aurelia, 269, 00165 Roma, Italia
Telephone: 06.39.36.341
Fax: 06.39.36.34.79

Past and Present Leaders

Charles-Martial-Allemand Lavigerie † ( 1868 Appointed - 26 Nov 1892 Died)
Léon-Antoine-Augustin-Siméon Livinhac, M. Afr. † (26 Nov 1892 Appointed - 12 Nov 1922 Died)
Joseph-Marie Birraux, M. Afr. † (22 Apr 1936 Appointed - 30 Apr 1947 Died)
Louis-Marie-Joseph Durrieu, M. Afr. † (5 May 1947 Appointed - 10 Jun 1957 Resigned)
Robert-Marie Gay, M. Afr. † (18 Nov 1980 Elected - 1986 Ceased)
Richard Kuuia Baawobr, M. Afr. † (31 May 2010 Appointed - 17 Feb 2016 Appointed, Bishop of Wa)

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
1868	Founded		Missionaries of Africa (White Fathers)
16 March 1879	Decretum Laudis		Missionaries of Africa (White Fathers)
15 February 1908	Approbation		Missionaries of Africa (White Fathers)

Statistics

Year Religious Priests Male Religious Houses Source

1954 3,070 ap1955

1959 3,396 ap1960

1963 4,120 ap1964

1966 3,060 3,749 694 ap1967

1967 3,060 3,749 694 ap1968

1971 3,011 3,542 768 ap1972

1974 2,897 3,329 751 ap1975

1976 2,819 3,289 760 ap1977

1977 2,771 3,235 746 ap1978

1981 2,599 2,992 692 ap1982

1986 2,388 2,761 616 ap1987

1990 2,240 2,610 ap1991

1991 2,183 2,563 506 ap1992

1995 2,040 2,404 473 ap1996

2000 1,787 2,115 ap2001

2001 1,731 2,068 ap2002

2002 1,693 2,013 353 ap2003

2004 1,586 1,902 316 ap2005

2009 1,400 1,712 261 ap2010

2010 1,375 1,696 259 ap2011

2011 1,348 1,657 232 ap2012

2012 1,314 1,656 224 ap2013

2013 1,271 1,619 217 ap2014

2014 1,233 1,611 211 ap2015

2017 1,116 1,503 192 ap2018

2020 1,057 1,408 194 ap2021

2022 1,003 1,348 185 ap2023

2024 1,004 1,343 197 ap2025

Affiliated Members, Living

Jean-Christophore Amade Aloma, M. Afr. (Member: 8 Dec 1989; Priest: 25 Jul 1990 to 31 Mar 2015)
Ignatius Kanmurum Anipu, M. Afr. (Member: 15 Dec 1990; Priest: 20 Jul 1991 to 22 Feb 2025)
Bernard-Nicolas Jean-Marie Aubertin, O. Cist. (Priest: 21 May 1972 to 7 Sep 1982)
Francis Bomansaan, M. Afr. (Member: 7 Dec 1990; Priest: 27 Jul 1991 to 22 May 2024)
Michael Louis Fitzgerald, M. Afr. (Priest: 3 Feb 1961 to 16 Dec 1991)
Jan de Groef, M. Afr. (Member: 19 Jan 1979; Priest: 7 Jul 1979 to 31 Dec 2008)
Martin Albert Happe, M. Afr. (Priest: 2 Jun 1973 to 10 Jul 1995)
Placide Lubamba Ndjibu, M. Afr. (Priest: 27 Jul 1991 to 11 Mar 2014)
John (Gordon) MacWilliam, M. Afr. (Deacon: 7 Dec 1991; Member: 7 Dec 1991; Priest: 4 Jul 1992 to 16 Mar 2017)
Emmanuel Ngona Ngotsi, M. Afr. (Priest: 22 Aug 1990 to 17 Jan 2024)
Willy Ngumbi Ngengele, M. Afr. (Member: 1 Dec 1992; Priest: 1 Aug 1993 to 25 Apr 2007)
Claude Jean Narcisse Rault, M. Afr. (Member: 18 Jun 1966; Priest: 29 Jun 1968 to 26 Oct 2004)
Diego Ramón Sarrió Cucarella, M. Afr. (Priest: 2 Jun 2001 to 25 Jan 2025)
Francisco João Silota, M. Afr. (Priest: 11 Aug 1974 to 18 Jan 1988)

Affiliated Members, Deceased

Richard Kuuia Baawobr, M. Afr. † (Member: 5 Dec 1986; Priest: 18 Jul 1987; Superior General: 31 May 2010 to 17 Feb 2016)
Henri Bardou, M. Afr. †
Hippolyte Louis Bazin, M. Afr. † (Priest: 23 Sep 1879 to 27 Jul 1901)
Gérard Bertrand, M. Afr. † (Member: Sep 1933; Priest: 11 Jun 1938 to 10 Jun 1948)
Georges Biard, M. Afr. † (Priest: 1 Feb 1950 to 29 Sep 1964)
Joseph-Marie Birraux, M. Afr. † (Member: 5 Oct 1905; Priest: 28 Jun 1908 to 22 Apr 1920; Superior General: 22 Apr 1936 to 30 Apr 1947)
Josephus Johannes Maria Blomjous, M. Afr. † (Priest: 29 Jun 1934 to 11 Apr 1946)
Joseph-Marie-Eugène Bretault, M. Afr. † (Priest: 29 Jun 1929 to 24 Oct 1947)
Léonce Bridoux, M. Afr. † (Priest: 24 Oct 1874 to 15 Jun 1888; Vicar General: 1883 to 1886)
Cornelius Bronsveld, M. Afr. † (Priest: 29 Jun 1930 to 31 May 1950)
Louis-Joseph Cabana, M. Afr. † (Member: 7 Oct 1920; Priest: 24 Jun 1924 to 9 Jan 1947)
Michel Callens, M. Afr. † (Priest: 29 May 1943 to 9 Jan 1965)
Gabriel Champagne, M. Afr. † (Member: Sep 1930; Priest: 29 Jun 1935 to 12 Apr 1957)
Jean-Baptiste-Frézal Charbonnier, M. Afr. † (Priest: 27 May 1872 to 14 Jan 1887; Vicar General: Sep 1880 to 1885)
Léon-Paul Classe, M. Afr. † (Member: 11 Oct 1896; Priest: 31 Mar 1900 to 10 Apr 1922)
Richard Cleire, M. Afr. † (Priest: 29 Jun 1926 to 14 Dec 1944)
Firmin Courtemanche, M. Afr. † (Member: Jun 1938; Priest: 10 Jun 1939 to 7 Mar 1947)
Etienne-Marie-Félix Courtois, M. Afr. † (Priest: 11 Jun 1938 to 6 Jul 1963)
Marcel Daubechies, M. Afr. † (Priest: 20 Jun 1921 to 3 Feb 1950)
Laurent-François Déprimoz, M. Afr. † (Priest: 28 Jun 1908 to 12 Jan 1943)
Max Theodor Franz Donders, M. Afr. † (Priest: 31 Mar 1900)
André-Joseph-Prosper Dupont, M. Afr. † (Priest: 29 Jun 1928 to 8 Jul 1941)
Joseph-Marie-Stanislas Dupont, M. Afr. † (Priest: 1879 to 16 Feb 1897)
Pierre François Marie Joseph Duprey, M. Afr. † (Priest: 1 Feb 1950 to 12 Dec 1989)
Louis-Marie-Joseph Durrieu, M. Afr. † (Priest: 29 Jun 1926 to 11 Jul 1946; Superior General: 5 May 1947 to 10 Jun 1957)
Césaire-Jean-Hippolyte Esquerre, M. Afr. † (Priest: 29 Jun 1911 to 11 Jan 1928)
Joseph Fady, M. Afr. † (Priest: 28 Jun 1925 to 10 Jul 1951)
Jean-Paul Forbes, M. Afr. † (Member: 22 Sep 1886; Priest: 6 Oct 1888 to 17 Nov 1917)
Adolf Fürstenberg, M. Afr. † (Priest: 28 Mar 1936 to 11 Dec 1958)
Michel-Joseph-Gérard Gagnon, M. Afr. † (Member: 13 Aug 1951; Priest: 1 Apr 1956 to 28 Mar 1980)
Robert-Marie Gay, M. Afr. † (Member: Aug 1949; Priest: 30 Jan 1954 to 15 Jul 1994; Superior General: 18 Nov 1980 to 1986)
Xavier Geeraerts, M. Afr. † (Priest: 15 Jul 1922 to 10 Jan 1952)
François Gerboin, M. Afr. † (Member: 21 Oct 1872; Priest: 30 May 1874 to 28 Jan 1897)
Julien-Louis-Edouard-Marie Gorju, M. Afr. † (Priest: 22 Sep 1892 to 26 Apr 1922)
Antoine-Hubert Grauls, M. Afr. † (Member: Oct 1920; Priest: 16 Jul 1923 to 23 Dec 1936)
Louis-Joseph-Ephrem Groshenry, M. Afr. † (Priest: 29 Jun 1921 to 17 Jun 1937)
Augustin Claude Guérin, M. Afr. † (Member: 1922; Priest: 1927 to 16 Apr 1937)
Mathurin Guillemé, M. Afr. † (Member: 22 Sep 1882; Priest: 22 Sep 1883 to 24 Feb 1911)
Antonin Guillermain, M. Afr. † (Priest: 23 Sep 1887 to 12 Jan 1895)
Ludwig Haag, M. Afr. †
Augustin Prosper Hacquard, M. Afr. † (Priest: 8 Sep 1884 to 19 Jan 1898)
Célestin Hauttecoeur, M. Afr. † (Priest: 1878 to 1940)
Jean-Joseph Hirth, M. Afr. † (Member: 4 Oct 1875; Priest: 15 Sep 1878 to 4 Dec 1889)
James C. Holmes-Siedle, M. Afr. † (Priest: 29 Jun 1935 to 11 Jul 1946)
Heinrich Horst, M. Afr. † (Priest: 5 Apr 1930 to 21 May 1938)
Arthur Walter Hughes, M. Afr. † (Priest: 28 Jun 1927 to 3 Mar 1945)
Burkhard Huwiler, M. Afr. † (Priest: 2 Jul 1893 to 18 Mar 1929)
Auguste-Léopold Huys, M. Afr. † (Member: 28 Sep 1889; Priest: 21 Sep 1895 to 24 Mar 1909)
Jean-Louis Jobidon, M. Afr. † (Priest: 19 Jun 1943 to 3 Jan 1958)
Joseph Oscar Julien, M. Afr. † (Priest: 29 Jun 1912 to 10 Dec 1934)
Patrick Augustine Kalilombe, M. Afr. † (Priest: 3 Feb 1958 to 6 May 1972)
Joseph Nakabaale Kiwánuka, M. Afr. † (Priest: 12 Oct 1934 to 25 May 1939)
François-Xavier Lacoursière, M. Afr. † (Priest: 29 Jun 1913 to 28 May 1934)
Alfred Lanctôt, M. Afr. † (Priest: 29 Jun 1936 to 13 Dec 1951)
René Landru, M. Afr. †
Louis-de-Gonzague Langevin, M. Afr. † (Priest: 2 Feb 1950 to 9 Aug 1974)
Etienne-Benoît Larue, M. Afr. † (Priest: 28 May 1891 to 28 Jan 1913)
Charles-Martial-Allemand Lavigerie † (Superior General: 1868 to 26 Nov 1892)
Adolphe Le Chaptois, M. Afr. † (Member: 10 Oct 1872; Priest: 6 Oct 1878 to 19 Jun 1891)
Pierre Louis Leclerc, M. Afr. † (Priest: 6 Oct 1932 to 25 Dec 1949)
Alexis Lemaître, M. Afr. † (Priest: 29 Jun 1888 to 24 Feb 1911)
Henri Léonard, M. Afr. † (Priest: 2 Jul 1895 to 26 Jun 1912)
Jean-Marie Lesourd, M. Afr. † (Priest: 28 Jun 1927 to 18 Oct 1951)
Edouard Louis Antoine Leys, M. Afr. † (Priest: 27 Jun 1914 to 19 Dec 1929)
Léon-Antoine-Augustin-Siméon Livinhac, M. Afr. † (Priest: 12 Oct 1873 to 15 Jun 1883; Vicar General: 28 Oct 1889; Superior General: 26 Nov 1892 to 12 Nov 1922)
Eugène Maillat, M. Afr. † (Priest: 14 Apr 1945 to 4 May 1951)
André Makarakiza, M. Afr. † (Priest: 16 Aug 1951 to 21 Aug 1961)
Fernand Martin, M. Afr. † (Priest: 1920 to 17 Dec 1937)
Joseph Germain Martin, M. Afr. † (Member: 1920; Priest: 29 Jun 1926 to 14 Jul 1949)
Alphonse Joseph Matthysen (Matthijsen), M. Afr. † (Priest: 8 Sep 1915 to 11 Dec 1933)
Owen McCoy, M. Afr. † (Priest: 29 Jun 1933 to 1 Apr 1949)
Georges-Louis Mercier, M. Afr. † (Priest: 2 Feb 1928 to 21 Jun 1948)
Joseph Georges Edouard Michaud, M. Afr. † (Priest: 29 Jun 1911 to 17 Nov 1928)
Paul-Marie Molin, M. Afr. † (Priest: 29 Jun 1911 to 2 Jul 1928)
Oscar Morin, M. Afr. † (Priest: 28 Jun 1905 to 26 Feb 1934)
Urbanus Stephanus Mauritius Cornelius (Urbain Étienne) Morlion, M. Afr. † (Priest: 2 Feb 1922 to 11 Jul 1939)
Gustave-Jean-Marie Nouet, M. Afr. † (Priest: 29 Jun 1902 to 8 Apr 1919)
Jean-Marie-Gaëtan Ogez, M. Afr. † (Priest: 29 Jun 1935 to 11 Dec 1956)
Anton Oomen, M. Afr. † (Priest: 5 Oct 1902 to 18 Mar 1929)
René-Georges Pailloux, M. Afr. † (Priest: 28 Jun 1928 to 3 Jan 1961)
Marcel Paternôt, M. Afr. †
Didier Pérouse de Montclos, M. Afr. † (Priest: 29 Jun 1936 to 6 Jul 1963)
André Perraudin, M. Afr. † (Priest: 25 Mar 1939 to 19 Dec 1955)
Joseph Paul Barnabé Perrot, M. Afr. † (Priest: 1 Feb 1949 to 10 Apr 1962)
Jean-Marie Michel Arthur Alix Zacharie Raimbaud, M. Afr. † (Priest: 1 Feb 1950 to 11 Jan 1968)
Victor Roelens, M. Afr. † (Member: Sep 1880; Priest: 8 Sep 1884 to 30 Mar 1895)
Alexandre-Auguste-Laurent-Marie Roy, M. Afr. † (Priest: 2 Feb 1920 to 28 May 1934)
Marcel Saint-Denis, M. Afr. † (Priest: 29 Jun 1936 to 13 Jun 1947)
Rémi Joseph Gustave Sainte-Marie, M. Afr. † (Priest: 29 Jun 1963 to 14 Feb 1998)
Emile-Fernand Sauvant, M. Afr. † (Priest: 2 Jul 1895 to 8 Jul 1921)
Emile-Joseph Socquet, M. Afr. † (Priest: 2 Jun 1928 to 8 Jan 1948)
Henri Streicher, M. Afr. † (Priest: 23 Sep 1887 to 1 Feb 1897)
Joseph Franciskus Marie Sweens, M. Afr. † (Priest: 3 Jun 1882 to 1 Jan 1910)
Denis Martin Tapsoba, M. Afr. † (Priest: 6 May 1944 to 15 Mar 1966)
Laurent Tétrault, M. Afr. † (Priest: 29 Jun 1929 to 13 Nov 1947)
Albert Privet Thévenot, M. Afr. † (Member: Sep 1964; Priest: 2 Aug 1980 to 26 May 2008)
Joanny Thévenoud, M. Afr. † (Priest: 28 Jun 1903 to 8 Jul 1921)
Anatole-Joseph Toulotte, M. Afr. † (Priest: 24 Oct 1874 to 29 May 1891)
William Joseph Trudel, M. Afr. † (Priest: 29 Jun 1920 to 25 Apr 1933)
Joost (Joseph) Van den Biesen, M. Afr. † (Priest: 3 Jun 1939 to 12 Feb 1948)
Antoon van Oorschoot, M. Afr. † (Priest: 16 Jul 1923 to 17 Oct 1947)
Jan Cornelius van Sambeek, M. Afr. † (Priest: 29 Jun 1911 to 19 Nov 1936)
Louis Van Steene, M. Afr. † (Priest: 29 Jun 1938 to 7 Nov 1955)
Léo Völker, M. Afr. † (Member: 1927; Priest: 29 Jun 1932)
Francis Raymond Walsh, M. Afr. † (Priest: 9 Sep 1931 to 20 Jun 1951)
Paul Zoungrana, M. Afr. † (Priest: 1948 to 5 Apr 1960)

Source(s)

Annuario Pontificio, Year 2018, Page 1,434
Annuario Pontificio, Year 2021, Page 1,409
Annuario Pontificio, Year 2023, Page 1,443
Annuario Pontificio, Year 2025, Page 1,672

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