Return of Fr. Luigi Maccalli
Interview with Fr. Luigi Maccalli
Mission of Bangui
The SMA International media team was privileged to Interview Fr. Jean -Marie Guillaume, the former Superior General of the Society of African Missions. He was Provincial of the Province of Strasburg for two consecutive terms of office (1995 – 2007) and then found himself once again in Rome as Vicar General of the Society during the General Assembly of 2007. Three years later, he replaced the Superior General, Kieran O’Reilly, who had been appointed Bishop of Killaloe in Ireland. He is now a resident at the provincial house in Strasbourg and here are some of his thoughts.
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Fr. Gigi Maccalli was received today by the Pope at a private audience.
These are his words after the private audience with the Pope: "I told the Pope how I prayed and felt supported by the prayer of the Church. Pope Francis responded by telling me instead that it was the Church that was supported by my prayer. The Holy Father was very attentive to what I was saying. It was like a father listening and welcoming a son who came back after a long time.
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Primary evangelization basically meant bringing Christ to a world that had not yet heard of him. The content of this evangelization is the announcement of the Kingdom of God and the liberating salvation brought by Christ. This evangelization comes within the scope of understanding the form of Christianity which European missionaries brought with them, namely, to Africa with its socio-cultural, social, theological, and spiritual baggage. We note that often the encounter between missionaries and the local African communities was ambiguous just like that of colonialism itself.
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"It was your prayers that sustained me in these years of imprisonment."
Dear friends,
We, Missionary Fathers of the Italian Province of the Society of the African Missions, greet you and wish you all the best.
Together we received with great joy the news about the release of our confrere and friend, Fr. Pier Luigi Maccalli.
Our profound thanksgiving goes to the Lord of Life and to each one of you who, with your prayers and sincere thoughts, continued in the faith awaiting his return.
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Pier Luigi Maccalli landed with a military plane in Rome-Ciampino on the afternoon of Friday 9 October, together with Nicola Chiacchio, his fellow prisoner. Welcomed by Prime Minister Conte and the Foreign Minister Di Maio, he then completed the formalities at the Rome Public Prosecutor's Office and at the Crisis Unit of the Farnesina (Ministry of Foreign Affairs). We were finally able to see him and take him to the SMA Generalate in via Della Nocetta in Rome on Friday evening, together with his sister's family who came to welcome him.
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“It is with joy that we learn and that we confirm the release of Father Pier Luigi Maccali”, exclaimed on the official website of the Society of African Missions (SMA), Rev. Father Antonio Porcellato, Superior General of the said society of which Father Pier Luigi Maccali is a member.
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The official statement from the Superior General of the Society of African Missions
Today on Oct 8, 2020, around 10 pm in Rome we received the news of the liberation of our confrere Fr. Luigi Maccalli who had been kidnapped in Niger on September 17, 2018. Fr. Luigi has been freed with the Malian politician Soumaila Cisse, Mrs. Sophie Petromin a french social worker, and another Italian named Nicola Chiacchio.
The joy of the whole SMA family is great and our gratitude to the Lord is even greater. We rejoice with the Maccalli family, with Fr. Walter Maccalli our confrere and brother of Fr. Luigi, and all those who were concerned, prayed and contributed in one way or the other for the liberation of Fr. Luigi especially the entire dioceses of Crema, and Niamey with their Bishops at the head.
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SMA Founder Bsp. Melchior Marion de Brésillac
Message from the Superior General and his councils
Welcome Back Pier Luigi MACCALLISMA Missionnary kidnapped in Niger, Sept 17, 2018
He has arrived Rome on 8th October 2020