Interview with the Superior General of the Society of African Missions: “Mission Today: Stepping out of our comfort zone”

Father François Marie Hervé du Penhoat, the Superior General of the Society of African Missions, says the congregation must rethink its mission as the world changes. In an interview with Fides News Agency, he noted that many areas in Africa now have well-established local churches, which changes the nature of missionary work.

Du Penhoat, who was elected Superior General in May 2025 during the 22nd General Assembly in Rocca di Papa, identified several central questions for the society. These include how to form authentic missionaries, how to live alongside people rather than just speaking to them, and how to sustain missionary vocations in a globalized and virtual world. He also highlighted the need to address missionary formation, inculturation, and cooperation between different provinces.