Monastery of Our Lady of Bafor
Monastery building
After having visited different countries, the Order decided to respond to the invitation of Mgr Jean Baptiste Somé who wished to have a monastic foundation in his diocese of Diébougou in Burkina Faso. It is the first monastic foundation in the Diocese. Although the Church is very alive, with many priests and lay people committed to the spread of the Gospel, it is still in its infancy. More than half the population are animists. The sisters have received a warm welcome, even if monastic life is not yet well known.
In January 2001, two sisters settled in a small house in the town of Diébougou and began to look for suitable land where they could eventually build a monastery. Such land was found at Bafor, and negotiations began to acquire it in 2002. Over the past few years more of the land has been cultivated and the more building has been added to the monastery. In 2009 construction began on the guest house and the new church. Visit our link page for more information on the church building.
The new community celebrate the Divine Office and the Eucharist in their chapel. Several Christians join them in these celebrations. For major feasts all gather at the Cathedral in Bafor. In a simple but open way the sisters offer welcome and peace to those who wish, with the building of the Guest house in Bafor the sisters hope to develop this hospitality on a larger scale. Lucy is a Postulant and there are 8 sisters there now. There is a new slideshow showing the recent work on the Mango production. The older slideshow contains images of the recent improved facility for making yoghurt. This is one of their main sources of income. We are very grateful for the generosity of St. Joseph’s, Ansdell parish in the Diocese of Lancaster for their generosity in providing machinery for both enterprises.
