The Growth of the FIC Community in Ghana.

The first task the pioneer FIC brothers undertook on their arrival in Ghana was formation. There were twenty candidates for the noviciate who were recruited from the congregation of the Brothers of St. Joseph. The arrival of the FIC brothers in Ghana marked a new beginning in the development of religious life in the diocese of Wa, in that, for the first time in the history of the congregation, African candidates were admitted into the congregation.

The merge of St. Joseph and Mary, Africans and Europeans, meant that henceforth, all the brothers are to embrace one charism – the charism of Msgr. Rutten and Brother Bernardus which essentially is the gospel message of liberation and hope especially among forgotten groups.

Accordingly, the novices were being molded along the lines and aims of the constitutions and rules of life of the Brothers of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Whereas Brother Oventius van Dooren was appointed the first novice master of the Ghana Region of the FIC, Brother Maarten Bouw was made the first postulants master. Later in June, 1968, Oventius was transferred to Malawi and Maarten was appointed Mission Superior of Ghana in that same year.

On 15th September 1966, fourteen Ghanaian brothers took their first vows in the Congregation. About four-fifth of the first eggs have now hatched, which was not a mean success.

Policies and Change of Policies in the Recruitment of Candidates

At the beginning, the FIC brothers followed the same policy of recruitment as practiced by the White Fathers in their recruitment of candidates for the congregation of the Brothers of St. Joseph. The entrance requirements at that time were that an aspirant should have successfully completed the middle school, was of good character, baptized and confirmed as a catholic and expressed the desire to become a religious in the congregation. This requirement had been introduced just a few years before the arrival of the FIC brothers in Ghana. Prior to that change, no specific formal education was required of candidates. The aspirants were taught how to read and write during their six years of pre-noviciate formation. With the admission into the aspirancy of brothers Michael Lugnaah’s and Gregory Tang’s group in Spetember 1967, the admission of certified middle school leavers came to an end. Henceforth, candidates to the religious life in the FIC Congregation were required to have finished either a post-middle or a post-secondary professional course.l

Re-organization of the Formation Programme

In September, 1968, a re-organization of the formation programme was felt necessary. All aspirants who were following the aspirancy programme were sent to various schools for some professional training before they would be allowed to continue their religious formation. From that time onwards, candidates were recruited from “professional” second cycle institutions; that is to say, from teacher training colleges, technical schools, polytechnics, dip0loma awarding institutions and universities.

A Lull in the Recruitment of Candidates

When the second batch of Ghanaian brothers, Luke Bangnikon and Alexis Beleire took their first vows in September 1969, there was a lull in the recruitment for the congregation. This was due to several reasons. Some of which are: inadequate accommodation and facilities; time needed for the ongoing training and formation of the first bumper harvest of Ghanaian brothers and the new entrance requirements from candidates. By 1974, some of the aspirants who had gone for furthertraining completed their courses and the postulancy was opened once again after five years break.

In February, 1975, Br. Michael Lugnaah, Br. Gregory Tang, Mr. Jonas Bangfo and Fr. Percy Annab started their postulancy at Nadom Mt. Zion community and in September the same year the first two entered the noviciate at Kaleo, under the directorship of Brother Alfred Fest.

Note

During this formation period of these brothers some FIC projects had been started as well. Nadom Secondary School started at Kaleo FIC compound in 1968 and moved to Nandom in 1971. Nadom Vocational School and St. Basilide’s Vocational School started in 1973. The FIC brothers took over the responsibility of the Agricultural project in Nandom (1974) and started TUMU agric in 1975. Those in formation, were either prepared to teach in ashools or join the staff of these projects.

A New Formation Centre

Meanwhile, as the number of aspirants was increasing, the accommodation and facilities in Kaleo were becoming inadequate. Two options presented themselves.

One was to extent the existing facilities at Kaleo and the other was to build a new formation centre outside of Kaleo. Besides, in September, 1972, the carpentry and joinery school was opened in Kaleo by Bro’s Borgias Schrurs and Jos van Dinther adding a further load to the burden of inadequate facilities. Opinions were markedly devided in the Regional Council with regards to the two options. The General Council was therefore asked to arbitrate. The then General Superiors, Brother Bruno van de Made and the then General Bursar, the late Brother Heribald Lenders came to Ghana to discuss the issue with the Regional Council.

The two General Council members after studying the pros and cons of the situation took an on-the-spot decision that a new formation house was to builg at Wa. Brother Hary Muselaars was entrusted with the task of building the new formation centre.

Harry started work in 1975 and completed everything in 1976. The beautiful formation centre was christened St. Louis Formation Centre in honor of our founder Msgr. Louis Rutten.

From 1976 onwards, the formation activities took place at the St. Louis Formation Centre at Wa. Mr. Nicholas Zumanaa and Mr. Cletus Venwullu were the first to make their postulancy and noviciate at the new centre under the directorship of Brother Alfred Fest. In 1978, Brother Nicholas made his first commitment, in St. Louis, Cletus Wenwullu having left the novitiate earlier during the year. In September, 1977, Brother Denis was sent overseas for a year’s course in catechetics at the Mater Dei Institute in Dublin, Ireland and to the U.S.A. for another year of religious foramtor’s course at the Jesuits Foramtors Institute in St. Louis, Missouri. In July 1979, Denis returned toGhana and was appointed postulants master.

It was at this time that the first formation team was formed and also the first programme and outline of formation was drafted and presented to the Regional Council for study and approval. In March 1982, Brother Denis was appointed novice master, and Brother Guido Sukarman became postulant master. In September, 1984, Brother Gregory Tang was sent to the Philippines to do a year’s course in religious formation. He took over from Brother Denis Dery as novice master in May 1998.

A Separate Venue for the Second Year Noviciate

In the early 1980s, the idea to modify our initial formation was launched. The Regional Council decided then, to have the second year of noviciate in a separate environment from that of the first year noticiate so that the novices may experience the real life situation of the FIC brothers. That is to say, to live the life of active religious in our communities where apostolate, (work) community and prayer life are integrated. The brothers, Godfrey Debzie, Andrew Makocho and Charles Sieseg were the first “guinea pigs” of this experiment. Brother Maarten was appointed novice master for the second year noviciate.

A Preparatory School

In 1973, the Regional Council decided to start a preparatory school (known as the St. Louis Preparatory School) for boys to be recruited from primary six and middle school form one. It was the hope that through a more intensive interaction with the FIC brothers, some of these young boys may in future opt for the religious life in our congregation.

Another aim was to give these boys such a sound academic training and good Christian formation as would make them contribute positively to church and society in their later lives. The school was opened in September, 1974, with Brother Marcel de Keijzer as the first headmaster. He was succeeded by Brother Guido Sukarman, who in turn, handed over to Brother Bosko Tri. Brother Leander Tengtule also took over from Brother Bosko as the last and longest to serve as headmaster from 1980-1988.

St. Louis Preparatory School, which had moved to Wa in 1976, did produce good results as regards Christian formation and academic achievements.  Several past students of the school have opted for the priesthood. The results for our own congregation have not been very spectacular. However, a few have joined the FIC brothers, Owing to the introduction of the new educational system in Ghana and the high cost of running the school the Regional Council decided to stop with the Preparatory School programme. In July 1988, the St. Louis Preparatory School was closed down for good.

Aspirancy

In the course of the years, our aspirancy programme gradually got a more definite shape. Up to the early part of the 1980s, the brothers in the formation house at Wa were solely in charge of the aspirancy. However, the need was felt to get a brother who would coordinate all aspirancy activities through direct or indirect contact with the aspirants. In 1982, the first aspirancy coordinator was appointed, and at the same time, aspirant leaders were appointed in every community by each local community to take charge of all aspirancy contacts at the local level. They were to be the contact persons between the aspirancy coordinator and the aspirants in the locality.

This system so far, has been working satisfactorily. The question now is, has the time not come for us to have a full time Aspirancy Coordinator, whose task would consist in coordinating activities to develop a recruitment programme, for FIC, pays visits to the aspirants in the different places and keeps a regular and personal contact with the local aspirant’s leader?

These evaluative questions form part of our search in concert with the local church and other religious congregations in Ghana for a genuine in-culturation of religious life within the African context.