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The plane landed at 7:15 PM GMT at the airport Felix Houphouët-Boigny. On board: the Very Reverend Father General Adolfo Nicolás, the reverend Father Assistant Jean-Roger Ndombi and the provincial of Madagascar, Fr. François de Paule Randriamanalina. In Abidjan, Fr. Rector Leo Amani, Fr. Eugène Goussikindey (Provincial of West Africa), Fr. Vincent Foutchantse (superior of Saint François Xavier, Inades) and S. Justin Ilboudo were at the airport to welcome them. The VRF General arrived at the ITCJ at 8:45 PM. A cordial “Akwaba” was reserved to him at Tansi (the community of formators), after greeting all the members of the community gathered to receive him.
Hervé-Noël Kanziama, S.J. (ACE)
Source: Forum ACE, 16 April 2009
As planned, Father General Adolfo Nicolás, in his visit to Abidjan, participated in the morning at Mass presided by Father Assistant Jean-Roger Pascal Ndombi in the chapel of Saint François Xavier community (Inades). After Mass, the Christians frequenting
the chapel greeted him. Those who were not in a hurry, especially the mamas, awaited him until the end of the breakfast. He gave them rosaries with these words: “To believe is to be moving”. After breakfast, he was received by Cardinal Bernard Agré, archbishop emeritus of Abidjan. Then, he went back to François Xavier for the visit of CERAP (Centre de recherche et d’action pour la paix). Indeed, the guided tour of CERAP was led by Fr. Denis Maugenest, its director general. He was accompanied by members of the board of the institution. Addressing the latter (the members of the
board), for the majority lay people, Father Adolfo told them: “One needs a vision of the whole to dream together”. From there, our Father General continued his journey going to the embassy of the Holy See in Abidjan. He was received there by the secretary of the apostolic nuncio. The nuncio was held up by urgent matters related to his mission. It was there that he had lunch, before going back to the community.
 In the evening, Father Adolfo Nicolás met with the team of formators at ITCJ. Those whose mission is to prepare priests, apostolic instruments for the mission of the Church and the Society. They exchanged for a long time and shared a fraternal meal. It should be noted that before the meeting with the team of formators, Father General received staff members who had expressed a wish to meet him. In these visits, Father General was accompanied by Fr. Jean-Roger Ndombi, Assistant for Africa, and by Fr. Eugène Didier Goussikindey, AOC provincial.
Norbert-Vital Musenga, S.J. (ACE)
Source: Forum ACE, 17 April 2009
(…) On Friday 17 April, at 9 AM, it was the turn for the scholastics to meet with Father Adolfo Nicolás (see the article on the meeting with Father General). At the end of the morning, he presided at Mass in the ITCJ chapel followed by a fraternal meal. His homily was centered on the permanent presence of Christ in the everyday life of his disciples. The Good News of the day, drawn from St John (21:1-14), was the appearance of Jesus at the edge of the Lake of Tiberias. According to Father General Adolfo Nicolás, the Lord Jesus is permanently present in our everyday life, just like he was for his apostles. He invited us to become aware of it. He thus reminded us of the need for a harmonious life which does not make dichotomy between the various activities. It was after their night of failed fishing that Christ showed himself to the apostles frustrated by their own failure. As Henri De Lubac teaches, Christ is as well present in the Eucharist, as in Heaven and in the community. Because he is present in our communities, the community then becomes a mission and not only for the mission. In our life, it must be the sourceof joy, peace and of hope. For Father Nicolás, our testimony of life must really prove that we belong to God’s family and the people with whom we collaborate must feel the joy of belonging to Christ which animates us.
After this Mass celebrated for the intention of all the Jesuits of Abidjan, a photo session followed as is usual in similar circumstances and then a fraternal meal.
In the afternoon, Fr. General visited Saint Philippe d'Abobo parish, located in a popular district of Abidjan, where the Society does the experience of insertion among the poor. His message was: “I encourage you to work together in spite of the difficulties. Keep up hope”. This visit was followed by a meeting and dinner with Mgr Jean-Pierre Kutuan, the archbishop of Abidjan. (…)
Norbert-Vital Musenga, S.J. (ACE)
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