Actuality - Brothers of Saint John Addis Ababa

Abba Yakob: the first ethiopian priest of the community

Published on 8 January 2026

First Ethiopian priest of the community

This Saturday, November 22, 2025, we received the gift of our first Ethiopian brother who became a priest. After a long process of preparation, Brother Yakob became a priest in the cathedral of Meki, his hometown, where his brother priest is a parish priest.

What was his background?

Yakob started his journey with us in 2014 in Addis AbabaAfter a life school in Addis Ababa, he entered the postulancy during which he learned French in Addis and then in Cameroon.
He was admitted to the novitiate at Simbock.
Then he returned to Addis to complete his philosophy.
It was in Rimont, France, that he studied theology before leaving for his first mission in London where he is now completing his third year of activity. He was ordained a deacon in September 2024 in St Anthony’s Parish in London.

Alreay, this summer, we had the joy of hosting a summer camps with him this August. Especially, a memorable formation camp in Hawassa with 50 young people.

A wonderful day

This Saturday, November 22, Abuna Abraham, bishop of Meki, ordained him a priest. The celebration was magnificent: the songs, the joy, the decoration, the liturgy… The church was filled with young people, friends, parishioners, religious and all those who followed us online from London. It was an undeniable testimony of affection for him and the interest in this stage of his journey.

The following days

The next day Abba Yakob celebrated his first Mass in the cathedral of Meki, soon followed by many more masses to share the grace received. On November 30, it was at the priory, surrounded by families, students, friends, Oblates of the community, etc. that he celebrated a first mass followed by a traditional breakfast.

Have a good journey and good ministry, dear Brother Abba Yakob!

Father Yakob ordination - FULL CELEBRATION

Going and coming

Published on 31 October 2025

“I continue my pursuit in hope that I may possess it, since I have indeed been taken possession of by Christ (Jesus).” (Philippians 3:12)

A new year has begun and already the team has changed.

Our life is thus made up of departures and arrivals to respond to the Lord’s call for mission.

Departures…

Our group of brothers has decreased with two departures. Despite all that we have managed to build together during these two years, Brother Marie Van responded generously to the necessity of a priory to have a superior. For his part, our young Ethiopian brother Antonios left also to continue his training in Cameroon (Country which he already knows well and appreciates). We pray for both of them.

… and a return!

As for us, we rejoice at the return of Brother Lazarus of the Mother of God. He was on pastoral experience in Addis from 2019 to 2021. We will benefit from his experience in Ethiopia but also from all the training and experience he has received since then. He left us as a trainee, he came back as a priest!

New momentum

With this new team of 5, we bravely start the year by rolling up our sleeves for the challenges that await us. I’ll let you discover them in the following article.

Brother Benoît David.

the full letter in PDF

Help us!

If you want to help us you can do it here

Your support will not be vain. it is always welcome for the mission, the formation or to support those in need around us.

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Vocations

Published on 5 October 2025

“Christ […] fully manifests man to himself and enables him to discover the sublimity of his vocation hidden in the heart of the Eternal” (cf. Gaudium et Spes, no. 22)

Dear friends,

The vocation does not belong to us: it is a free gift of Christ, offered to each one of us in order to respond freely, to flourish and to build the Kingdom of God with his talents as well as with his limitations.

We are grateful to share with you two immense joys:

– The ordination of Brother Yakob, the first Ethiopian brother in our community. Currently assigned to the Priory of London, he will be ordained a priest on November 22, 2025 in Meki, his diocese of origin, 200 km south of Addis Ababa.

–The arrival of new vocations: since October 1^st, we have been welcoming several young vocations to Addis Ababa: four Kenyans for our community and two Ethiopian candidates who are being trained for another community. They desire to discern God’s call, especially attracted by our religious life.

These young people, full of hope, are entrusted to the responsibility of the five brothers of our priory: a task that is demanding from a human point of view and requires us to be both available and witnesses of Christ in our religious life for their formation. It is also a material challenge: welcoming them free of charge for a year is only possible with the help of Providence.

Following the example of Saint John the Baptist, we believe that it is by bearing witness to the living and risen Christ in our midst that we will be able to guide those whom God places on our path.

In this Jubilee Year, with the arrival of these young vocations, we feel called more than ever to be witnesses of “the hope that does not disappoint“. (Romans 5:5).

We thank you already for your support, spiritual and material, through your prayers and your donations, which allow our mission to bear fruit.

Be assured of our faithful prayers for each one of you.

Brother Philippe François

the full letter in PDF

Help us!

If you want to help us you can do it here

Your support will not be vain. it is always welcome for the mission, the formation or to support those in need around us.

Donnez en ligne

Summer camps

Published on 5 September 2025

6 SUMMER FORMATION CAMPS WITH THE BROTHERS IN ADDIS ABABA

“This is my commandment: Love one another as I have loved you.” (John 15:12)

When people ask if the Brothers had a nice summer vacation, we smile… Indeed, we have organized 6 camps in various regions of Ethiopia and at the priory, with the aim of training all the human dimensions of our young people (holisitic training). Let me tell you about three camps in particular.

We started with street boys at the Don Bosco Center and focused on “Forgiveness” as the main goal of this camp. What for? Because these boys picked up in the streets of Addis Ababa by very zealous Salesian Fathers, true spiritual sons of St. John Bosco, need to forgive in order to free themselves. Their story is often very sad due to a terrible childhood. It was beautiful to hear that many boys agreed on the need to forgive those who hurt us, if we wanted to find some hope to move forward in life.

Another camp took place in a Catholic orphanage in Kidane Mihret, where we were able to help the children to adore Jesus in his Eucharistic Presence.

The Charity Camp reached 200 poor children and adolescents in Gambo, about 6 hours south of Addis Ababa. It was a very intense 7-day camp, with Mother Teresa’s sisters and two very dedicated priests.

The next two camps, with many university students, were focused on “Formation” and “Vocation.” Finally, two camps were held at the priory with Ethiopian families and teenagers.

May God especially bless our benefactors for all these camps!

Father Antoine du Désert

Press Release: Jubilee year of the foundation of the Brothers of Saint John

Published on 23 January 2025

Jubilee Year of the Universal Church, Jubilee year of the foundation of the Brothers of Saint John

On 5 January 2025, the feast of the Epiphany, the Brothers of Saint John entered the fiftieth year of their foundation. Resolutely turned towards the future, they give thanks for their community in which the Lord has called them to consecrate their lives to him by placing themselves at the service of the proclamation of the Gospel through their fraternal life and their apostolic mission.

In this Jubilee Year for the universal Church and for the Congregation, the Brothers of Saint John place their trust in the Lord: they give thanks for the good that comes from Him, ask forgiveness for their sins and limitations during these fifty years, and ask God for today the grace of discernment with humility and wisdom.

The 50th Jubilee will be celebrated in each province of the Congregation: Africa, Asia-Oceania, the Americas, France and Europe. The elective General Chapter to be held in April and October 2025 will also be an opportunity to celebrate this anniversary. The jubilee year will close on 27 December 2025, the feast of Saint John.

Confident in the Lord’s call, the brothers of Saint John unite themselves to the hope experienced by the whole Church in 2025. Following the example of the Magi, they place this special year in the joy of the vision of the star that guides everyone towards the Saviour.

An exceptional 50 years Jubilee celebration of the Brothers of Saint John in Addis Ababa

Published on 12 January 2025

What a joy to celebrate our father saint John with about 200 guests, including bishop Moses and our future Archbishop! What a joy to celebrate our Jubilee the same year all Catholics celebrate the great 2025 Jubilee on “hope” launched by Pope Francis at the end of December 2024! Therefore we share with you all our double joy in this first article of the year 2025.

Though we had the whole 2h30 Mass was celebrated in Ge’ez and Amharic language by bishop Moses, foreigners presents said how much they enjoyed the whole celebration, the beautiful and so dynamic songs by the fantastic choir, the homily that the bishop also translated in english out of his kindness and pastoral sense, highlighting the great Jubilee of hope 2025 and how Saint John’s witness to Christ illuminates the Church in a very unique way through his Gospel.

Many people enjoyed the drama or sketch that all the brothers played after Mass in the basement prepared by our brother Marie-Van as well as a video illustrating the charism of the Brothers of Saint John around the world. Nothing is a more impactful or fruitful witness than that the engagement of several brothers in a given apostolate. As one of our young adults pointed out, the video combining several ones from different priories, had the advantage of making known other facets of our world wide congregation engaged in diverse missions.

Thank you!

About the joyful lunch following, we were so grateful for all the families who provided many dishes and for the active participation of so many volunteers, which made the whole day a success.

We are also grateful for all of you who appreciate the multiple efforts our small community in Addis Abeba is doing to help people in numerous ways, by direct evangelizing, teaching, welcoming young people in search of their vocation, families and all those in need.

In case you also wish to financially support the costly formation of our young brothers and of the young adults in discernment of their vocation, here is hear below how you can send her your contribution.

May God reward you with His own gifts!

New formations for families

Published on 29 April 2024

The Joy of the families

At the end of the family day, with those who stayed a little more!

A wind blowing over the family

Not easy for the family! At the center of God’s project since creation (Gen 1 and 2) and attacked from its beginnings (Gen 3), today more than ever, the family is the center of the Church’s attention and care. She is God’s treasure.

Its image and the place where it gives himself. Couple training, Family Sunday, family camps… there are many that we offer for Ethiopian and French-speaking families.

After 10 years in Quebec, in a priory attentive to families, this mission continues for me here too. Although the primary mission of the priory of Addis Ababa is focused on young people, the brothers have not spared caring for families where it all begins. Our latest offers are the Marriage course for the French-speaking community and the Natural Family Planning training for Ethiopian families.

Renew one’s couple

For 5 years at the service of the CCFAA (French-speaking Catholic Community of Addis Ababa), I have often heard the call to take care of couples. But not having the means and tools, we waited for God’s hour which has now come. When we offered this training in January, Sunday morning before Mass, it seemed unpopular! However, we were ready to work for the 2 or 3 couples that would register. Ultimately, more than 15 couples showed up. Some were even completely unknown to me. The secret of the course? the very practical, concrete topics and, above all, the moments of couple discussion during each session. This is where the best work is done for the couple. What an advantage it is to be able to talk serenely about subjects such as the beginnings and foundations of the relationship, communication, conflict resolution, forgiveness, sexuality… It allows you to get to know each other more deeply and to break taboos or resolve frozen situations.

You will be interrested by our books for children: Children of Hope publication

An intimacy leading to respect

The second project that was just born, is the training for our group of Ethiopian families on Natural Family Planning. When we talk about ecology, it starts there: Self-knowledge, respect for the body, respect for others, healthy dialogues and responsible planning, where I discover the benefits of this method for the health of the couples. For those families with whom we already have couples training, family days and camps, all this reinforces all the means they take to live this gift of love that God has given them and the grace of the sacrament of marriage at work in their home.

There’s no doubt that this year the Spirit has blown us in the direction of the family.

Brother Benoît David +

The full letter in PDF

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It is always a blessing for us to receive any support to share with all those who benefit from our mission.

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Offered for ever

Published on 18 June 2023

Saturday, June 17, 2023. We were many in our church “St John the Evangelist” in Entoto (Addis Ababa, Ethiopia) to accompany our dear brother Matthieu de la Croix. After 2 years with us and 4 years of simple vows, he showed himself worthy and willing to commit himself forever in our congregation. Many people from Benin, Togo and Burkina Faso came to represent their countries around him. Joy and fraternity touched our hearts that day.
Our Provincial, Father Côme Emmanuel himself, came from Guinea to preside over and receive his consecration. We, his brothers, were also present to prepare this celebration of the love of God and the love of man, who met in this eternal embrace that day in our little church.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
“He said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him.” (The call of St Matthew, Mt 9:9)

The history of Ethiopia

Published on 13 December 2022

The history of Ethiopia

“Tyre, Philistia or Ethiopia, such a one was born there”;
Smell of incense, myrrh and coffee.
The ancient mountains, plains and valleys,
Ethiopia, the land of a thousand years.

The story here is told as before
The pride of Sheba, Lake Tana and Lucy.
The epic of the Surma, the beauty of the Mursis,
Ethiopia, a land wherefore.

How can we understand it if no one explains it to us?
In spite of the efforts made to make us love it.
Over thirteen months, the sun here is a relic,
Ethiopia, the land of the first baptism lost.

The wisdom of the wise men on the tune of the “massinko”,
Here is perhaps the secret of its aroma;
Aksum and Gondar, Bahar Dar and I know
Ethiopia, the land of Lalibela.

“Abba”, a cry towards the hand that blesses,
The one that protects and the one that nourishes.
To cross a glance even in the dust,
Ethiopia, the land of trust

A new flower will be born without being trampled.
Its perfume and its colors will not be without thorn.
Those who have watered it with blood will make their confession;
For Ethiopia has become a land filled with water and fire.

Brother Moïse-Étienne

Discovering Ethiopia

Published on 7 December 2022

Ǝn-kwan-deu-na-meu-tu: “Welcome” to Ethiopia!!!

The only African country that has not known colonization, Ethiopia is a country that has interested me since the time of my novitiate where I lived with Ethiopian brothers. Today, it has been two months since I arrived in this country for my apostolic experience and I am discovering a magnificent landscape and a culture impregnated with religion. Mostly Orthodox, the people live their daily lives to the rhythm of religious festivals. The festival of Meskel (the Holy Cross), which I attended, is a national holiday. It was impressive to see the enthusiasm that it aroused in the streets. On the Catholic side, I discovered the Ethiopian rite with its liturgical language “Ge’ez”. I attended a mass in this rite and I was able to realize how much importance is given to singing in this liturgy. The population is very young and well rooted in the culture. Thus, the young Ethiopians who surround us are also passionate about worship. I continue my immersion in this culture, great by its history, to bring you more pearls next time and I wish you to be able to visit one day this beautiful and great country of Africa. Bekerbu Enəgənagnalən (See you soon)!!!

Brother Theophane-Marie