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Sainte Marie de Kimwenza
The Sainte Marie de Kimwenza (meaning "Saint Mary of Kimwenza") is a Roman Catholic parish church located in the Mont Ngafula commune of the Lukunga District in Kinshasa within the western region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).[1][2][3] Established in 1954,[4] the mission was initially founded by the Jesuits in 1893, and in 1894, the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur established a girls' school.[5][6] The Faculty of Agronomic and Veterinary Science has obtained all necessary official authorizations for its operation, including the acquisition of land opposite the church after a long discernment process.[7] HistoryIn 1893, Father Émile Van Hencxthoven, a Jesuit priest, arrived in the western part of the Kwango Mission by the end of May.[5] He later settled in the school colony of Kimwenza, which was then baptized as the "Sainte-Marie colony."[6] Following his settlement, he proposed a stratagem to establish twin missionary outposts along the Kwango Mission's demarcated terrain, seeking to fortify against incursions by Protestant missionaries.[6][5] This proposal materialized with the founding of the Kisantu station in November 1893, a mere four months hence.[6][5] Kisantu burgeoned into a strategic center for evangelical pursuits within the Kwango Mission after the abandonment of Kimwenza in 1896 and its formal closure in 1901 through a concordat with the State.[5][6] The Jesuit apostolate gained considerable influence from Kisantu, becoming a focal point for their missionary efforts.[5][6] In 1895, Father Van Hencxthoven introduced the concept of secondary outposts, denominated as "chapel farms," which transformed over time into influential hubs for environmental transformation.[5] In 1954, a cadre of Belgian Jesuit fathers started the construction of the Saint Marie parish in Kimwenza. The construction was completed later that year.[8] References
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