Sr Evelyne Agbegninou, Superior of the Religious of Saint Augustine/Sr Evelyne Agbégninou
Portrait
Last April, Sister Évelyne Agbegninou was elected last April Superior General of the Sisters of Saint Augustin.
La Croix Africa met this passionate about books who now has to work in the apostolates of her congregation which has to face the scarcity of vocations in her country of origin, Switzerland.
During their extraordinary general chapter held at the end of April in Lomé, the Sisters of Saint Augustine from Europe and Africa elected Sister Évelyne Agbegninou as head of their religious community. This is the first time that such a chapter has been held in Africa, and the new superior who succeeds her compatriot, Sister Marie-Reine Amouzou, is the second African in this position.
Born in Benin, Évelyne Agbegninou, 60, discovered very young, in Lomé, the congregation of the Sisters of Saint Augustine. Seduced by their spirituality and their mission centered on evangelization through the media, she decided to enter this congregation in 1983. The following year, she left for Switzerland for her formation and returned in August 1985 for the foundation of the novitiate in Lomé, in the district of Bè.
” The bookstore profession is a great passion for me. »
On December 8, 1987, she pronounced her first vows, then returned to Switzerland for training in a bookstore. Back in her country in early 1992, she began working at the Librairie Good Shepherd which she has been running since 1995, after training in economics and bookstore management in Switzerland. Sister Agbegninou is also responsible for Éditions Saint Augustin Afrique.
Read also: Benin: Prudientienne Houngnibo Gbaguidi, evangelization through books
” The profession of bookseller is a great passion for me. “, she confides Tuesday, September 13, to La Croix Africa. Often seated in the heart of the Bookstore Good Shepherd, rue Sylvanus Olympio in Lomé (previously rue du commerce). This book lover is almost always immersed in one of the many books that surround her or in the administrative or financial paperwork, with the concentration required for business management. ” She is very rigorous when it comes to work and she likes a job well done; but this rigor is sometimes misunderstood”, remarks Marine Kokovena, a laywoman in service in this bookstore. ” But those who know her know that she is very kind, works hard and knows how to face all difficulties with courage.adds this employee.
Vocation ministry, a priority
Her election as Superior General was a “big surprise” for her. ” It was very difficult for me, because I spent my whole life in the service of the bookstore and I was considering getting into agropastoral », says the one who relies on God by asking “wisdom and humility”.
One of the great challenges of the Sisters of Saint Augustine is the scarcity of vocations in Europe which requires reflection so that the more numerous African nuns can take over in the apostolate in Switzerland. ” It is thereforeshe says, a priority to work on obtaining the work residence permit that the Swiss Confederation does not deliver to foreigners to this day, even to sisters of the same religious congregation”. Otherwise, ” it is urgent to work a lot in terms of vocation ministry and also to try to cover the sub-region while continuing to strengthen our presence in Togo “, assures the new superior.
Charles Ayetan (in Lome)
Togo: meeting with Sister Évelyne Agbegninou, Superior General of the Sisters of Saint Augustin