Overview of missionary history in northern Cameroon

In Cameroon, where our sisters have been present since 1968, the Diocese of Garoua, whose creation represented a decisive step in the history of the Catholic Church in Northern Cameroon, is celebrating its seventieth anniversary. This platinum jubilee is a living memory of the faith that has been sown, cultivated and passed on from generation to generation.

This jubilee, celebrated on 4 October 2025, was associated with an equally symbolic event: the solemn consecration of Garoua Cathedral, whose construction has just been completed after nearly 30 years of work. It is an opportunity to recall the stages of the Church's development in the region and the establishment of our sisters.

A brief history: from Protestant beginnings to early Catholic attempts

It was in 1841, on the island of Fernando Poo, that the first Protestant missionaries from the London Baptist Missionary Society landed in Central Africa, gradually extending their influence to the coast of Cameroon. One of them, Alfred Saker, published the New Testament in the Douala language in 1862, a major step forward in spreading the Gospel.

The first Catholic attempts at the end of the 19th century, however, were unsuccessful. Until Andrea Kwa Mbange: sent to Germany in 1888 to learn the baking trade, he asked to be baptised, which he received on 6 January 1889. This man would later play a key role in the expansion of Catholicism in Cameroon, as a catechist, translator and living witness to the Christian faith within his community.

The first steps of a Church in distant lands

The evangelisation of Cameroon officially began in 1890 with the establishment of the Apostolic Prefecture of Cameroon, entrusted to the Pious Missionary Society of the Pallottines. Father Heinrich Vieter, appointed apostolic prefect, became its first pastor. In 1905, the Prefecture was elevated to the rank of Apostolic Vicariate, still under his responsibility. In the north, the Catholic Church arrived much later. This region, long attached to the Apostolic Prefecture of Sudan, retains few traces of the Comboni missionaries who were supposed to work there and was later integrated into other prefectures.

The beginnings of a Catholic presence

In 1932, Bishop Paul Bouque and Father Joseph Bernard carried out a reconnaissance mission in

northern Cameroon. Although this mission does not seem to have had any immediate effect, the archives attest to baptisms celebrated in Nkol-Bives. In 1939, Father Télesphore Sourie baptised the first thirty Christians in Yagoua, but the Second World War brought the process of evangelisation to an abrupt halt. Father Lequeux, however, ensured a continuous presence between 1939 and 1946, keeping the flame of faith alive in the Far North.

The arrival of the pioneers: the Oblates of Mary Immaculate

The turning point came in November 1946 with the arrival of sixteen Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI) missionaries. They were led by Bishop Yves Plumey, who on 9 January 1947 was entrusted with the newly created Apostolic Prefecture of Garoua, before the establishment of a diocese in 1955. This tireless pastor travelled throughout this vast territory for forty years, sowing the seeds of a strong and dynamic local Church. In the years that followed, the expansion of the Catholic Church in the region was accompanied by a gradual restructuring.

The contribution of the Sisters of the Infant Jesus

The mission in Cameroon was founded in May 1968, in Somo, in the diocese of Bafia. The sisters are still there today, working in two boarding schools: a technical high school and a specialised school for deaf and mute children. From the outset, they have strived to meet the needs of those around them, in accordance with their charism and the local Church. Their work focuses on the health and education of young boys and girls. Makénéné, founded in 1970, is located about 15 km from Somo and is home to a health centre with a maternity ward.  In 2005, the Sisters responded to a call in the English-speaking region of Cameroon: in Fundong, an isolated mountainous region of the archdiocese of Bamenda. They provide pastoral care there. Finally, in Ekounou, where the provincial house is located, the Nicolas Barré Hospital, which offers many services. Just a few kms away, a complete school complex is functioning from Nursery to Terminal. Both hospital and school are run by the sisters and many committed lay people. They also work in various apostolates in the parish of Mimboman. The formation house is located in Mimboman. In 2022, the sisters answered a call to the Archdiocese of Garoua where they are involved in education, health and pastoral activities.

The platinum jubilee and the consecration of the cathedral church are an opportunity to give thanks for the pastors, religious, lay people and communities who have built this Church, stone by stone, prayer by prayer!