Hyning - Burkina Church

Unity is lived out in diversity: our communities have their own special character, they are scattered over several continents, and adapt themselves to conditions of time and place. Each community should be attentive to the well-being of the others and be ready to help them.
— Article 137 (Constitutions 2014)

Blessing of the Burkina Church

The building of the new Church in Bafor, is the result of the generosity of the parish community of St. Joseph's parish, Ansdell.  Over the past 5 years they have raised over £35,000 to build a new church. As part of St Joseph's centenary celebration, the parish decided to help 'build' another community, church. Fr. Harry Holden, the parish priest at the time, suggested contacting the Bernardines as his previous parish, St. Mary's, Morecambe, had helped the Bernardines in Goma, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Over the years, bike rides, musical evenings, sponsored walks etc have helped to raise the money needed and provide the furnishings needed.  More information on how the money was raised can be found by clicking on Burkina fundraising On the 10th October 2013 Sr. Josephine Mary, the Hyning superior, along with Edwina Gillet, chair of the parish fundraising group, attended the blessing in the Bafor Church.  

Building Progress

In January 2013 Sr. Josephine and Sr. Michaela had the good fortune to be at the mother house when the architect of the church, Fr. Georges Marie gave a talk to the french community. It was wonderful to hear recent news and to see the progress of the new church and buildings made possible by the generosity of the people of Ansdell. 

Fr. Georges was a monk of a new religious order, the Community of the Resurrection and is a trained architect who has planned the various stages of the building for us.

Inside the Church

This video is of the inside of the church. At this point the outside is finished and the video shows some of the work on the inside; the pillars, the arches and the walls. The church itself is an octagon and is linked to the buildings by a short corridor built on from the first buildings constructed.

Ongoing Construction

This video, is another view of building work in progress. It shows some of the other areas that are being constructed. You can also see some of the workers' washing!  

The Church is now finished and if you look at the gallery at the top, there are pictures of the newly furnished church.  

Fr Georges Marie

This video shows the end of the earlier building work, the link that is being built between the church and a different view of the outside of the Church. The architect, Fr. Georges Marie is speaking in french and comments on various aspects of the building so far.

You can find out about the parish of St. Joseph's, Ansdell, by clicking on the link