PROMINENT ASSUMPTIONIST Fr. JÉRÔME MASUMBUKO TSONGO-NDARA (1934-1981)
First African/Congolese Assumptionist, Pioneer, Educator

Jérôme Masumbuko Tsongo-Ndara was born in the village of Kamituga in the province of North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo, on September 20, 1934. His father had relocated his family to this mining region when he found work there as a nurse. Having completed his primary education, Jérôme entered the minor seminary in Musienene, where he first met the Assumptionists and stayed from 1947 to 1954, with a special emphasis in Latin, after which he attended the major seminary in Baudoinville (Moba), run by the White Fathers, for his philosophy studies from 1954 to 1957. For some time, the young Jérôme had been thinking about Assumptionist religious life, even though the Congregation had a firm policy of directing all vocations to build up the local clergy.

PROMINENT ASSUMPTIONIST  REV. GERVAIS QUENARD, A.A. (1875-1961)   SUPERIOR GENERAL (1923-1952)

First assignments in the Near East

Born in Chignin, next to Montmélian (Savoie), France, on January 11, 1875, Jean-Claude Quénard, after grammar school, already became somewhat of a founder by participating in the foundation of the alumnate in Miribel-les-Echelles (Isère) in 1887. After finishing his secondary education in Brian (Drôme) from 1890 to 1892, he received the Assumptionist habit on August 7, 1892 at the novitiate in Livry (Seine-Saint-Denis) with the name of Brother Gervais. Annually professed August 7, 1893, he finished his novitiate in Phanaraki, Turkey, where he made final profession August 15, 1894, and where he studied philosophy (1894-1896). He studied theology in Jerusalem (1896-1900) where he was ordained a priest August 20, 1899 by Latin Patriarch Luigi Piavi.

PROMINENT ASSUMPTIONIST Fr. Antoine Wenger, A.A. (1919-2009) was born into a working class family in the Alsatian town of Rohrwiller in 1919, only 2 miles away from the village of his predecessor as editor in chief at La Croix, Fr. Émile Gabel. After completing his secondary studies at Assumptionist seminaries, he made his first vows as an Assumptionist in 1937, then studied philosophy and theology. From all accounts he was a brilliant student who caught the eye of most of his professors.

Ordained a priest in 1943, he was directed toward scholarly research. He pursued studies in history, literature, and theology at the Universities of Paris and Strasbourg, as well as l’École pratique des hautes études and the Institut national des langues orientales, before joining in 1946 the prestigious Institute for Byzantine Studies founded by the Assumptionists and teaching Oriental theology at the Institut catholique of Lyon.

PROMINENT ASSUMPTIONIST Most Rev. Pie Neveu, A.A., “The Peasant of Makeyevka”  (1877-1946), Bishop and Apostolic Administrator in Moscow

Eugène Joseph Neveu was a French Assumptionist, bishop and apostolic administrator of Moscow, born in Gien on February 24, 1877 and died in Paris on October 17, 1946. His father was a manufacturer of chinaware. Eugene, one of 16 children,  pursued primary and secondary studies in his hometown before entering the minor seminary of Orléans and finally the Assumptionists in 1895 where he adopted the name Pie. In 1897 he made his final profession in Jerusalem and began his studies of philosophy and theology at Notre-Dame de France in the Holy City. He became a professor at the Assumptionist Slavic seminary of Karagrach (Turkey) in 1901 and was ordained on March 18, 1905.

PROMINENT ASSUMPTIONIST Fr. Ernest Fortin was considered to be one of the leading political philosophers in the United States in the late 20th century, especially one interested in questions of faith and reason. Fr. Fortin was born and raised in Woonsocket, Rhode Island in 1923. He attended Assumption College and Laval University, graduating from Assumption College in 1946. He had joined the Augustinians of the Assumption/Assumptionists in 1944, and following graduation he attended the Angelicu in Rome for his theological education. He received his licentiate in 1950. He completed his doctorate at the Sorbonne in 1955 and his dissertation was published in 1959 under the title Christianisme et culture philosophique au cinquième siècle: la querelle de l'âme humaine en Occident.

PROMINENT ASSUMPTIONIST Fr. Wilfrid Dufault was the fifth superior general of the Assumptionists and the first non-Frenchman. He was born in Spencer, Massachusetts, son of Etienne and Alma Dufault, and educated in local schools before transferring to Assumption Preparatory School and Assumption College. He entered the Assumptionists in 1929, pronounced his perpetual vows in 1933, and was ordained a priest in 1934. After receiving a licentiate in theology from the Pontifical Institute "Angelicum" in Rome, Fr. Dufault began teaching philosophy at Assumption College. Upon completion of further studies at Laval University, he returned to the College to teach for another seven years before being named the first Provincial Superior of the North American Province of the Assumptionists.

PROMINENT ASSUMPTIONIST Fr. Bruno Chenu, who died suddenly in 2002, was considered to be one of the most respected theologians in France at the time of his death. Theologian, professor, and journalist, he had a special impact in the area of ecumenical dialogue.