Fr. Fugain Dreyfus Yepoussa, mccj
My priestly vocation began at a very young age. After completing primary school, I asked my parents for permission to enter the minor seminary of the Archdiocese of Bangui, the capital of my country, the Central African Republic (CAR). They agreed, but my parish priest never submitted the registration form, and as a result, I was unable to enter. In my country, seminary applicants must present a letter of recommendation signed by their parish priest.
I tried again in high school, but my parish priest once more refused — this time claiming that my parents were not married in the Church. I was very disappointed, and although I still felt called to the priesthood, my desire cooled somewhat. After secondary school, I began studying telecommunications at the Higher Institute of Technology at the University of Bangui.
Everything changed during my third year at university when I met a former Comboni seminarian from my parish. Speaking with him rekindled my desire to serve, this time as a Comboni Missionary. Until then, I had only wanted to become a diocesan priest and work in my own country. But after that conversation, I felt a growing missionary calling. He introduced me to St. Daniel Comboni and the Comboni Missionaries, and gave me the book Saving Africa with Africa.
As I read it, I felt that God was calling me to make my small contribution to “Save Africa with Africa.” I reached out to the Comboni Missionaries at the Parish of Our Lady of Fatima in Bangui. That marked the beginning of my discernment and formation. In 2006, I entered the Comboni postulancy in Bangui, and after completing my philosophy studies, I was sent to the novitiate in Cotonou, Benin.
That was my first time leaving my country, and I began to form close bonds with young people from other parts of Africa. We were a group of novices from the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Benin, and Togo. The novitiate period —which we called our “desert” — helped confirm that this was indeed the path the Lord had laid out for me. It gave me an inner peace I hadn’t felt before.
Everything in the novitiate had its purpose — especially prayer, but also study, manual labor, and sports. I also spent six months in community and pastoral experience at the Parish of the Holy Spirit in Tabligbo, Togo. In 2011, I professed my first religious vows and officially became a Comboni Missionary.
For my theological studies, I was assigned to the scholasticate in Kinshasa, DRC. The four years I spent at the Sant’Eugenio de Mazenod Institute were deeply enriching — intellectually, pastorally, and spiritually. Kinshasa, one of Africa’s largest cities, gave me a vivid understanding of life on the margins. I wanted to bridge the gap between theory and real-world challenges. In 2015, after completing my theology studies, I returned to the Central African Republic for missionary service.
I was ordained a priest on the feast of St. Joseph in 2017. Soon after, I left my continent for the first time and was sent to Peru. I served for six years in the Buen Pastor Parish in Arequipa. Living in a new country, learning a new language and culture, and discovering a new way of living the Catholic faith — all of it deeply enriched me. It was truly a grace to share my faith with the Peruvian people.
Visiting parish families helped me better understand the pastoral realities of Peru. I have especially fond memories of six months spent in the Huarangal sector, where I made daily house-to-house visits. Some families invited me in; others preferred to speak with me on the street because they were embarrassed to reveal how little they had. What struck me most was the joy of the people, even in poverty. That taught me that true happiness doesn’t depend on material possessions.
The pandemic years were especially difficult. COVID-19 claimed many lives in Peru. The priests I lived with were over seventy, so I, being the youngest, had to take on most of the pastoral work. I often went out to anoint the sick and dying. Sometimes I had to decline requests because families insisted on prayers before burial — at times when it wasn’t safe. Our archbishop had asked us to provide this ministry, and I had many difficult but unforgettable encounters during that time.
I also faced moments of loneliness. Being far from my family and immersed in a culture so different from my own wasn’t easy. Sometimes I felt misunderstood. Occasionally, I encountered prejudice or suspicion because I was African. But I’ve come to understand that this is part of the missionary challenge.
After six years in Peru, I can now say with certainty: missionary life is the path the Lord has chosen for me. It is worth it. For me, there is no greater joy than sharing my Christian faith with the poorest and most abandoned. I have often discovered that simply being present with someone who is discouraged or forgotten brings them hope.
In December 2023, a new chapter of my missionary journey began: I was assigned to Spain as a formator at the Comboni scholasticate in Granada. It’s a challenging mission, and I admit that it frightens me a little. I’m young and relatively inexperienced, but I trust in God, who has called me to this task.
Today, the Church needs priests who not only speak the truth of Christ, but live it — through their words, actions, and witness. I am grateful to help form the next generation of Comboni Missionaries who will do just that.
