In the early 1990s, a small group of four young men arrived in Nairobi with a mission that would bridge two religious traditions and set a precedent for decades to come. They were the pioneers, the first Montfort Missionaries (Company of Mary) to enroll at Hekima University College (HUC).
Today, one of those pioneers, Fr. Blaise Jailos, SMM, reflects on a journey that began in 1991, one that has not only shaped his three decades of priesthood but also defined the intellectual and spiritual roadmap for the Montfort Missionaries in Africa.
A Historic First
The year was 1991. While the world was shifting in the wake of the Cold War, a smaller but significant shift was happening in Kenyan theological education.
“We were the very, very first ones,” Fr. Jailos recalls with a smile. Out of the original four who arrived, three completed the rigorous three-year Bachelor of Theology (BTh) program in 1994. The group was distinguished: among them were the current Archbishop of Blantyre, Most Rev. Thomas Msusa, SMM, and the late Father Callisto Baluwa, SMM.
“1991 to 1994… that is a long time,” Fr. Jailos muses. “Somebody who was born then is now a mature man.”
The “Jesuit Edge” and Contextual Theology
Since that first cohort, the Montfort Missionaries have consistently sent their students to Hekima. When asked why, Fr. Jailos points to the depth of “Jesuit Education.”
For Fr. Jailos, the Hekima experience was defined by two pillars: academic excellence and intercultural learning. “The formation was really in-depth. It really opened us up. The intercultural gatherings made the whole experience so unique.”
But it wasn’t just about books. The Jesuit approach challenged them to be proactive. “We were challenged that when we go out, we should not expect everything to just be given to us,” he explains. “We need to be proactive in the ministry so that we are responding to the reality of the people.”
This “Contextualized Theology” has been the secret to his 30-year ministry. In an age where the laity is highly informed, where doctors, lawyers, and internet-savvy youth sit in the pews, Fr. Jailos says the “face-value” homilies of the past no longer suffice.
“I have to take into consideration that well-informed people will not take my words at face value. I need to give them depth,” he says. Whether he is speaking to a villager or a high-court lawyer, the goal is the same: to ensure no one feels they have “wasted their time.”
The Formation Journey: From Form 4 to Hekima
The path to Hekima is a long and disciplined one for a Montfort Missionary. Fr. Jailos outlined the stages of their formation, which begin with pre-Postulancy (1 Year), aperiod for candidates who have finished Form 4 to understand Montfortian life. From there, they head to Philosophy (3 Years), which in Africa is conducted in Malawi at the Intercongregational Institute. From there, they head to Uganda for the Novitiate (1 Year). This is aspiritual “boot camp” where they become full members of the congregation. From the novitiate, they come for Theology at Hekima (3 Years), Where they are equipped for the modern mission field.
A Spiritual Kinship
Interestingly, the bond between the Montfort Missionaries and the Jesuits (Society of Jesus) is more than just academic—it’s historical.
Fr. Jailos reveals that the founder of the Montforts, St. Louis-Marie de Montfort, originally considered calling his group the “Society of Jesus.” Upon realizing the name was taken, he chose the “Society of Mary.” “His intention was to have soldiers for Mary, just like Ignatius of Loyola wanted a society of soldiers under the banner of Jesus,” Fr. Jailos explains. “That connection from the very beginning makes us feel at home.”
This trust in Jesuit education extends globally. While French-speaking Montfortians study at Facultés Loyola Paris in France, English-speaking students from other continents often head to the Ateneo de Manila University in the Philippines, another Jesuit powerhouse.
As Fr. Jailos looks back on the 30 years since he walked the halls of Hekima, he sees a legacy of “excelled ministry.” The “Hekima effect” has produced Archbishops and seasoned missionaries who are equipped to handle the complexities of the 21st century.
For the Montfort Missionaries, Hekima isn’t just a school; it is the forge where their mission to Africa and the world is sharpened. As Fr. Jailos puts it: “It was God’s grace that our superiors chose Hekima.”
By Pamela Adinda, HUC Communications and International Office Coordinator
