Cameroon: Celebrating the memory and legacy of Bishop Heinrich Veiter

Liliane Mugombozi -  Yaounde

In early 1890, the Pope asked the Pallottines to introduce the Catholic Church in Cameroon. Father Vieter, a Pallottine missionary in Brazil, was first appointed Prefect of Cameroon and later Pope Pius X appointed him to be the first Vicar Apostolic of Kamerun in 1904. As the first Bishop of Yaoundé, he is recognised as the missionary who worked to plant the Church in Cameroon from 25 October 1890 to 7 November 1914.

The legacy of Bishop Vieter

The three days of celebrations at the Basilica of Marie Reine des Apotres - Mary Queen of Apostles, began with a pilgrimage to Bishop Vieter's tomb in the Mvolyé cemetery, where he is buried.  In a spirit of piety and gratitude, the pilgrims honoured the memory of this tireless apostle of Cameroon.

A conference then explored the legacy of Bishop Gerard Henry Vieter, highlighting his contributions not only as a pioneer of the faith but also as a builder of the local Christian community. This intellectual and spiritual moment was an opportunity to reflect on the lasting influence of his work and his inspiration for future generations of Cameroonian Christians.

The solemnity of the celebrations was enhanced by three daily Masses. On Tuesday 05 November, Bishop Bruno Ateba, Bishop of Maroua-Mokolo, focused on the rich missionary charism of the ‘Society of Catholic Apostolate’, the Pallottine Fathers. It was a fitting occasion to celebrate the action and life of ‘missionaries who generously devoted their lives to the creation of churches, schools, hospitals and a Christian presence in the four corners of the world. “Missionaries have even paid the ultimate price with their lives to follow in the footsteps of Christ”, said Bishop Ateba.

Celebrating the memory of Bishp Vieter

An enduring pastoral heritage

On Wednesday 6 November, Bishop Jean Mbarga, Metropolitan Archbishop of Yaounde, gave an insight into the enduring diocesan pastoral heritage and the ecclesiastical foundations laid by Bishop Vieiter.

On Thursday 7 November, in the light of the biblical readings of the Good Shepherd, the Apostolic Nuncio to Caemroun and Equtorial Gunea, Archbishop José Avelino Bettencourt invited the participants to meditate on the mandate that the Church gave to Bishop Vieter in Cameroon.

“Vieter gave himself totally to the apostolic mission entrusted to him. He learned to communicate in the local languages. During his many journeys on foot, he discovered the country and its inhabitants. Young Vieter committed himself to understanding local customs and traditions. He even became actively involved with a wide public in all sectors of society,” the Apostolic Nuncio said.

A great spiritual heritage

Bishop Vieter and his fellow Pallottine missionaries were at the origin of a vast pioneering building project that gave rise to churches, schools, hospitals and homes in Cameroon.

This triduum enabled participants to remember a tireless apostle whose legacy continues to resonate within the Catholic Church in Cameroon. The Pallottine priests, faithful to the missionary charism of their founder, thus offered an opportunity to come close once again to the apostolic missionary zeal of Bishop Heinrich Veiter and to celebrate his great spiritual heritage.