The White Fathers (French: Pères Blancs), officially known as the Missionaries of Africa (Latin: Missionarii Africae), and abbreviated MAfr, are a Roman Catholic society of apostolic life of pontifical right (for men). They were founded in 1868 by Charles-Martial Allemand-Lavigerie, who was then the Archbishop of Algiers. The society focuses on evangelization and education, primarily in Africa. As of 2021, the Missionaries of Africa comprised 1,428 members from 36 nationalities, working in 42 countries across 217 communities