- Howrah, West-Bengal 🇮🇳
Father Laurent Bissara is a French priest of the Paris Foreign Missions Society (MEP), sent on mission to Howrah, near Kolkata, where he leads and promotes the social initiatives carried out by Howrah Service to the Poor (HSP).
Laurent Bissara left behind a dynamic professional career to follow a missionary calling. He joined the MEP, where he was ordained a priest in …. After a period of formation and pastoral commitment, he was sent to India to take responsibility for HSP’s projects in 2018. Three years after his arrival, he succeeded HSP’s founder, Father Francis Laborde. Today, he oversees all the organisation’s initiatives as part of its Board of Directors.
Deeply devoted to his mission among the most vulnerable, he inspired filmmaker Damien Boyer, who featured him prominently in the documentary “Baroudeurs du Christ”, a film portraying the lives of several MEP priests.
« We receive far more than we give. Kolkata offers us the smile of the poor, the gift of their dignity, and their strength in hardship. » – Father Laurent Bissara
Founded in 1658, the MEP is a society of apostolic life whose mission is to send priests to Asia to share the Gospel. MEP missionaries are sent for life; today, around 150 priests serve across 14 Asian countries. Their commitment is first spiritual, but also intercultural and social.
The MEP also sends volunteers for short-term missions. Howrah Service to the Poor regularly welcomes these volunteers on the ground.
The documentary “Baroudeurs du Christ” highlights the testimonies of contemporary missionary priests, including Father Laurent Bissara. It offers the public a moving portrayal of their humanity, faith, and concrete daily work—far from historical stereotypes—and helps viewers better understand the realities of mission life today. The film’s dedicated pages share biographical insights and on-site footage.
