MADAGASCAR
25 Years of Dehonian Presence
Umberto Chiarello, scj
On November 14, 1974, the first SCJ missionary, Fr. Nicola Giampietro of the South Italian Province, arrived in Madagascar.
On November 14, 1999, this anniversary was celebrated by 47 SCJs - Italians, Portuguese, and native Madagascans. The talents given by the Lord to the SCJs of Madagascar have born fruit and grown.
On June 5, 1975, after a six month sojourn in Madagascar, Fr. Giampietro was forced to return to Italy for reasons of health. But on October 4, 1975, a group of Italian SCJs arrived - the newly ordained priests Fr. Peppino Cuomo and Fr. Gaetano Di Pierro, together with Br. Filippo Buti. Called by Bishop Francesco Vollaro of the diocese of Ambatrondazaka, they started their missionary work in the district of Imerimandroso, in the north of Madagascar, near Lake Alaotra, replacing the Trinitarian Fathers.
In January of 1982, Portuguese SCJs joined their Italian confreres in Madagascar. The first to arrive were Fr. José Bairos Braga, Fr. Alfredo Caires and Fr. Manuel Jardim. Called by Bishop Xavier Tabao of the Diocese of Mananjary, they started their missionary work in December, 1982, in the district of Ifanadiana, in the south of Madagascar.
With the subsequent arrival of new SCJ missionaries, both Italian and Portuguese, the field of work widened. In the North, in 1981, the Italians took the district of Andreba. In the South, in February, 1985, the Portuguese took the district of Antsenavolo; in May, 1987, the district of Voilava; in June, 1990, they left Voilava to take the district of Ambohimanga Sud. Lastly in July, 1991, they took the parish of Ambohimirary in Tananarive, the capitol.
These steps chronicle the development of the SCJ missionary commitment in Madagascar. To understand this commitment more fully, it is important to understand other details of these missionary districts in which the SCJs work: their geographical position and size , the number of villages and of Christian communities being served, the availability of means of communication and the possibility of travel.
The district of Imerimandrose covers approximately 3,200 square kilometers and embraces approximately 100 villages with 30 Christian communities. It has about 45,000 inhabitants, of which approximately 12,000 are Christians. Two missionaries work there: Fr. Giuseppe Potenza and Fr. Giuseppe Nicolai.
The district of Andreba covers approximately 2,300 square kilometers and embraces approximately 50 villages with 20 Christian communities. It has about 30,000 inhabitants, of which approximately 8,000 are Christians. Only one missionary works there, he is also vicar general of the diocese: Fr. Gaetano Di Pierro. He is assisted by two religious brothers: Br. Giuseppe Dubla and Br. Filippo Buti.
The district of Ifanadiana covers approximately 2,500 square kilometers. It has 71,846 inhabitants, of whom 15,760 are baptized Christians. Ifanadiana is in the geographic center of the district, with 125 churches grouped in 15 centers. Two missionaries work there: Fr. Dinis Rodrigues and Fr. Alvaro Rodrigues. They are assisted by a seminarian, Joao Nélio Simoes Pereira.
The district of Antsenavolo covers approximately 2,000 square kilometers. It has 100,000 inhabitants, of which 10% are Christian, grouped in 35 communities. Two tribes live in the zone, in addition to a mixed population. Two missionaries work there: Fr. Leandro Gomes and Fr. José Alcindo De Sousa. They are assisted by Br. Daniel Yemtsa from the SCJ Camaroon Province.
The district of Ambohimanga Sud covers approximately 1,500 square kilometers. It has 50,000 inhabitants, of which 15-20% are Christian. The district, divided in two by the Mananjary River, requires the duplication of ministry activities, which are repeated on either side of the river since there are no roads and the river is without bridges. The district contains 102 Christian communities, grouped into 13 ministry zones. In each ministry zone there are centers around which 5-6 communities gravitate. Two missionaries work there: Fr. Manuel Jardim and Fr. Armando Baptista. They are assisted by a seminarian, Paulo Jorge Moreira.
The parish of Our Lady of Fatima in Tananarive has more than 70,000 inhabitants, of whom 10,000 are Christian. There is only one missionary working there: Fr. Giampietro Nicola. He is assisted by a Malagasy seminarian.
Each district has churches and chapels (some built in brick), the house for the missionaries, a building for meetings and for the formation of catechists. There is also a house for the religious sisters who run schools, dispensaries, and a school for teaching home economics.
The lay people themselves are responsible for the Christian communities and they are organized in different ways with differing tasks and titles: catechists, the chairpersons of various committees, treasurers, and the like.
Every Christian community has a catechist who directs the Sunday prayers and prepares the people for the sacraments. The missionary organizes his own tour so that he can celebrate the Eucharist, sometimes bimonthly or trimonthly, in the various centers or villages; he also checks on the preparation for the sacraments and celebrates the sacraments.
There are various Catholic associations from which religious vocations may come, especially religious women.
The formation of catechists is the basic ministry activity of the missionaries: the catechists travel to the center of the district, coming from the most lost and distant villages, and participate for several days in the courses for catechists: courses in Scripture, ministry, catechetics, and especially sacramental theology.
There is also the religious education of young people, especially preparation for marriage. Pilgrimages to specific Churches and participation in a particular solemnity are also important to the people; Madagascans are, in fact, a traveling people.
From the start, the ministry activity of the Italian SCJs has been linked to human development, especially in the areas of carpentry and agriculture.
A fundamental component of missionary activity has been the promotion of vocations. At the beginning of 1983, with the encouragement of the South Italian Provincial Superior, they started a seminary for SCJ vocations is Andreba. In July, 1987, the first candidates for the novitiate left for Cameroon. In 1989 the house in Tananarive received the first Madagascan SCJ religious. In February, 1996, the first candidates entered the seminary for aspirants in Fianarantsoa. And finally, in 1997, the novitiate of Antsirabe began to accept postulants and novices.
Currently, the SCJs in Madagascar have in place a complete formation program for SCJ vocations.
In the formation house of Fianarantsoa, Our Lady of Fatima House, there are 24 aspirants. Fr. Pedro Fernandes, Fr. Clemente Goncalves, and Br. José Manuel Ferreira are in charge.
At the novitiate in Antsirabe, Fr. Dehon House, there are six postulants and four novices. The superior is Fr. Alfredo Caires and the master of the novices is Fr. Giuseppe Cuomo.
At the philosophy-theology seminary in Tananarive, Sacred Heart House, there are 15 scholastics: eleven in philosophy and four theology. Fr. Rocco Nigro and Fr. Luis Ernesto Miranda are in charge.
Four other Madagascan seminarians are engaged in pastoral work: one in Antsirabe, one in the parish of Tananarive, and two in Fianarantsoa.
In addition there are three religious brothers: one in Antsirabe, one at the seminary in Tananarive, and one in Fianarantsoa.
Lastly there are two Cameroon SCJs present in Madagascar: one religious brother in Antsenavolo and one seminarian in Tananarive, in the first year of theology.
In all there are 47 SCJs in Madagascar: 10 Italians, 14 Portuguese, 21 Malagasy and two Cameroonians.
To these living religious should be added the names of 3 deceased SCJs: Fr. José de Bairos Braga, first Portuguese missionary, who died of an illness in the United States on November 1, 1998; the seminarian Philippe Rakotomarolahy, who died in Tananarive on January 2, 1999; and Fr. Michele Bulmetti, an Italian missionary who was first in Mozambique and then in Madagascar, and who died in Albania on May 4,1999. These three deceased religious constitute the first Malagasy SCJ Community in heaven.
These 25 years of SCJ presence in Madagascar are now being rewarded with an interesting undertaking. A wealthy woman, Mrs. Denise Crees, intends to set up a private university center in Antsirabe. She is already financing the construction of the complex of buildings, while a professor from Tananarive is coordinating a group of professors from the University of Tananarive who will make themselves available to also teach in Antsirabe.
Initially, four facilities are anticipated: agricultural science, information systems, communications, and economics. The start of activities at the University is envisaged for September 2000. Mrs. Denise, a friend of our fathers in Antsirabe, has already given the ownership of the land and of the building itself to the Madagascan SCJs, and she also intends to give them complete possession and management of the private university. This will be a work which enhances our SCJ presence in Madagascar.
