From 5-24 September, I was in Madagascar. From the second day, the whole trip was on land and on some roads in lamentable condition. After a few days I began to consider the trip to the different sites in Madagascar as a pilgrimage in which the holy places were the confreres’ houses and the meetings with the different branches of the Vincentian Family
“From 5-24 September, I was in Madagascar. From the second day, the whole trip was on land and on some roads in lamentable condition. After a few days I began to consider the trip to the different sites in Madagascar as a pilgrimage in which the holy places were the confreres’ houses and the meetings with the different branches of the Vincentian Family, including many visits to the Daughters of Charity and to the Nazarene Sisters, founded by our confrere Blessed Marco Antonio Durando. In each of them I could give thanks to God for the apostolic zeal and tenacity of Saint Vincent and the first missionaries that still survives in the bold and creative initiatives of the missionaries who work today on that dear Island.
Among many other places, I visited Farafangana, where I had a very pleasant meeting with the bishop, our confrere, Msgr. Benjamin Ramaroson. He is extremely impressed by the work that the Vincentian Family is doing throughout Madagascar, a poor country, abandoned by its own government.
Another place that caught my attention is Tanhomoja (Vohipeno), where the Missioners and the Daughters of Charity work. The Superior is Father Emeric Amyot d’Inville, former Secretary General of the C.M. Tanhomoja is a center for physically handicapped persons, who are excluded from society, rejected for what they are. Father has a very interesting project for the integration of children from the excluded community with children from the regular community. The project is a school, constructed with money from the Systemic Change Award.
I was in Fianarantsoa too, which is where our seminarians, those in the preparatory year, and the philosophy and theology students live and work. I was pleased to be there on Sunday, the 21st, for the taking of vows of three young Malagasy men.
The closing Mass was in Antananarivo, at Akamasoa, the community constructed with the support of the confreres, especially Father Pedro Opeka. At the Mass, there were more than 6000 young people, who were beginning their school year with an anticipated feast of Saint Vincent de Paul. Many others could not enter for lack of space. All of them came from the different schools constructed at Akamasoa.
From the 25th to the 27th, I was at the Berçeau, where I was accompanied by Sister Evelyne to meet the Board of Directors of the Berçeau, which is planning alterations in this site of so much importance to the Vincentian Family. On the feast of Saint Vincent de Paul, I took part in the Eucharist presided by the Bishop of Dax at which the confreres, after having lived through the experience of the Internal Seminary in Avila, Spain, made their ‘Good Purposes.’
Returning to Paris, from the 28th to the 30th, I accompanied the CIF group, 14 missionaries from various areas, especially Asia. I also was able to talk and celebrate the Eucharist with a group of 90 Daughters of Charity, who are participating in a Vincentian Session at the Rue du Bac.
I take advantage of the opportunity to greet everyone and to give you my blessing on the Feast of Saint Vincent de Paul, even if it is already passed.”
