New mission in Madagascar

“My spirit is for the whole world”, was the “Dream” of Saint Anthony Mary Claret in 1949 which has once again become real with the beginning of the awaited new mission in Madagascar.

After two years of waiting due to the pandemic and after preparation, the “Dream” of starting the mission in Madagascar is now on the march. This is the realization of the Project Claret 150 undertaken by the Claretian missionary Sisters (RMI) and Claretian missionaries (CMF) as a mission of Claretian Family. Today, on 18th of May 2022, Fr. Zbigniew Łaś is travelling to Antananarivo and Bishop Gaetano di Pierro, of Farafangana diocese will be at the airport to receive him. Three others, Sr. Rani Michael, Sr. Anne Thashni and Fr. Justin Kuzhippalayil, will hopefully be reaching on 21st of May. The two missionaries from Indonesia, Fr. Eusebius Toda and Sr. Helmy Alphonsa are processing the visa which would hopefully be ready in June.

The six missionaries who were assigned in 2020 to the joint mission of Claretian family had to keep waiting as their travel plans had to be changed a few times due to the fluctuations of the pandemic situation. When the embassies were open and the flights began to operate without unexpected cancellations, we could resume the process. The preparatory program organized for the missionaries to be held in Rome had to be replaced by a reduced online course this month. It aimed at forming the missionary community with its inter-cultural, intergenerational and inter-congregational diversities. The bishop of Farafangana has agreed to entrust the mission of Ankarana to this claretian initiative.

After a period of studying French and the local language, the missionaries hope to be present in the mission which awaits them. Members from both the General Governments would visit the mission this year and make the necessary arrangements and agreements before starting the mission.

Let us keep our missionaries and the mission in Madagascar in our prayers.