Pastoral Visit of Brothers Ken and Óscar to the Province of Southern Africa
From April 22 to May 30, Brothers Ken McDonald and Óscar Martín Vicario, General Councilors for Africa, made the first part of their pastoral visit to the Province of Southern Africa. The visit included all the communities and almost all the Marist schools and activities in Malawi, Zambia, Mozambique and Southern Africa. Next year, the journey will be completed with visits to Zimbabwe and Angola.
These have been intense weeks, with many travels and enriching encounters, in a Province that includes 6 countries and long distances. And it has been an opportunity to get in touch with Marist life and mission in all these places. “It is a challenging province, blessed with vocations and also in need of prophetic decisions to guarantee the future of Marist life,” the General Councilors emphasized. They also expressed great gratitude for the welcome and attention they received during their visit.
Program of the visit
In Malawi they visited the Provincial House, the communities and schools of Zomba, Balaka, Likuni and Marists Mtendere. They also visited the Provincial Postulancy in Mtendere and the new youth center on the shores of Lake Malawi.
In Zambia, the visit began in Chasa and continued with the communities and schools of St. Marcellin in Chibuluma and St. Pauls in Kabwe. A day of meeting and reflection was also held with all the Brothers present in this country.
In Mozambique, the visit began in the community and school of Nivava, in the north of the country. The visit then included the Marist presences in Bilene and Manhiça. It concluded at the Provincial Novitiate in Matola, where there are currently 10 novices.
Finally, in South Africa, the visit began in Johannesburg, that included the Brothers’ community and the four Marist schools: Linemeyer, St. David, Sacred Heart and Alexandra. A special highlight was the visit to Alexandra, a recently opened social school, an extension of St. David’s, which serves needy students. There were also moments of meeting with the Coordination Team of the Marist Schools and with a group of lay people. Then the visit continued in Cape Town, with the community and with St. Joseph’s School.
On the last day, May 29, there was a meeting and reflection with Brother Provincial, Emmanuel Mwanalirenji, and his Council. Brothers Ken and Óscar highlighted the vitality of the Province and its great potential in resources, in a much needed and valuable mission, and in the wealth of young confreres and vocations. Also important are the challenges to build a greater provincial unity that overcomes the division of countries, necessary and important improvements in management and, above all, to advance in the care of community life, religious life and the accompaniment and attention to the young Brothers.
