CIVAM PROVINCIALS

CIVAM XXIII – Ivato – Antananarivo (Madagascar) – 30 October-04 November 2024

The 23rd CIVAM meeting was attended by almost 40 participants: Fr. Alphonse Owoudou, Regional Councillor of RAFM, Provincial Superiors, Provincial Delegates of GC 29, Don Joan Lluis Playa (Representant of the Rector Major for the Salesian Family), the confreres in charge of regional services (CIVAM Secretary, DBTA, SAFCAM). The meeting took place in the provincial house of Don Bosco Ivato from October 30^th to November 4^th, 2024.

On Wednesday 30^th October, most confreres arrived. After supper and evening prayers (rosary and vespers), the participants were welcomed by the Provincial Superior of the Vice Province of Madagascar who gave the good night talk.

On Thursday 31^st October, after morning prayers and breakfast, the work started. Fr. Denis Soro was de moderator of the day. The topic of the first session was: The experience of the Salesian Youth Synod in Turin from August 9 to 17, 2024 (The dream that makes us dream). This was presented by Miss Gisela Rakotomalala, assisted by Fr. Jean Venance Ramasindroavola, Provincial Delegate of Youth Ministry in the Vice Province of Madagascar. After this presentation, there was a time given for questions and sharing.

After the break, a conference was given by the Apostolic Nuncio, Mgr. Tomasz Grysa. He gave a synthesis of words from Pope Francis for the continent of Africa and Madagascar. He mentions Pope Francis’ different visits in this region and important interventions of the Pope at the occasion of his visits in different countries (positive aspects and concerns). After the conference, some time was given for questions and sharing.

The morning session was then concluded by the celebration of the Eucharist, presided over by the Apostolic Nuncio.

The afternoon started with the second session of the day where there was a brief self-presentation of each participant. Then followed the welcome address by the Regional, Fr. Alponse, who mentioned the important work to do together. Some communications about the agenda were given by Fr. Michael, CIVAM Secretary, who then guided the assembly by reminding the most important aspects of the minutes of the former CIVAM meeting (South Africa, 2023) for approval.

The third and last session of the day was the time for the reports from the different sectors: Fr. Guillermo Basanes: Formation; Fr. Innocent Bizimana: Youth Ministry; Fr. Roland Mintsa: Social Communication; Fr. Vaclav Klement: Missionary Animation; Fr. George Tharaniyil: Economy; Fr. Jorge Crisafulli: Social Services. After each report, time was given for questions and sharing.

After evening prayers, the good night talk was given by Fr. Gabriel Ngendakuriyo, Provincial Superior of AGL.

On Friday 1^st November, after morning prayers and the Eucharistic celebration, the work sessions started and were moderated by Fr. Michael Mbandama. In the first session, Fr. Joan Lluis Playà spoke of the Salesian Family and reminded the important conclusions and recommendations given at the occasion of the Team Visit in Kigali (February 2024). After this, time was given for questions and clarifications.

In the second session of the day, Fr. Alphonse, Regional, asked each Province or Vice Province give some important aspects lived during the Provincial Chapter in preparation to the GC 29. In the third session, Fr. Alphonse asked to work in linguistic groups, taking the different areas of GC 29:

Italian: 1^st nucleus for the Provincials + delegates the 2^nd nucleus

English: 2^nd nucleus for the Provincials + delegates the 3^rd nucleus

French: 3^rd nucleus for the Provincials + delegates 1^st nucleus.

In the fourth session of the day, Fr. Michael Karikunnel introduced the work on the follow up of the Team Visit we had in Kigali in February 2024. The final message from the Rector Major was given as a reminder in this session. Fr. Michael read the main aspects of the message, especially the eleven guidelines. The participants had to see on which points they should be focused more in the next six years and to consider also some important points according to the animation sectors. The three linguistic groups worked then on several aspects and proposed some concrete points for the coming years.

After evening prayers, the good night talk was given by Fr. Roland Mintsa, Provincial Superior of ATE.

On Saturday 2^nd November, after morning prayers and Eucharist celebration, the work started again and the moderator of the day was Fr. George Tharaniyil. The first session continued the work on GC 29: 3 groups of Provincials and 3 groups of Delegates had to present the fruit of their sharing done the previous day. Then, the word was given to the Regional who said that this sharing was a kind of “provocation” and that it was very good. Fr. Alphonse presented some slides in addition to the GC 29 document (Instrumentum laboris). Special attention was given to the third area, the one of governance: need to understand well what leadership is and to remain “one” as a “family”, even if we have two regions in the African continent. This was also confirmed by some Provincials.

The second session of the day was organized online. Fr. Andrea Bozzolo spoke of the preparation of formators/teachers for UPS as a service for the whole congregation. It was a follow up of previous meetings (Rome and Kigali). Key words were: collaboration, accompaniment and service. After Fr. Bozzolo’s word, time was given for questions and sharing. Fr. Alphonse reminded that in the past, Fr. Pascual Chavez made important observations about UPS: to be more “university”, more “pontifical” and more “Salesian”.

The afternoon of Saturday was for two visits: first to the social work of Fr. Pedro and his collaborators in Akamasoa and then to the Salesian Novitiate. The participants were very grateful for these two visits.

After rosary (in the bus) and personal evening prayer, the good night talk was given by Fr. Jésus Benoît Badji, Provincial of AON.

On Sunday 3^rd November, after morning prayers and the Eucharist celebration, presided over by Fr. Alphonse Owoudou, the work sessions started under the moderation of Fr. Emilius Salema. In the first session of the day, the word was given to Fr. Camiel Swertvagher, SAFCAM Director. He spoke of the evaluation of the service of ongoing formation in the Region, the activities done in 2023-2024, the financial statement, the possible programs for 2024-2025 and the special attention for the realization of the “School of Salesianity for Africa-Madagascar”.

Still in the first session, the word was given to Fr. Maximus Okoro, DBTA Director, in order to explain different elements of Don Bosco Tech Africa. The explanations continued in the second session with the intervention of Brother John Njuguna.

The second session of the day was mainly about some conclusions in view of GC 29. Explanations were given by Fr. Alphonse about the use of the website prepared for the General Chapter. He also welcomed the proposals about the two possible regions, using the map of Africa-Madagascar. Some comments or considerations were also given by participants.

The third session was a sharing on different areas, sectors, services and the approval of the final proposals in order to prepare the voting.

The fourth session was the voting of decisions, used with a prepared Google form. The results were proclaimed and will be communicated later by a written document.

In the evening of the last day of the CIVAM meeting, there was evening prayer, and after supper, there were different words: from Mgr. Rosario Vella, Bishop of Moramanga in Madagascar, from Fr. Innocent Bizimana, Provincial Superior of Madagascar (thanking also Fr. Joan Lluis Playà) and from Fr. Alphonse Owoudou, Regional Councilor of RAFM and Moderator of CG 29 (good night talk).

On Monday 4^th November, after morning prayers and the Eucharist celebration, presided over by Mgr. Rosario Vella, most of the participants left Don Bosco Ivato, going back to their Provinces.