(ANS - Addis Abeba) - The Provincial Delegate for missionary animation (DIAM) of the Madagascar Africa region met at the headquarters of the Vice-Provinces of Addis Abeba from 10th to 12th  November. The meeting, which had a predominantly educational character, was animated by the Councillor for the Missions, Fr Václav Klement and his collaborator Fr Alfred Maravilla. The central theme: To strengthen missionary culture in Salesian Africa.

Addis Abeba saw the first gathering of DIAM of Africa after that of 1997, when the then Councillor for Missions, Fr Luciano Odorico, and Fr Antonio R. Tallon, proceeded to the drafting of the Manual for missionary Animation.

Africa has the largest presence of Salesian missionaries ad gentes from other continents (about 400 out of over 1400 Salesians). In addition, although for brief periods, young Salesians in formation carrying out their training course in missionary frontiers such as Sudan and Angola. Africa, meanwhile, from being a missionary destination has become the mother of missionaries. The Provinces of this region have sent close to 40 missionaries ad gentes, of these 18 outside the continent.

For this there is the need to strengthen in the Salesian environments a missionary culture to help turn their gaze outside the continent; commitment emerged at the end of the visit to the region of Africa-Madagascar last February.

The Addis Abeba meeting saw DIAM engaged in study and in-depth analysis of the "Handbook for the Provincial Delegate of Missionary Animation" and of a rough draft "Missionary formation of the Salesians of Don Bosco". "Building a missionary culture puts us in tune with the universal Church, which is ‘by its nature is wholly missionary and in which all are involved in the universal mission,’" said Fr Klement, quoting the Second Vatican Council's Decree "Ad Gentes".

During the three days good practices existing in African Vice-Provinces were shared: missionary groups; missionary animation team of the West African Francophone Province consisting of seven countries; networking with the local Church; the communicative aspect of missionary animation; the missionary formation of young Salesians and the accompaniment of missionary volunteers.

The DIAM were thrilled to help build a culture in the missionary provinces of Africa, pledging to engage more with missionaries, Salesian parishes, oratories and schools. Missionary frontiers in Africa are characterized by the first proclamation of Christ in all contexts, especially in the countryside. Urgent is the need for pastoral agents for first evangelisation, for which you are opening a particular field with the Chinese presence in Africa seeming to be 25 million.
DIAM pledged in concrete manner to improve networking with;

• a Facebook page
• an archive of digital material
• a link via email with more contacts because of weak internet connectivity in Africa.

The establishment of a missionary reflection group involving the Yaoundé Centre, Lumumbashi and Nairobi was taken into consideration.

"As a Congregation we can give a valid contribution to missionary animation in Africa. – urged Fr Klement, recalling the words of Blessed John Paul II wrote in Redemptoris Missio – ' Animation activities should always be geared to their specific purpose: to inform and educate the people of God to the Church's universal mission, to create vocations ad gentes, elicit cooperation in evangelisation ... ' ".

Materials produced are available in the Missionary Animation of AGORA of the sdb.org.

Published 16/11/2012