(ANS – Managua) – On 20 and 21 October the Rector Major visited Nicaragua, on the  occasion of the celebration of the centenary of the presence of the Salesians in the country. The Salesian Family accompanied Fr Chávez him during this time.

On 20 October he landed at the Managua airport to an impressive official welcome with various representatives of the Government;  the archbishop emeritus of the city the Salesian Cardinal Miguel Obando Bravo; the Salesian Provincial Fr Alejandro Hernandez and a group from the Salesian community and the Salesian Youth Movement.

The Rector Major then went to the Don Bosco Institute in Masaya where he was joyfully greeted by many children and youngsters, accompanied by their teachers and by many parents. The students also performed some traditional local dances in honour of their special guest. From there Fr Chávez went to Catarina, to the Salesian retreat house  where awaiting him were Bishop Abelardo Mata SDB of Estelí, with a large number of Daughters of Mary Help of Christians (FMA) and many Salesians whop are working in the country.

In the afternoon the Rector Major was received in Granada, where a hundred years ago the first Salesians had arrived. Here he was given the keys of the city and blessed a monument to Don Bosco and of Doña Elena Arellano, a collaborator of the  Salesians Here too the students gave him a clamorous and warm welcome.

In the evening in the church of  Mary Help of Christians, Fr Chávez presided at a Mass of Thanksgiving, attended by many local people, and then had supper with the Salesian Family.

On the second day  Friday 21 October, a large Youth Festival began in the sports hall of the “Sr Maria Romero” Institute in Managua, at which hundreds of young people from the various centres of the Salesians and the FMA in Nicaragua presented a memorable celebration full of colour, joy, and high quality art, dance and music.

In the afternoon in the parish of Saint John Bosco, the Rector Major presided at Mass with a lively and well-participated liturgy with many parishioners joining in the celebrations for the Salesian centenary.

The final official event of these very full two days was in the  “Casa de los Tres Mundos” in Managua, at which the Rector Major received the highest honour from the Government of Nicaragua. This was followed with supper with the Salesian community from the Don Bosco Youth Centre.

Published 24/10/2011