Lusaka (Zambia). From 23 to 29 March 2025 in Lusaka, at Casa de Ejercicios Mornese of Our Lady of Peace Province (AFM), as part of the initiatives for the 150th anniversary of the First Salesian Missionary Expedition (1875-2025) and at the beginning of the Triennium in preparation for the 1st FMA expedition (1877-2027), the 3rd Continental Seminar of the Association of Salesian History Scholars (ACSSA) for Africa-Madagascar was held, the first of five continental seminars planned for this year.
The objective of the Seminars is to make known the history of the Salesian mission in the world through the study and conservation of the Salesian cultural heritage, to rekindle the fire for the mission and the Salesian identity.
The event was attended by 12 Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, 9 Salesians of Don Bosco, from 17 FMA and SDB Provinces, and a missionary Bishop of the Consolata. Among the participants were Sister Maria Maul, FMA, President of ACSSA, and Father Stanislaw Zimniak, SDB, Secretary and Treasurer.
During the days, 23 themes were presented around three nuclei, including the general presentation of the mission in the Church based on the magisterial documents, the presentation of the implementation of Project Africa in the various Provinces of Africa-Madagascar, and the presentation of ACSSA by the coordination team of the Association.
Most of the topics presented were articles that covered the history of Project Africa in each Province. “This Seminar was a success. The goal of tracing the history of the SDB FMA Salesian missions before and after Project Africa seems to me to have been achieved. Each speaker sought to make a serious study of the beginnings of the missions in Africa and Madagascar,” commented Sister Pascaline Affognon, FMA, Secretary of Mother of God Province (AFO).
This scientific research has benefited first of all the authors of the articles, as Fr. Hermann Solonomenjanah, SDB, Councilor of the Madagascar Preprovince, who said: “In doing this research work, at first I felt the fear of not being up to the task, because I do not have the right training for historical research, but as I proceeded, this fear was transformed into the joy of serving the Preprovince with this humble contribution, making it known to the Salesians and the FMA, saying that we are not an island, but that we belong to a great continent called Africa.”
The joy of participating in this seminar was shared by all participants, as expressed by Fr. Anthony Emeka Okonkwo, SDB, representing the Province Africa Niger Niger (ANN), “I was very happy to participate in this scientific work on the history of the Salesian presence in Africa. This is the first time I have attended. This conference gave me the opportunity to learn and train myself.” He also expressed gratitude to the pioneers of the Salesian mission in this region. “Our history is a gift from God through the first zealous and dedicated missionaries who have faced many challenges for love of the mission.”
The key point of this continental meeting was the common awareness of the need for the SDB and FMA Provinces of Africa-Madagascar to write their history for present and future generations, as Sister Pascaline Affognon has highlighted. “This seminar has undoubtedly fostered a growing awareness of the history and identity of the Salesian charism, even if the challenges of preserving documentation and caring for provincial and local archives remain. The journey must continue. The Salesian Charism, sown as a seed in Africa, is making its way. May the Holy Spirit show us new ways to travel.”
Fr. Anthony Okonkwo, in the same direction, recalls the importance of history for every society and encourages recognition of the benefits brought by missionaries. “History reminds us of our identity. Consequently, we must share our history with courage, appreciate the great achievements with benevolence, humbly remember the challenges, and find the means to face them for a better identity for today and tomorrow.”
The history of ACSSA Africa-Madagascar
ACSSA for the Africa-Madagascar Region was established in 2009. Fr Stanislaw Zimniak, SDB, stresses that “the support of the then Regional Councilor for Africa, Fr. Guillermo Basañes, and the General Secretary of the FMA Institute, Sr Piera Cavaglià, was fundamental in promoting the first Seminar for this immense continent. The ACSSA Presidency had therefore decided to organize a Study Seminar which took place from 11 to 14 October 2011 in Nairobi, Kenya, on the theme: Salesian history and identity. Production and use of sources, conservation of cultural heritage. The meeting led to new applications for membership in ACSSA. The participants agreed on the need to continue these activities in order to preserve Salesian memory. The second ACSSA Continental Seminar for Africa was held from 4 to 9 March 2019, also in Nairobi, with the theme: Following in the footsteps of our pioneers in the Salesian mission. This meeting also contributed to new applications and, above all, strengthened the desire to continue on the path already taken. And today, we have just concluded the 3rd ACSSA Continental Seminar. These steps have been taken and we hope for a promising future for ACSSA in this immense continent, which now includes two Regions for the Salesians of Don Bosco, an obvious sign of the growth of the Salesian presence.”
Sister Maria Rohrer, FMA, ACSSA Councilor for Africa-Madagascar, who had the opportunity to participate in the three Seminars, noted “a great maturation” during the Seminar just concluded. She was pleased that “the Seminar has become African for the number of participants and the quality of the research presentations, for the ability to analyze the foundations, for gratitude towards missionaries, for managing realities that are now different, and for the motivation toward history.”
The current challenges for ACSSA in Africa-Madagascar can be seen at different levels, such as the presence of this Association in each Province. This is the wish expressed by Sister Inácia Chaquisse, FMA, one of the two ACSSA Councilors for this Region. “I hope that the ACSSA in Africa and Madagascar during this five-year period (2022-2027) can be represented by a member in each FMA and SDB Province of the Region, to awaken in the Salesian Family the sense of history through the preservation of cultural heritage and thus allow us to write the history of our presence.”
The next ACSSA Continental Seminar will be held in Buenos Aires (Argentina) from 3 to 7 June 2025, for the Southern Cone and Inter-America Regions, on the general theme of Salesian Missions in the World.
Photos: Flickr Province AOS
