Communities

Abidjan

The Salesian community in Abidjan is the youngest Salesian presence in Côte d’Ivoire. A few years after the Salesians settled in Duékoué and Korhogo, in 1990, Bishop Joseph Akichi offered us the opportunity to work in his diocese of Grand Bassam, in the working-class district of Koumassi, with a high percentage of immigrants from the sub-region, and with a large majority of young people.

The Salesians accepted the Christian community of Saint Francis of Assisi, which had a comfortable church belonging to the Franciscan parish, but which lacked any other services, with the hope of being able to dedicate themselves to young people. They had to manage to find space in an area that had been massively occupied by the population.

The first community was founded by Fathers Luis Maria Oliveras and François Balauder, who arrived from Korhogo, and Father Enrique Franco from Barcelona. In the following years, Brother Ventra and Fathers Xec Marques, Rafael Sabe and Josep Maria Timoneda strengthened the presence and ensured the succession.

The work in Abidjan quickly diversified with a sector dedicated to the AFO quasi-province, of which Father Oliveras was the first Provincial Delegate and later the first Provincial (1998), and the various services offered to Christians and young people, with parish premises, a Youth Centre and a Home for children in difficult situations, showing a clear option for evangelisation and young people.

Today, the Salesian Community of Abidjan operates in three sectors of activity:

• Parish of Saint Francis of Assisi
• Don Bosco Village Youth Centre
• Don Bosco Home

Ashaiman St Francis of Sales

Ashaiman St Zatti

Bo

Cinkassé

It was in 1984 that Mgr Hanrion, Ofm, the first bishop of Dapaong, requested the presence of the Salesians in Cinkassé. The request was reiterated by Father Pierre Renard, the apostolic administrator who succeeded him. It wasn’t until 20 June 1990 that the first Salesians arrived: first Father Paco Rodriguez (parish administrator in charge of the schools), then Father José Manuel Nogueroles, and finally Brother Constant Kossé as an intern. They took charge of the Christian community of Cinkassé, which was then part of the Nadjundi parish run by the Franciscans. It immediately became a parish.

The Salesians moved in at the same time as the masons put up the walls of the rooms and a group of young carpenters from the Salesian work in Kara made the beds, chairs and tables under the mission hut. The first buildings to be erected were the water tower and the Dominique Savio hostel for destitute young people from the area. With some of them, they started a welding workshop, while the others went to school.

The Salesians are committed to education. Many villages without schools or with very precarious infrastructures will see the creation of establishments and initiatives to ensure the education of children.

Thinking about the future of Salesian work in the service of young people, the Salesians asked for a new plot of land and obtained a large area on which to develop an agricultural centre. Father José Manuel, in collaboration with Mr Jacques Nametchougli, directs the activities. European development workers (DED) will also provide support.

A community of Sisters of Providence of St Paul will enrich the presence of the Church in Cinkassé by taking up residence in the mission compound where they work with young girls from the area.

Today, the work of the Salesian community of Cinkassé includes:

• Parish
• Don Bosco College
• Home for young people
• Oratory

Duékoué

The Salesian community of Duékoué was created in 1981 by the Salesian province of Barcelona, Spain. They were called by Mgr Bernard Agré, Bishop of Man at the time, and settled in the Catholic mission of Duékoué, founded in 1940 by the SMA, who ran it until 1981.

The Salesians took over the parish and developed other activities typical of our charism: the Centre Professionnel Artisanal et Rural (CPAR), the Oratorio and the Foyer. Shortly afterwards came the Salesian sisters, who also set up a hostel and worked closely with the CPAR, the various parish activities and the Oratorio.

Community works

Our presence is currently made up of five pastoral service nuclei:

• Parish of Sainte Thérèse de l’Enfant Jésus
• Centre Professionnel Artisanal et Rural – CPAR
• Foyer Saint Jean Bosco
• Oratorio
• Agricultural activities

Freetown

Gbodjomé

A little history…

On 29 October 1994, the “Blessed Philippe Rinaldi” novitiate community, attached to the scholasticate community, left Lomé on foot for Gbodjomé, 22 km away. It was founded by Fathers César Antonio Fernandez (first director and master of novices), Antoine Tanguy and Brother Jean Louis Fomba, accompanied by 17 novices from the provinces of AFO (Afrique Francophone Occidentale) and ATE (Afrique Tropicale Equatoriale). This community has seen the succession of Fathers César, Jean-Jo, Emilio, Faustino, José Elegbédé, Paul Wogomebou, Emmanuel Thera and Fabrice Aziawo as director and master of novices. It also notes the loss of certain members, namely novice Lucien Balamou and brother Fidèle Thuadi, who are buried there.

Today…

The “Blessed Philippe Rinaldi” Salesian community is located in Gbodjomé (a village 22 km from Lomé on the Lomé-Cotonou road) and welcomes young people who aspire to become Salesians. After the pre-novitiate phase, the young people admitted to the novitiate undergo a year-long experience during which, with the help of the formators, they discern their religious motivations. In addition to the novices from our province, the Gbodjomé novitiate also welcomes novices from the AON province (Benin-Burkina Faso-Gambia-Guinea-Mali and Senegal).

The community’s work includes:

• Noviciat
• Paroisse St Matthieu de Gbodjomé
• Maison de spiritualité
• Oratoire-centre de jeunes
• Ferme

Kara

The Kara work was born in response to a request from the Bishop of Sokodé, Mgr Chrétien Matawo Bakpessi. On 30 September 1985, Fathers José Antonio Rodriguez (Director), Marcos Santos and Juan Melgar formed the first community. While waiting to find a home of their own, and also to better study the environment in order to identify the real responses to be provided, they were housed for 2 years in the parish of Saint Peter and Paul (now the Cathedral of the Diocese of Kara) run by Father Adjola, the parish priest at the time.

After reflection and a study of the environment, the community’s first pastoral concern was to provide shelter and a job for the many young people and children who were living on the streets around the bus station or the market, without housing or employment. This led them to build a home for abandoned street children, and then to offer them training that would enable them to integrate into society. Small workshops were then built. Given the growing number of children, a professional centre was opened after a plot of land was obtained in Kara-sud, at Kpélèwaï to be precise. Don Bosco’s success soon made him a household name in the town. With the charismatic impetus of the indefatigable José Antonio, the works multiplied throughout the town and villages. The Don Bosco Association for the Promotion of Young People in Togo was founded in Kara in 1986, with the collaboration of the government and a number of NGOs.

Today, the Community’s work includes:

• St John Bosco parish
• Home for children in difficult situations
• Don Bosco College
• Vocational training centre
• Home for students
• University chaplaincy
• Dispensary
• Oratory

Korhogo

In 1982, Mgr Auguste Noubou, Bishop of Korhogo, found in the Salesians suitable pastoral agents to take care of a new parish that had just been created, with all the difficulties of a new Christian presence and with all the possibilities of the “child” that had just been born.

Mgr Noubou also wanted to complete the presence of Catholic education in the diocese with a secondary school. Fathers Luis Maria Oliveras and Juan Ochogavia, and deacon Orlando Gonzalez, were part of the first missionaries sent to Korhogo. Some time later, François, Manel Puyol, Vinvent Ferri and Rafael Sabe took over. It was Father Manel who, with the seed of his life, ensured the momentum of the Salesian work.

Duékoué and Korhogo had their nucleus in the town as a centre of radiation towards the other centres in the bush where evangelisation was also needed (Duékoué was responsible for running more than 60 mission stations).

Very quickly, the mission grew, leading to the creation of new structures and the opening of other pastoral sectors; construction of churches in Duékoué and Korhogo, a Youth Centre, a Vocational Centre in Duékoué, a College in Korhogo, hostels, catechist training centres, dispensaries, etc.

Today, the community’s activities include:

• Saint John Bosco parish
• Don Bosco College
• Student residences and oratory
• Kafigué Farm

Lomé St. D. Savio

The Salesian presence of Saint Dominique Savio was created in 2015 and is dependent on the AFO provincial house. It is located in the Akodessewa district, one of the most densely populated districts of Lomé, in the port area, with a majority of children and young people. It is located on boulevard Mobutu Sesse Séko, not far from Hôtel Sarakawa.

Historically, this presence was linked to the Salesian Community of the Maria Auxiliadora Parish in Gbenyedzi. In the early days of the Salesian work in Lomé, the Salesians present in the parish, after coming into contact with the reality of the environment, associated evangelisation with oratorio; they also saw the need to give vocational training to young people. But given the influx of young people and the fact that the parish was no longer suitable for the workshops, another space had to be found. This led to the construction of the Centre d’Apprentissage Marie Auxiliatrice (CAMA). Training courses in office automation and an Internet room are among the services offered by CAMA to young Togolese. To encourage stronger pastoral action, a stable presence of confreres has been created within the CFTP-MA.

CFTP-MA

Created in September 1989 under the name “Centre d’Apprentissage Maria Auxiliadora” (CAMA), the Centre began with two streams: Electricity and Carpentry. From 1990 to 1991, two new courses were added: refrigeration and metal construction. A year later, in April 1992, the Centre obtained official approval from the Ministry. It expanded in 1996 with the opening of the new Sewing course, in 2011 with the computer maintenance course and in 2018 with the electrical engineering BT course. Unfortunately, due to a lack of staff, the Centre lost both the refrigeration and sewing courses between 1998 and 2000.

Training is currently provided in the following 4 streams:

– Electricity: prepares students for the CFA, CAP and BT courses

– Electrotechnics: prepares you for the BT

– Metal Construction: prepares students for the CAP

– Computer Maintenance: prepares students for the BT.

The joinery section was transformed into a production workshop.

As training evolved, CAMA became a vocational centre, taking the name Centre de Formation Technique Professionnelle Maria Auxiliadora (CFTP-MA).

The CFTP-MA aims to provide young people with comprehensive training (technical, vocational, socio-cultural, human and Christian) and promote their social integration.

The Centre has a Guidance and Socio-professional Integration Office and a Student Reception Centre.

YOUTH CENTRE

Don Bosco Youth Centre is located in the same neighbourhood (Akodesséwa). The Youth Centre brings together young boys and girls and offers them a play area for football, basketball and handball, as well as cultural activities such as dance and theatre. The aim of the Don Bosco Youth Centre is to train young people in such a way as to provide them with an integral formation in their lives, making them more stable through a serious human and religious commitment to the Church and society.

Lomé-Gbenyedzi

Following the approval of the Africa Project, many African bishops requested the presence of Salesians in their dioceses.

In Togo, Mgr Chrétien Bakpessi, then Bishop of Sokodé, called for the Kara mission. Just as everything seemed to be ready, on 24 May 1981, Mgr Robert Dosseh, Bishop of Lomé, left for Seville in Spain, where he was moved by the events marking the centenary of Salesian presence in the country. After making contact with the provincials, he managed to get them to agree to come and study Togo before the start of the expedition. The provinces of Cordoba and Seville would take charge of this mission. On their arrival, the two provincials were well looked after by the bishop, who took them to Vogan, where he wanted the Salesians to build a professional centre (Vogan Project); but for the Salesians, it was first necessary to settle in the city. The city of Lomé was promising, so Bishop Bakpessi had to wait, as the decision had been made: they would start in Lomé.

On 06 April 1982, the three Salesian pioneers of this mission, originally from Cordoba and Seville, arrived in Lomé. They are: Fathers Juan Manuel Melgar (Director), Antonio César Fernandez and Lucas Camino. While the house was being built, they stayed at Paroisse Marie Reine de Bè. The bishop established the community of Gbényédzi, Sainte Thérèse, as a parish and gave it the name Maria Auxiliadora. Starting in Bè on 02 December 1981, the Salesians moved on to other areas. During the 1982-1983 pastoral year, the community was enriched by the presence of Fr José Antonio Rodriguez Bejerano, who took charge of youth ministry and founded the Friends of Dominique Savio (ADS) group.

The Salesian Community of Lomé-Gbenyedzi runs the Maria Auxiliadora parish, which has three communities:

• Blessed Laura Vicuña of Ablogamé
• Our Lady of the Assumption of Dékadjévi
• Maria Auxiliadora de Gbényedzi (Parish seat)

The parish covers an area of 40 km2 and has a congregation of around 10,000. Each year an average of 350 catechumens receive the sacraments of initiation.

Parish mass and confession schedule

Sunday Masses

• Gbényedzi: 06:00 in Ewe; 08:15 in French; 10.00 a.m. in Ewe; 6.00 p.m. in French
• Dékadjévi: 06:00 and 08:30
• Ablogamé: 06:00 and 08:30

Weekday masses

• Every day at 05:45 in Gbényedzi (N.B. Wednesday, mass in French)
• 1st Fridays at 6.00am: votive Mass for the Sacred Heart of Jesus in all the communities (Gbényedzi 05.45am)
• 24th of the month: commemoration of Mary Help of Christians, Mass at 6am in all communities (Gbényedzi, 5.45am)

Community Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament

• Every Thursday from 6.00 p.m. in all communities.

Confessions

• Gbényedzi : every Thursday and Saturday from 6.00 p.m.
• Ablogamé : 2nd and 4th Friday of the month from 6.00 pm

Children’s baptism (0 to 4 years)

• Every 1st Sunday of the month in Gbényedzi at the 10.00am Mass
• On the patronal feast day of each community

Wedding

• Attend the School of Cana for one pastoral year and have a certificate.
• Go to the parish priest to open the file at least three days before the proposed wedding date

Funerals

• Ordinary: Tuesday to Friday at 08:00
• Saturdays at 08:00 depending on the availability of the church. The family itself seeks a priest from outside the parish.
• The parish does not organise Vigil Masses but may authorise them if the family relies on the personal commitment of a priest and depending on the availability of the church.

Oratorio : Gbényedzi on Wednesdays and Fridays from 3pm to 5pm.

Parish secretariat

• Monday: 15h00 – 18h00
• Tuesday to Friday: 7am – 12pm and 3pm – 6pm
• Saturday: 7am – 12pm

Lomé-MDB

The Salesian community of Saint John Bosco in Lomé Akodessewa, known as “Maison Don Bosco”, welcomes Salesians who have just made their first religious profession. This is a “phase of religious maturation that continues the formative experience of the novitiate and prepares for the practical stage” (Salesian Constitutions, art. 114). The confreres “deepen their knowledge of the life of faith and the spirit of Don Bosco, as well as appropriate philosophical, pedagogical and catechetical preparation” (Idem). We call this the post-novitiate phase, i.e. the phase that follows the novitiate. Here the Salesians spend three years in formation to prepare themselves for the mission of educator-pastors. Don Bosco House is located in the Akodessewa district of Lomé, on Avenue Mobutu Seseseko.

The Community’s main work is the Institut Supérieur Don Bosco (ISDB). Created in 1988, this higher education establishment has evolved and now awards bachelor’s and master’s degrees in philosophy, education sciences and social communication, recognised by the African and Malagasy Council for Higher Education (CAMES). Several congregations and institutes of religious and consecrated life send their members and aspirants to the Institute. The Institute also welcomes lay people. The ISDB offers a pleasant setting for scientific meetings, awareness-raising events and celebrations. For more information on the ISDB, click here.

Maison Don Bosco works with a number of parishes in the Lomé-Est deanery, and in particular with the Maria Auxiliadora parish in Lomé-Gbényedzi on a pastoral level (celebration of the sacraments, catechesis, support for parish groups and movements).

Lungi

Monrovia

Monrovia-Matadi

Sunyani-John Bosco

Sunyani-Srugi

Tappita

Tatalé