The Salesian presence in Cameroon is part of the "Our Lady of Africa" Vice-Province of Equatorial Tropical Africa (ATE) - a Vice-Province that also includes presences in the Central African Republic (3 canonical houses), Chad (3), Equatorial Guinea (3) and Gabon (1).
The Salesians arrived in Cameroon in 1979 and today run 4 centers: 3 houses in the capital, Yaoundé (the headquarters of the VP, the "St. Augustine" Theologate and the work in the Mimboman neighborhood) and one in Ebolowa.
The visit that begins tomorrow represents the first of the Rector Major on African soil in almost three years: the last one was on Congolese soil in May 2019. Then, between preparatory work for the Congregation's 28th General Chapter and, above all, because of the pandemic, Fr. Á.F. Artime was forced into a prolonged absence.
But the wait is coming to an end: tomorrow, March 15, the 10th Successor of Don Bosco will arrive in the morning at Ebolowa, a vast Salesian work about 115 km southeast of the capital, which houses the vocational training center, a boarding school, the pre-novitiate, the Don Bosco Technical Institute and a radio: the "RCDM Ebolowa" (Radio Communitaire de Developpement de la Mvila).
On this occasion, the Rector Major will preside a Eucharist in the community, visit all the structures of the work, entertain journalists and RCDM staff and conclude the afternoon with a meeting and the recitation of Vespers together with the local Salesian Family.
Wednesday, March 16, will be transfer day for Fr. Á.F. Artime to Yaoundé. After greeting the community of Ebolowa, the Rector Major will arrive at the ATE VP House by mid-morning and then meet with the Apostolic Nuncio in the country, Msgr. Julio Murat. In the early afternoon, he will have a meeting with the Salesians of all three works in the city. Then he will have words of encouragement for the members of the Salesian Family of Yaoundé, during a session dedicated to them. And in the evening, in the context of the Mass he will preside, he will welcome the perpetual vows of some Sons of Don Bosco.
On Thursday, March 17, after the daily Mass, the program of the visit includes other important appointments: a meeting with the Council of the Vice-Province and one with the Metropolitan Archbishop of Yaoundé, Mgr Jean Mbarga.
In the same afternoon, the Rector Major will visit the headquarters of the National Episcopal Conference and then begin, with the recitation of Vespers, the Spiritual Exercises with the Provincials and Provincial Councils of the Salesian Region of Africa-Madagascar, scheduled until March 24.
