Manique, Portugal – June 2023 - Every year, the Provincial Feast Day is an opportunity for thanksgiving for the life, vocation and mission of all the Salesians who make up the Portuguese Salesian St Anthony's Province (POR). This year the feast day was the occasion to celebrate Fr José Aníbal Mendonça, at the end of the six-year period of his mandate as Provincial The Salesian community in Manique hosted the Provincial Feast Day on 10 June . On behalf of all Salesians, the POR Vice-Provincial, Fr João Chaves, spoke to thank and remember the way in which Fr José Aníbal Mendonça guided the Province on the path of charismatic fidelity. “Like Don Bosco and in his name,” he said. With the cooperation of the Provincial Community, the most appreciated virtues, achievements, attitudes and feelings that marked his action during the mandate were presented. Fr Chaves also congratulated the Provincial for the way in which he led the Province especially during the pandemic, with the commitment to accompany and help the seeds of goodness of the Salesian charism that Fr Mendonça sowed grow and flourish. For his part, the Provincial said: “The priority task of the Provincial is to take care of the vocation of every Salesian”, recalling the recommendation of the Rector Major. In this way seeing the value of every Salesian was one of the elements that marked his mandate. In fraternal atmosphere during the afternoon, the participants celebrated the anniversaries of profession and ordination of some Salesians.

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