The intense day began with the celebration of the Eucharist, presided over by the Rector Major. Surrounded by the Councillors of AON Province and the Delegation of Senegal, Guinea and The Gambia, and in the presence of some members of the parish community, the Rector Major expressed his joy in visiting this part of the Province, stressing that this is the third time he has visited Senegal, but that the other visits had taken place in different contexts. In the homily, the rector, Father Jean Aurélien Lemondo, thanked God for this privilege that the Rector Major has granted to the Province, and in particular to Senegal and The Gambia, and expressed everyone’s gratitude for this fruitful time of grace.
The Rector Major then shared a moment of communion with the students and teachers at the Salesian high school in Dakar and with the students at the vocational centre: it was a meeting filled with colour, fatherliness and a sense of closeness along with cultural performances and messages. And one of the Rector Major's strong messages to the audience, following a question on migration posed by a student representative, was that young people should become aware that it is up to them to give a better face to the African continent, instead of exclusively attempting the adventure abroad, at the risk of their own lives.
In the afternoon, the Rector Major met with the Superior of the Province, Fr Jesus Bénoît Badji and his Council, extended to the Senegal, Guinea and Gambia Delegation. It was an opportunity for the AON Provincial to present the challenges and prospects of the Province in the current set of circumstances. The Rector Major, as the true father of a large religious family, congratulated the Provincial for what has been achieved so far and above all encouraged him and his Council to move forward, always cultivating an overall perspective of the development of the Province. There certainly are plenty of challenges, but faith and hope support us, was the motivating message delivered by Cardinal Fernández Artime.
