Surely, after more than a century of service to the young and to education in Mozambique, one more year of Salesian presence in this part of Africa is an occasion for celebration, because since the Salesians arrived "they put into practice the typically Salesian pedagogical means: recreational activities such as music, choral singing, physical exercises, walking ... that complement manual and intellectual work and human and religious formation."
On 1 February 1907, four Salesians sailed from Lisbon – Fr John Barilari, Fr Alfred Queiroz, Bro. Salvatore De Pascale and Bro. Antonio Machado. They arrived in Mozambique on 7 March.
The history of the Salesians in Mozambique had two phases. After an initial short period (1907-1913), brought to an end by the change of the political regime in 1910, the Salesians returned to the country in September 1952, when they started the Mouzinho de Alburquerque School, in the town of Namaacha. In 1956 they accepted the mission of San José de Lhanguene, which was the poorest parish in the capital and which also included a hospital. The Salesians looked after the parish and saw it improve. They opened oratories, schools, and training centres for young people with "sports, theatre, music, gymnastics, walking, summer camps ... the tools to train and educate students through games and sports."
On 7 March last, to mark 110 years since the first arrival of the Salesians in the country, the Sons of Don Bosco in the Vice-Province dedicated to Mary Help of Christians (MOZ) celebrated the anniversary with a Mass presided over by the Superior, Fr Marco Biaggi, and an evening of celebration.
"Our Vice-Province of Mary Help of Christians is grateful to God for being able to share the love and experience the joy of being a family committed to the poor for 110 years. On this occasion, we celebrate the realization of a dream, dreamt by God and by many people. We renew our commitment to live intensely the Salesian charism and we look with hope to the future," said Fr Biaggi.
