As Pope Francis visits the
Indian Ocean island of
Madagascar, Fr. Gabriel
Randrianantenaina, the
Coordinator of the Bishops’ Confer-
ence of Madagascar, says the people
are living the visit as a historical
moment of grace.
Jean-Pierre Bodjoko, SJ – Antana-
narivo, Madagascar
Father Randrianatenaina says
the people of Madagascar started
preparing for the visit as soon as it
was confirmed. He was commenting
on what so far is turning out to be a
successful papal visit.
The Pope arrived in the capital
Antananarivo on Friday, 6 September
2019.
The visit is a great joy for all
the Malagasy people
“This beautiful country has so
much potential from the economic,
human wealth and cultural point of
view. Most of the cultural and human
potential that Madagascar has to
offer is yet to be discovered and
appreciated by the larger world,” said
Father Randrianatenaina.
We are ready to start anew
Father Randrianatenaina acknowl-
edges that Madagascar faces many
challenges, including poverty and po-
litical instability. “Despite the various
events that have marked the history
of Madagascar we have hope and,
with this visit, we want to start on a
new slate,” he said. Adding that it was
no coincidence that the motto of this
visit depicts Pope Francis coming as
a sower of peace and hope.
“The Pope has come among us as
a Sower of peace. From a political
point of view, notwithstanding some
controversies, the last general elec-
tion (won by President Andry Rajoe-
lina) went reasonably well,” explained
Father Randrianatenaina.
A dynamic Church with a mission-
ary zeal far beyond its young age
Regarding the situation of the Mal-
agasy Church, Father Randrianate-
naina is delighted with the dynamism
that characterises the faithful of
Malagasy. He says Madagascar has a
missionary zeal that goes far beyond
the Church’s young age.
With its 22 dioceses, the Malagasy
Church is divided into five ecclesias-
tical provinces.
The only challenge to vocations
is that of discernment
Father Randrianatenaina also
affirms that seminaries and novitiates
are full and the only problem the
Church faces in this regard is that of
discerning good vocations. He gives
thanks to God for this flowering of
vocations which he explains as a gift
from God.
Asked to describe the visit of
Pope Francis in a phrase, Father
Randrianatenaina said, for now, the
Malagasy people were “living the
Pope’s visit as a historical moment of
grace.”
