AMERICA/GUADELOUPE – The periphery at the heart of the Salesians
Tuesday, 19 November 2024
Les Abymes (Agenzia Fides) – “Perhaps many in the Salesian religious family do not know where the island of Guadeloupe is. It is as if it were on the geographical ‘periphery’. But the periphery is the heart of the work of the Salesians,” said Father Alfred Maravilla, General Councilor for the Missions of the Salesians of Don Bosco, during a recent meeting with young people and lay people who work in the Salesian mission in Les Abymes, the second largest city on the island of Guadeloupe.
“The conversation with the mothers who come to ‘Lakou Bosco’ and with the parish catechists opened my eyes,” said Father Maravilla on his return from the visit to the mission, which ended on November 17. “It is very encouraging to hear from them how much they have already identified with the charism of Don Bosco after only four years of the Salesians’ presence. The socio-educational activities of ‘Lakou Bosco’ are indeed a real first proclamation,” underlines the General Council. “In this sense, the activities complement the evangelization mission of the parish.”
A few years ago, the local Bishop Jean-Yves Riocreux asked the Salesians to help young people in need. He had already known the Salesian missionaries for years when he was Bishop of the Diocese of Pontoise (France), which is home to the Don Bosco Community of Argenteuil. At his invitation, the Salesian Inspectorate “St. Francis de Sales” of France-Southern Belgium (FRB) sent the first missionaries in 2020, who were entrusted with the parish of “St. Luke” in Braimbridge, near Les Abymes. Today, the parish has a vibrant youth movement called “ADBG” (Les Amis de Don Bosco Gwada), and the parish complex also houses the “Lakou Bosco” socio-educational center for young people in need.
In total, around 83% of the island’s 378,561 inhabitants are Catholic and there are 42 parishes. Many families are single-parent families and a third of the population is under 20 years old. However, 20% of young people leave school without a qualification and the absenteeism rate in Guadeloupe is the highest of all French departments, as is the youth illiteracy rate. 20% of young people between 16 and 25 are unemployed. 40% of young people leave Guadeloupe to study or work, mainly to go to France or Canada.
Like other overseas departments, the island of Guadeloupe is part of France. Before leaving the island, Father Maravilla congratulated the Salesian community and the lay collaborators for the initiatives undertaken to root the charism of Don Bosco. “Opening a presence in Guadeloupe was a courageous act on the part of the Order’s province. But thanks to this initiative, we can relive here the freshness and vitality of the charism of Don Bosco,” he concluded. (AP) (Agenzia Fides, 19/11/2024)
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