Ordained as a priest on June 24, 2023, I, Fr. Lucien RAKOTOARISOA, would like to share with you my missionary life. The OMI Delegation-Madagascar sent me to work in outstations (rural area) in the district of Mahanoro, which is in the eastern part of Madagascar, 361 km from the capital of Antananarivo. This district is quite vast, consisting of 133 Churches, 34 of which are out in the bush and under my care.

The preparation for rural pastoral care

One month before my departure to the bush, I send a circular to each ecclesiastical community so that the faithful can prepare (guest house, food, etc.). It should be mentioned that I work in an area that is not accessible by motorcycle, so I have to walk on foot for two hours or more to travel from one village to another.

The pastoral work itself

Upon arriving in a village, I receive a cup of coffee (a typical Malagasy tradition in this area) and I begin to develop my programs with the overseer (a layperson entrusted with the responsibility of three or four bush Churches).

In the morning, I dedicate my time to listening to people who come to share their concerns, their thirsts, etc.; but in the meantime, I call a few people to prepare for the liturgy.

In the afternoon, I welcome people who come to confess. After confession, we rehearse the liturgy together for a beautiful Eucharistic celebration. After the mass, I give catechesis and let the faithful ask questions to further advance in their faith life.

I conduct catechesis after mass because some arrive late. After catechesis, I continue with close pastoral care, that is, visiting people in their homes to encourage them and especially to bring communion to the sick. After dinner, the singing class begins and we finish with a prayer before going to sleep.

The day is often very busy and sometimes exhausting, but the faithful who come from afar give me the courage and determination to always stand strong. Seeing the warm welcome, the fatigue quickly disappears and I thank God because He always strengthens me in the act of ministering.

Pastoral challenges and difficulties

The rainy season : Bad weather remains a major obstacle and prevents me from visiting all the Christians in the bush. It requires crossing rivers without a canoe, which is impossible. Sometimes we continue the pastoral walk, and I stay in a village if the situation is insurmountable. However, I make up for it when the weather is good.

Invasion of sect churches :

Sect churches are forming almost everywhere in each village. They try to convince the people of our church to adhere to sectarianism. They engage in brainwashing, deliverance prayers, etc. This invasion of sect churches should not be ignored and requires deep reflection. However, the race for evangelization by the sects does not frighten me.

On our part, during the pastoral experience, we try to really touch the daily lives of the faithful, by providing practical training to the youth on techniques for improving farming and livestock. We place a lot of emphasis on teaching catechism so that Christians are well grounded in their faith. We continually train catechists and inspectors so that they are better equipped in their area. We always count on the guidance of the Holy Spirit, who leads us to find the path to perfection where the completion of the pastoral work takes place.

Easter 2024 at Ambalavero

I left Mahanoro for the bush pastoral during the Easter 2024 celebrations. The journey lasted three weeks until we reached Ambalavero, where we celebrated Easter.

The Easter Triduum went well despite the flu that affected me. We had 19 catechumens who were baptized during the Easter vigil. On Easter Sunday, thirteen children were reborn through the sacrament of baptism.

I can say that the atmosphere of prayer was tangible thanks to good preparation. Overall, everything went well; and what pleased me the most is that Christians who had abandoned the Church for years came back with devotion. How can we not thank God for the immense work He continues to grant us. At the end of the Eucharistic celebration, we had the opportunity to share in fraternal agape together. 

Fr. Lucien RAKOTOARISOA OMI