There has been a significant change in my missionary work. After seven years as Superior of the Missionary Oblates Delegation in Madagascar, on June 11, 2023, I was appointed parish priest of the new Saint Eugene de Mazenod Parish, located on the outskirts of the port city of Toamasina in the central-eastern part of Madagascar. This is the third parish I have established in my missionary journey in Madagascar.

My new parish, dedicated to the founder of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, Saint Eugene de Mazenod, was officially founded by the Bishop of the Diocese in 2020. However, since 2006, it had already been a place of prayer where an Oblate Priest initially commuted on Sundays and later celebrated the Holy Mass daily. The parish now comprises 405 registered families, totaling 3,210 Christians. On Saturdays, 570 children attend catechism classes. Every Sunday, after the first Mass, about 40 adults attend catechism classes in preparation for baptism.

I work in a poor neighborhood of about 500,000 inhabitants. This part of the city was once its industrial zone, but 25 years ago, all the industrial facilities went bankrupt and were abandoned. That is when people began to settle in the area, building houses made of bamboo and corrugated iron. Since there are still vacant areas here, many people from different regions of Madagascar move in, seeking work and a better life. Unfortunately, people from rural areas who settle here quickly become discouraged. Although they arrive in Madagascar’s second-largest city, they do not find steady jobs that provide a monthly salary and regular income. Their work is typically irregular: they serve as rickshaw drivers to transport people, haul construction materials on hand-pushed carts, or are hired to work in large port warehouses, carrying sacks of cement on their backs. There are many small vendors in the parish who sell used clothing and vegetables at the central market. Many parishioners cultivate small plots of land, raise chickens and pigs, but only in small quantities. A significant number work as night guards. Many women earn a living by hand-washing clothes for others, which pays them a pittance.

In June 2023, when I began working as parish priest, there was still no rectory for the priests serving here. The vicar and I commuted to the parish from the other side of the city, from the Oblate prenovitiate house. The journey takes at least 30 minutes in the morning and more than an hour in the evening due to traffic jams. When it rains, the travel time is even longer. We woke up every day at 4:00 AM to be at the parish by 5:30 AM. Due to the hot climate, the daily Mass is celebrated at 6:00 AM.

The first construction project we undertook was the expansion of the wooden church, which was too small for the needs of the parish. Every Sunday, a third of the Christians were outside the church. We added an extra Mass on Sundays, but it did not help much.

The wooden church was extended by four meters on the right and left sides and six meters at the back. For the expansion, we used planks made of local wood resistant to all kinds of insects. This was a temporary solution, as it will take a long time to build a permanent church due to the very high costs.

The second urgent task was the construction of a house for us, the Oblate priests working here. My vicar, Fr. Arsène OMI, and I were eager to stay on-site because commuting daily across the city with lots of luggage was very tiring. It was particularly exhausting for me due to my serious spinal issues.

We began building the rectory on November 6, 2023, and the work was completed on October 31, 2024. We have been living in the new house since November 1. Thanks be to God and to all the donors who helped us financially with the construction. What a relief it is to live on-site, and what a relief for my back pain !

Every Wednesday afternoon, Fr. Arsène OMI and I visit families. During this time, I got to know the entire parish. Together with the parish committee, we decided that after completing the rectory, our next project would be the construction of a Catholic school. Our neighbourhood is far from the city and therefore far from any Catholic schools. Locally, there are small private and public schools, but their standards are very low due to underfunding. Catholic schools have an excellent reputation and are open to children of various faiths. A Catholic school is a place to preach the Good News, bring people together, and provide an opportunity for cooperation with other schools outside of Madagascar.

To be able to start building the school in March 2024, we purchased two plots of land ready for construction, thanks to a benefactor's donation. We already have the bishop's permission to build the school, but it will take at least a year to raise the necessary funds.
At the moment, we are still waiting for the land registry and mortgage certificate, an official document from the Malagasy authorities confirming that we are the legitimate owners of the land. A great deal of patience is required in such matters.

The fourth project will be the construction of a permanent church. We hope to start this construction in five years. Our parish covers a vast territory, the population continues to grow, and there are many families, which is why we wish to build a large brick church.

However, our major problem at the moment is the lack of electricity in the neighborhood where the parish is located. This is very inconvenient, as night falls at 6:00 PM in Madagascar all year round. It makes daily life very difficult and hinders all development. At the church, we have a generator that requires proper technical maintenance and is very expensive to operate. Fortunately, in the new house, we have installed solar lighting.

In addition to essential construction work, we strive to help the most vulnerable individuals, particularly children from poor families (families with many children to support, children of unemployed parents, and children abandoned by their parents and raised by their grandparents), thanks to donations from Polish and Canadian families. Through what is called "school adoption," 40 children from the parish are able to attend school and receive an education.

Beyond this educational support, since February of this year, we have been running a food program for the poorest children in the parish, offering them lunch every Saturday. Each Saturday, we prepare a meal for 140 children, and since November 23, this group has grown to 160 children.

We put a lot of effort into caring for the children and youth of the parish, helping them feel like part of a family, understanding that there are people who support them and care about their human and spiritual growth. During school vacations, many children travel to their native villages to visit their families, but most stay within the parish. For those who remained, we organized "Vacations with God" every Saturday last year. Attendance ranged from 150 to 250 children. Here is the program:

• at 9:00 AM, a screening of a religious film
• followed by a conference related to the film
• llunch at 12:00 PM
• fter lunch, rest in the parish courtyard
• then games and fun activities
• finally, at 4:00 PM, a snack: cakes, biscuits.

This year, we also launched a summer program for young people. Young animators led the program, and I am delighted because it will now continue throughout the year, not just during the holidays:

• English classes twice a week (approximately 93 participants)
• Sewing classes twice a week (approximately 70 participants)
• Modern dance classes twice a week (approximately 50 participants).

I am very pleased that many young people are drawn to the parish. There are many young people in our neighborhood, and not all are "attracted" to the Holy Mass. I would like to do something for them.

On Friday, September 20, 2024, we experienced an important event in our parish. The Apostolic Nuncio to Madagascar, of Polish origin, Tomasz Grysa from Poznań, visited our parish and blessed two buildings: The OMI House, which is our rectory, a small monastery and a kitchen with a cafeteria for the poorest children of the parish.

Thank you for your financial support. Currently, it is very difficult to obtain funds to build a rectory, but we need a place to live. This is very important, as we cannot continue commuting from the other side of the city indefinitely. Three Oblates working in the parish now live in this house, and when the school is built, we will welcome two more Oblates.

A kitchen with a cafeteria for the poorest children of the parish was constructed thanks to Italian donors from Sardinia, "Operazione Africa." The meals provided, however, are funded by the Oblates of Poland (Mission Procure - Lumen Caritatis), the Mission Procure of the Oblates of the Assumption Province in Canada, and the Friends of Oblate Missions who cooperate with them. We always have 10 to 20 additional children attending the lunch who are not on the official list. We welcome them as well because we also receive financial support from my family, friends, and Christians from Poland, France, and Canada.

The decision for the Nuncio to visit my parish was made only a week before his arrival in Toamasina for the diocesan visit. Initially, it was not on the agenda. This happened thanks to the suggestion of the Cardinal, the Bishop of the Diocese, Désiré Tsarahazana, who proposed that the Nuncio visit the parish of the Polish Oblate, the only Pole currently working in the entire Diocese of Toamasina.

This evening was very important for the people of the neighborhood. We lack electricity, and many thieves and bandits find refuge in our area. Often, we feel isolated here, as if we are second-class citizens. However, this fraternal visit from the Nuncio and the Cardinal gave us strength.

In our parish, there are always two collections during Mass, sometimes three. However, without the support of external donors, these essential works would not be possible. These construction and pastoral projects have been achieved thanks to your support.

oday, with joy and gratitude, I say to you: thank you very much! Thank you for your kindness and support. I remember you and your families in my daily rosary and in the Sunday Mass offered for the donors of our parish.

Thank you, may God bless you, best regards, and with my prayers.

Fr. Mariusz Kasperski OMI