The Scholasticate is a Formation house. Before coming to the scholastic, one must go through two different formation houses: the Prenoviciate and the Noviciate. Both are located in the Toamasina Diocese. The first formation lasts 10 months and the second demands a full year. Those who arrive at the scholasticate are thus religious.

The scholastics are those who prepare themselves for priestly life but those who choose to become brothers also follow a part of their formation at the scholastic. The scholastics study philosophy and theology at the St Jean Baptiste, Major Seminary. They first study for 3 years: 2 years of philosophy and one year of theology. Then, they follow one year of regency. Afterward, they go back to the Major Seminary for the 3 left years of theology.

Our scholasticate was first situated in Soavimbahoaka – Antananarivo. The scholastics of that time studied in Ambatoroka. This lasted 6 years. Once Ambatoroka Major Seminary was turned into an Institute, our Congregation decided to build the Fianarantsoa scholasticate. It was inaugurated on the 14 February 1999. Father Marian LIS was the first Superior of the formation house and since October 2005, Father Alphonse is the responsible.

Madagascar has already sent scholastics abroad for study and regency. The first oblate candidate was Father Jean Didier ZANADRAFARA who studied philosophy and theology in Congo DRC. The Father Alphonse went to Roma for his first cycle theology (and his doctorate after 2 years of pastoral work in Madagascar). Then, Fr Gilbert also went to Roma for first cycle theology (he is now in Canada for his Doctorate on Canonical Law). Two among the new Malagasy Oblates priests who received ordination on 4th July, Rossina and Elysé, also studied in Roma. At present, 3 Malagasy scholastics have just finished their regency years in Cameroon and are staying there to follow theology studies.

For this academic year 2016-2017 the scholastics community has 11 scholastics and 2 formators, PP. Rasamimanana Gilbert, the Superior, Andrianarisoa Tiana Mampionona Olivier, formater and Stanisław Kazek, the bursar. The scholastics normally do pastoral work at our St Eugène de Mazenod parish. They teach catechism to children. Each year, two of them also teach it to blind children at the Mary Immaculate Sisters’ Congregation.