Sahalava is a populous and in majority poor ward situated in Fianarantsoa. Before, people had to go to pray in Ambatomena since there was no church in Sahalava.

In 1995, the OMI missionaries’ congregation settled in Fianarantsoa and built a Formation house in Mahamanina, the Scholasticate St Eugène de Mazenod. The missionaries aspired after having a parish in town. The Bishop Philibert RANDRIAMBOLOLONA found no objection against the idea and on May 20th 2000 he laid the foundation stone and chaired the mass.

On 8th December 1999 agreements were signed together with the bishop. The construction started on the 5th May 2000 and ended the 8th June 2000. On 17th July 2000 the 1st baptism of the parish’s catechumens took place in Manohisoa, Mahamanina.

Little time after, the works started, serious technical problems appeared and they compelled to raze the construction and started it all over again: that was a big loss for the Congregation. There were also many disagreements between the workers and their bosses. By the end of December, the construction firm abandoned the works. The Congregation had then to take charge of all the work and had to find an engineer. Mr. Victor RAMAROLAHY became the responsible of the works. Father Robert KONICZEK and father Marek MODRZEWSKI have actively taken part in the supervision and have provided lots of efforts to hasten the construction.

The 2002 political disturbances have indeed causes troubles but have not stop the works from going on. On 25th December 2002, a 1st mass was celebrated in the Sahalava church even if it was not totally finished. Christmas was then celebrated with belief, charity, hope and overflowing joy.    

25th MAY 2003 - INAUGURATION OF THE NEW CHURCH

The mass was chaired by the Bishop Fulgence RABEMAHAFALY and was attended by father Roman MAJEWSKI, the superior of the OMI Congregation in Madagascar. Saint Eugène DE MAZENOD, the founder of the OMI congregation is the patron of the Sahalava church. Father Marek MODRZEWSKI is the curate and is assisted by father Anselme VARANA. There 6 wards and 8 Christian movements at the parish. It is the first OMI parish in Madagascar and represents a celebration monument for the new millennium.

Aujourd’hui la paroisse St. Eugène de Mazenod compte 6 000 fidèles. Les jeunes et les enfants sont les plus nombreux. Il y a neuf mouvements religieux et elle comporte sept quartiers. Ceux qui suivent les catéchèses sont au nombre de 560 par an. Le problème est qu'il n'y a pas de grande salle pour les réunions, les catéchèses et les fêtes.

Aussi la Congrégation a-t-elle mis au point le projet de centre paroissial et après avoir attendu 3 ans, elle a reçu une réponse favorable et la construction a commencé le 17 mars 2016.