Improving St. Ann’s in Ambatolahy

Fr. Jeremy Morais, M.S., with children in his parish school of St. Ann’s in Ambatolahy, Madagascar

In late 2010 Fr. Jeremy Morais, M.S., was director of the mission district of Ambatolahy, Madagascar. Before leaving for his new assignment in Morondava he had completed a new building with four classrooms at St. Anne's school. Here was his latest communiqué before leaving.

 

The blessing and inauguration of the new Catholic secondary school of St. Anne, Ambatolahy took place amid wonderful celebrations. Our local Ordinary, Bishop Fabien Raharilamboniaina, accompanied by four visiting priests, did the honors. The church was packed as we began the celebration of Mass, with the voices of all the school children, their parents and other parishioners, all of whom participated in the construction of the new school buildings, reverberating off the walls and out into the city. What a wonderful way to begin the celebration of World Mission Sunday! In his homily, the Bishop emphasized the importance of a solid Catholic education — a theme that he has made a pastoral priority in the diocese.

Bp. Fabien Raharilamboniaina

After the celebration of Mass, we all processed to the center of the school grounds for the flag-raising ceremony and singing of the National Anthem. Many local government officials were present, including the mayor and the local representative of the ministry public education. What a joy it was for me, as pastor of this local church and director of the missionary district of Ambatolahy, as I participated in the cutting of the ceremonial ribbon, a symbol not so much of the end of construction but of the beginning of a new wave of scientific and faith-filled learning. 

 

Child in the village

Traditionally in Malagasy culture, water is the sign of blessing. Bishop Fabien blessed the interior and exterior walls of the new classrooms, drenching them with holy water. Wandering in and out of the classrooms were most of the 500 students enrolled in St. Anne’s Catholic school. Now the seventy who are in secondary school will have beautiful and adequate classrooms in which to study.

 

Following traditional Malagasy custom the blessing ceremony was followed by festive meal – not just for dignitaries and government officials but for everyone who had come to participate in this feast. How many were present? Lord only knows. Rice, as always, formed the main part of the meal. The school had purchased and slaughtered two oxen for the feast, and all that meat quickly disappeared during the meal!

 

Bp. Monroe of Kamloops (right) who donated to Fr. Jeremy’s project

No celebration is complete without speeches, songs and dances. The dignitaries gave the speeches, but the children excelled in their songs and dances.

 

At the end of the day I was extremely pleased. It was a wonderful celebration and now our children have a beautiful school where they can learn to become good Catholics and good Malagasy citizens.

 

Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish, Kamloops, BC, Canada, which assisted Fr. Jeremy’s project

What made all this possible? The participation and efforts of local Malagasy people in building the school would have been impossible without generous donations, coming especially from Kamloops, BC, Canada –

from my parents and family, from friends at Our Lady of Perpetual Help and Sacred Heart, from the Bishop of the Diocese of Kamloops, from Sacred Heart Church in Williams Lake, from the McDonald group for the missions in Kamloops and for the great generosity of the Knights of Columbus, both locally in Kamloops and Supreme in New Haven, CT. Without them none of this would have been possible. 

 

We are also completing a new Church Hall and a Basketball and Volleyball court for our youth in the parish. I am counting on many people to help and support my mission post. May the Lord bless all those who so generously helped us. On behalf of our children at St. Anne’s in Ambatolahy, I express my deepest gratitude.