In his Introduction, AFE Provincial, Fr Simon Asira Lipuku, shared the profile of the 42 years-young and thriving Salesian presence in these 4 countries featuring 28 canonical communities and 3 not-yet-canonical communities in 4 countries, the mission for the young mainly in educational institutions and parishes, as well as houses for all stages of initial formation (aspirantates, prenovitiates, postnovitiate, theologate), 11 different groups of the Salesian Family, and over 300 Salesians SDB (including a large number of confreres, students from other 9 African provinces).
In his letter to AFE confreres, the Rector Major, Fr Ángel Fernández Artime, spells out the goals of the visitation: “to intensify communion, animate the religious life of communities, and verify the pastoral fulfilment of the mission”, and one specific goal about the “recomposition of the Province” already being discerned by the AFE Province during the past 12 years.
The official public opening of the Visitation was attended by some 30 Salesians in the Nairobi Shrine of Mary Help of Christians and LIVE streamed on YouTube for all the confreres of the Province in the 4 respective countries (January 21).
The Extraordinary Visitor, in the presence of Don Bosco relics in this Shrine (since 2015, after the DB200 celebrations), invited the confreres onto this journey of Salesian Holiness for all with special attention to the shining models of 24 Blessed and Venerable Salesian Brothers, headed by Blessed Artemides Zatti.
On the following day, Fr Klement presided at the Eucharist for some 200+ Kenyan Salesian Family members gathered again at Upper Hill for the launching of the Strenna 2022. The Visitation of the first community, Don Bosco College in Utume, an interprovincial Formation house, started on the evening of the same day.
The AFE Extraordinary Visitation is scheduled until 11 June 2022 with Fr Klement also being present at the 9th Provincial Chapter of the Eastern Africa Province.
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