“Veni, vidi, vici” (I came, I saw, I conquered) is the phrase pronounced by Julius Caesar after Pontus’ victory against Pharnaces II in 47 B.C. In today’s parlance the expression is still used to describe an undertaking that succeeds quickly. Without triumphalism, but conscious of the good and beautiful things that the Immaculate can do, this is how we wish to consider the last stage of our African tour in Benin.

The evening of January 12, 2009, Fr. Stefano Maria Manelli, Minister General of the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate, and His Excellency Antoine Ganye, President of the Bishops’ Conference of Benin, signed an agreement which, for 50 years, and with the possibility then of renewal of the contract, entrusts to our religious Institute the direction and administration of Catholic radio and television broadcasting on the national level. This sort of collaboration between a religious Institute and a nation’s Bishops make up what is perhaps an unprecedented historical event. The following day, the Vatican Radio, SAT 2000, and the agency SIR of the Italian Bishops’ Conference, all spoke of it.

"The Bishops of Benin wish to express all their joy and satisfaction upon our accomplishing of this deed, which will be immortalized in the history of evangelization and of the Church in this country." Thus His Excellency Eugène Houndekon, the new Bishop of Abomey and President of the Episcopal Commission for the Media, addressed Fr. Stefano. 48 hours earlier... at 7 o’clock in the evening of January 10, 2009, we were in his episcopal residence making a courtesy visit upon our return from Bembereké. Twenty-four hours before that, at 7 o’clock in the evening of the January 9, 2009, we were instead at the Bishop’s palace in N’Dali to greet His Excellency Martin Adjou who, filling our hearts with admiration and gratitude, donated to the community of Bembereké more or less 10 acres of land.

Fourteen hours later, at 10 o’clock in the morning of January 10, 2009, this good prelate, full of love for Mary and devoted to St. Francis, visited the shrine of “Notre Dame de la Paix” where we have our African Novitiate, to lay the first stone of the future friary—a house of formation and retreat for the friars—and the “St. Maximilian Mary Kolbe” boarding school. The ceremony began with a Eucharistic celebration animated by the novices with ample participation of the faithful and the presence of other religious,as well as the administrative–political authorities, amongst whom was the King of Bembereké. Everyone is happy about the presence of our friars at the shrine, which is the oldest church in the region of Borgou.

A boarding school for boys was a much-desired project, there being already many requests from youth who wish to reside in a place under the care of the friars in order to be able to study.

The St. Maximilian Mary Kolbe Boarding School

After the completion of the two “Padre Pio of Pietrelcina” Homes of Charity in Brazil and in Nigeria, I asked myself if as much could not be done in Benin, but with a different orientation in order to correspond to the availability of our friars for such a project and to the classic equation of necessity-service.

Following the successful example of other Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) or missionary Religious Institutes, we would like to build for young persons of middle and high school age a place that would provide them with lodging, a place to take a snack or some refreshment, and study and recreation halls.

The practice of polygamy and the easy repudiation of a wife, especially in northern Benin, produces the sad phenomenon of abandoned children and adolescents. Many of the youth find themselves unable to continue their schooling because of the lack of the support of their natural father. Furthermore, it is difficult to reach school from inland rural areas, since there is no public transport service. Bembereké is the province capital, and has all the schools. It is thus easy for our youth, housed in a boarding school, to reach their respective academic institutes in minutes.

Our intention is to help the education of boys and young men, so that, properly formed, they themselves might be able to contribute to the establishment of good families and a healthy society. As adults, they will be able to avoid perpetuating the spiral of irresponsibility and patriarchal tyranny, of which, because of ignorance, they themselves were once victims.

The friars, of course, will organize the spiritual assistance and religious instruction of the boarders, and through reliable lay persons they will assure constant pedagogical accompaniment of the youths by after school teachers who will help out in the spirit of a volunteer service.

The project, piloted by Cardito of Naples’ dynamic Association in the Mission of the Immaculate Mediatrix, has plans of the structure in the form of an “M” to call to mind the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Maximilian Mary Kolbe, to whom it is dedicated. May they be our intercessors, together with Padre Pio, for all these works of charity and for those developing the boarding school, “Marianizing”, and thus making like unto Christ, all the youth who will occupy it and who are already known and loved by God, even if to us as yet they remain unknown.

Travel adventure

After the ceremony, we took the road for Abomey, where we spent the night, departing again the following morning. On January 11, at 8:30 in the morning, I had to celebrate the Sunday Holy Mass in the Shrine of “Notre Dame de la Divine Miséricorde” in Allada. We left Abomey at six in the morning for a journey of nearly 45 miles over land.

Along the way, alas, even a resistant off-the-road tire exploded, unable to hold up against the ruggedness of the road and the potholes. Fortunately, the car did not veer off the road (Deo gratias!). In Africa traveling is always an adventure. This time, though, our adventures were not limited to travel along the ground... What took place 38 hours earlier, on the afternoon of January 9, 2009? At Cotonou, given the small number of days we had left and the intense program still to bring to conclusion, Fr. Stefano, Fra Ivo and I climbed aboard a small two–engine propeller plane, in order to make a journey of nearly 315 miles in a little less than an hour.

Below us a storm was raging. Although we were unable to reach the altitude of a jet plane, capable of traveling above the clouds, our flight was calm. It’s the same in the spiritual life: when one’s heart and mind are set on the “things that are above”, one is not disturbed by the storms of everyday life.

The landing in Parakou was really a spectacle, and unusually “soft” on account of the fact that the runway was of beaten earth and crossed an open field—adorned with schoolchildren who paused as the plane taxied by, while shepherds restrained their cows.

Even in northern Benin, waiting for us at the airport there are always friends. This time they included a woman who, having been abandoned by her husband, must now raise two children. Thankfully, two classes of a science high school at Atripalda have providentially “adopted” the children, and will provide their mother with the necessary support. Being their spiritual father, they spontaneously and amusingly call Fr. Stefano “grand père,” both for his moral greatness and because in French this term means “grandfather.” A few minutes after our landing, Fr. Clement arrived and took us to the Bishop of N’Dali, and... you know the rest of the story!

Speaking of traveling, 34 hours earlier— that is, on the morning of January 8, 2009—we departed from Sagamu by land in the direction of the Benin border. Everything went well and, after the lengthy formalities at customs, there to welcome us were Fr. Michael on behalf of the friars and Sr. Mary Lucy, the new Mother Superior in Benin, for the Mother General. They were accompanied by a numerous delegation of Beninese MIM members, from the “Pio of Pietrelcina Cenacle,” all festive and joyous at our arrival.

...We keep all the friars and sisters our prayers, Rosaries, and Holy Masses, amongst which was the first Vetus Ordo celebration in the shrine of Allada by Fr. Stefano. We assure them of our zeal and sacrifices for the realization of the projects in Benin and to provide for them in their needs. We ask them to love the Immaculate ever more and more. She Herself will make them happy, as is the case with all those who live, work, suffer and are consumed for the Immaculate, just for Her.

Source: Missio Immaculatae International Magazine