The following article is a continuation of the account of Fr. Stefano Manelli's visit to the missions of the Franciscans of the Immaculate in Africa. This time, he visited Nigeria last January of 2009 and has noted the great work that had been established there by the friars and sisters of the Order.

Often, one superficially and casually associates Nigeria and Nigerians with the delinquency of an overpopulated and inhospitable city such as Lagos. Instead, it must be said that the Nigerians are a very religious and inspired people and that the Christians among them, who are present mainly in the East of the country, really care for each other. They are rich in traditions; sometimes the religious element blends and is fused with their ethnic identity. Nigerian Christians nurture a great respect and veneration for authority, especially that religious, such as that of a priest or, even more, a Bishop. Fr. Stefano’s dignity must have inspired in them a natural sense of veneration, which explains this devoted and providential gesture that relieved the many little “gifts” of discomforts and hardship that the African climate was bestowing upon Father.

Sagamu

We headed for Sagamu where a beautiful shrine stands dedicated to the Coredemptrix. Every one is excited and good Fra Anselm, “choreographer” of the celebrations, following the protocol of eastern welcomes, put around Fr. Stefano’s neck not a circle of flowers but a priest’s stole. In fact, a kneeler was ready for him to greet the Most Blessed Sacrament and to pray at the foot of the statue of the Pietà. Our first greetings and our tribute should always go to Jesus and Mary!

It was the first time that Fr. Stefano saw this new shrine, which already seems like a basilica. If such a thought were to be couched as a prayer, I would say: Amen, so be it: may it truly become a basilica! The groups of pilgrims that are discovering the place and frequenting the shrine continue to grow. Some even travel from Lagos, which is more than one hour away, depending on the traffic.

"There is nothing more beautiful than to wear oneself out for the Immaculate! How different is the lot of those who wear themselves out in vices that damage both one’s pocket and one’s health, besides destroying the life of grace with God."

The girls from the “Saint Pio of Pietrelcina” Home of Charity were also there to greet Fr. Stefano, together with the sisters that care for them under the guidance of Mother Maria Pia Di Anselmo. Father visited the house, starting, of course, with the beautiful chapel, where the Most Blessed Sacrament, a San Damiano Crucifix, and the statues of Our Lady of Fatima and, naturally, of St. Pio of Pietrelcina, are kept. This complex has truly been well built. It is a miracle of Divine Providence, a “Padre Pio miracle” we might say, if one bears in mind that almost all of the funding came as a result of a project of the weekly magazine edited by the Franciscans of the Immaculate, the Settimanale di Padre Pio.

Every day, the most beautiful thing was to be able to experience the joy of the girls, daughters of lepers, who are staying in the house. Last September, I had the chance to stay a little longer with them and to interview them. All of them spontaneously thanked the sisters for the good they are receiving from them.

In fact, as the children of lepers, they would otherwise have had a very sad childhood. Thanks to this project, they now have a house, a family, an education and... the daily blessing of the things that are more valuable and more lasting.

There is a lot for the sisters to do, but in which mission will you not find work, sacrifice, sweat? There is nothing more beautiful than to wear oneself out for the Immaculate! How different is the lot of those who wear themselves out in vices that damage both one’s pocket and one’s health, besides destroying the life of grace with God.

The following morning, after breakfast (it was difficult to know whether the breakfast served was British, Nigerian or Filipino), there was a lively “business” meeting with Father Alphonsus M. Salazar. It is clearly urgent that a true and proper friary building be constructed at Sagamu, in view of the establishment there of a Novitiate. Up until now, the friars have made do with a hut that used to be a storeroom during the construction of the shrine. Surely it is dignified enough for the sons of the Poverello (the little poor man of Assisi: St. Francis), but still it is too small to accommodate the numerous, promising candidates to religious life, who at present use the service rooms of the shrine as dormitories.

The meeting was lively because Fr. Stefano, who had been somewhat put out by the difficulties presented by the situation and layout of the rectory in Douala, wanted to guarantee, not only for the present, but also for the future, ample living space and privacy for the friars, leaving a suitable distance between the friary and the shrine and carefully defining the boundaries of each. In the end, after a discussion that went back and forth, searching for the right compromise between public, church, and cloister zones, it was, as usual, Fra Anselmo who found the solution that is always the best and simplest for religious: “Let’s obey Father Founder!” The dilemma was resolved, and the clamorous laughter that followed, apart from diffusing tension, seemed also to chided us gently on our different and useless views, which failed to take due account of the grace of state and the inspirations from above that are always given to those who govern with wisdom.

Ijebu-Igbo

The problem solved, we left for Ijebu-Igbo: the parish and pastoral centre where the Institute first settled in Nigeria. There was a solemn Holy Mass for the joyful event of the First Profession of a Nigerian novice, Sr. M. Frances.

In Ijebu Igbo, which lies about three quarters of an hour’s journey from Sagamu, the friars manage the parish, a small shrine dedicated to Our Lady of the Rosary, located near the Pastoral Centre where, every so often, groups, associations and catechists from the diocese of Ijebu-Ode spend the day in retreat.

It is also here that the Sisters have their Novitiate House: poor and beautiful, beautiful because poor. The Mistress of the Novices was Mother Maria Simona from Australia. Just at that time she was being reassigned to the U.S.A., and was therefore substituted by Mother Maria Raphaela from the Philippines.

Once again, in this place, the friars have built a small house to accommodate the children of the lepers. It is not like the grand and modern complex at Sagamu, but it is a precious witness of charity, like a simple glass of water given to the thirsty.

The ceremony was simple and evocative: a few intimate friends, much recollection. During this event, we also met Mother Maria Michela Cozzolino, the Mother General of the Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate, who was also carrying out an “AfriTOUR”. She omitted coming to the Cameroon (the Sisters are not established there yet), and arrived in Nigeria before us with a view to visiting a new community of our Sisters in Abia, located in the Southeast of the country. This community, guided by Mother Maria Celine Grace Celocia, ex-Superior of Benin, will take care of an orphanage that is in the last phases of construction and which has been entrusted to us by an official from the Roman Curia. This Monsignor wanted to invest a part of his own money, together with aid from his benefactors, in this way, and he entrusted the realization of the project to our Institute because of the esteem he has for it.

While Father Stefano was meeting with the friars and sisters of Ijebu-Igbo and recuperating the strength and energy expended during this African marathon, which was almost at its mid point, he fell ill with a troublesome swelling of his feet. I therefore went to greet Bishop Albert Fasina, a convert from Islam, whom I already knew, having prepared the way for the presence of the friars in his diocese in 1997.

He was very happy to see me and he gave me a piece of beautiful African cloth. He asked me if the friars could make shirts out of it or at least wear it underneath the habit. I willingly accepted it for courtesy’s sake, but even if it was very beautiful, I gave it away to a poor man. Underneath my habit, it wouldn’t have been that useful; another person could use it to go to Mass on Sunday decently dressed. I have met many young people in Africa who don’t go to Mass on Sunday because they are poor and are embarrassed to go without proper clothing to the church, where they are criticized by others. Sometimes, this is only an excuse, but often it is not, and on these occasions, it is a dreadful lack of charity on the part of those others. For this reason, in the past few years, when I have been organizing cargo containers for Africa, I try to include also some clothes. I only require of the giver that they are “summer wear” and are not in such a state of disrepair or so worn out that they should simply be thrown away. If Christ is in the poor, we should give Him the best...

The personalities

Moments of fraternal communion concluded this rapid visit to Nigeria, where Father Stefano was able to visit the Marian shrine and the Home of Charity in Sagamu for the first time, launch the foundations for the future novitiate for the friars, receive the first vows of a daughter of this land, and encourage, advise and support these good and generous confreres.

I would like to remember my namesake in Sagamu, Fr. Alphonsus M. Salazar, a technician so first-rate in his field that he merits the title of engineer. He was the initiator of the mission, together with Fra John Joseph M. Borja, who died and is buried in Nigeria, alongside another confrere, Fra Francis M. Campo: two precious seeds for the fruitful tree of this mission.

The other priest present in Sagamu is Fr. Giuseppe M. Ortiz, ex-General Councilor and a great worker who is busy with the needs of the “Saint Pio of Pietrelcina” Home of Charity. Fra Anselmo M. Marcos is also there. He is perhaps the “king” of the shrine, with his zeal for the care of the structure, accompanied by his natural gift of being a great builder.

In Ijebu-Igbo, Fr. José M. Adan is Guardian. He is also good in technical things. With Fra Ivo he has been prodigious in building wells and schools in the villages in the country areas.

The vicar of the community is Fr. Conrad M. Orcino, who has already been a missionary in Brazil, and who was ordained a priest in Nigeria. He is the efficient Vice Parish Priest and communications expert of the mission.

Fra Addolorato M. Kieremeh, a seminarian in his tirocinium after two years of philosophy, completes the profile of the community. This good Ghanaian student is always smiling and joyful, contrary to what the beautiful name that he bears might suggest (Addolorato, from the Italian, Addolorata: Our Lady of Sorrows). He is contributing in a most useful way to the formation of the numerous aspirants. At that time, the promising Fra Augustin M. Igbe, a newly professed Nigerian who is now in Italy for further formation, was still in Nigeria.

May the Immaculate keep these religious and the growing numbers of Nigerian vocations in Her Immaculate Heart, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls!

Source: Missio Immaculatae International