For the students of the Saint-Gerard Institute in Antananarivo, Thursday, March 12th, was dedicated to a day of Lenten retreat led by the Redemptorist seminarians and postulants of the community of Saint-Alphonse. The activities began with a Eucharistic celebration presided over by Father Ferdinand, in-charge of pastoral care for the Vice-Province in Antananarivo.
The Vice-Province of Madagascar carries out its mission in various locations across the island. In Antananarivo, it has managed the Saint-Gerard Institute for over 25 years. The school has several classrooms that accommodate 145 preschool children, 390 primary school students, 302 secondary school students, and 248 high school students, altogether 1,085 students under the guidance of the disciples of St. Alphonsus. The seed planted by the Neapolitan Redemptorist missionaries fifty-nine years ago is germinating and slowly growing in Malagasy soil. In 1967, the formation of young Redemptorists in Malagasy began, and today we are blessed to have these students helping us carry out the mission entrusted to us by St. Alphonsus.
After Mass, there were two conferences before noon and a final one in the afternoon. Each confrere made sure to have a retreat in a designated room. From elementary to high school, all the students of San Gerardo institute actively participated in this retreat, which precedes exam week.
The reflection focused on the importance of Lent and its implications for Christian life.
For over 25 years, the San Gerardo Institute has contributed to the academic development of young people in local communities. In this way, the Redemptorist missionaries help build a better future for children, including those living in rural areas.
Brother Baltazar Baptista, CSsR.
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