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"Be what you are, Be at its best!"      - St. Francis de Sales

Editorial  Introducing the MSFS St. Francis de Sales  Fr. Peter Memier MSFS in St. Lucia  Fr. Louis Favre General Assembly 1997  Wellspring Fransalian Media Centre  Suvidya College     VISAKHAPATNAM PROVINCE Congress of the FRANCE-SWISS PROVINCE NAGPUR PROVINCE PUNE PROVINCE SOUTH-WEST PROVINCE NORTH-EAST INDIA TANZANIA Vol. 1  January 1999

Fransalian International

The Missionaries of St. Francis de Sales reached Vishakapatnam in 1846 and from there travelled to various parts of India for new missionary endeavours. From Vishakapatnam they proceeded to central India and established mission stations at Aurangabad, Kamptee, Nagpur and Jabalpur which led to the establishment of the Nagpur Province. The Congregation's missionary activity in the Seven Sister States of North East India had its starting thrust at Vishakapatnam. The conferrers of the Vishakapatnam Province were the first MSFS to set foot on the soil of Tanzania, Africa, to begin missionary activities there. The efforts of our pioneers in Africa have borne fruit and they have been extending their activities to other countries of Africa as well. In spite of its missionary endeavours, in Tanzania, the Province kept up its momentum in India which finally led to the erection of the South West Province, comprising the southern States of Karnataka and Kerala in 1990.

Today's, Vishakapatnam Province comprises the southern States of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and part of Orissa.

A good number of our priests are missionaries in villages and they work hard in the spirit of the pioneer missionaries. They bring a ray of hope to the poor, uneducated, and exploited people of the villages. Most villagers are landless poor who earn their daily bread by working for others. The average daily wage is about 40 rupees (about US$ 1); the wage of a woman is about half of that sum. Most people in the villages live in hunger, poverty, ignorance and unhygienic conditions, and they form the exploited masses. The pitiable situation of the people pin them down to the state of utter misery, and they cannot free themselves from the clutches of oppression. Our missionaries try to break the vicious circle by providing education to children and youth, through awareness programmes for adults, and by organising self-help programmes at the village level. The integral development of persons is the goal of our missionary efforts.

The zealous missionaries proclaim the message of Jesus, and in the context of the jubilee year 2000 we make special efforts to make Jesus known to the people. The proclamation of the gospel and the renewal of the Christian life is accelerated in our missions and parishes through prayer, renewal retreats and intense catechetical instruction. On the whole the people co-operate in these programmes. In some of our missions a good number of people embrace the Christian faith with ardour and joy. The Province still maintains the missionary dynamism of the first missionaries.

Educational apostolate is an important aspect of our work in the province. Through our education apostolate, we impart knowledge as well as values. Our students and their parents appreciate our educational services because of the intensity and earnestness of our dedication and also because of the low cost to themselves. We consider the educational apostolate as a significant service to the people of the locality because imparting of knowledge is a contribution to improving the life situation of the people. The values imparted through our educational institutions help the children to become noble persons and useful citizens.

India is characterised by diversity of culture, caste and creed, and this variety often leads to tension and violence. Our educational institutions are a meeting ground for people of different cultures, castes and creeds, and they help break down barriers and foster values such as compassion, and respect for human person irrespective of religious convictions and cultural backgrounds.  Teaching young people to respect others is a good investment towards peace, prosperity and progress of the nation.  It is a sure way to peace within a country and also the path towards international peace and understanding.

Taking into consideration the problems of poor students, our province has established a number of free boardings in our mission centres, and provide them with free education and prepare them to become useful and responsi­ble citizens. Hundreds of children profit from this facility. There is a need to increase free boarding facilities for poor children. The lack of financial means prevents us from providing facilities to more children.

Our Vocational Training Schools impart certain skills and train young people in some trades. In giving admission to these schools, we give special consideration to the poor; and a few hundred young men profit from our services every year. Our technical schools enable many young people to stand on their own legs and to become useful citizens.

The province offers many opportunities to engage in pastoral service and thus to contribute to the building up of the Church of God. There is a great demand for specialised ministries such as youth animation. Since the majority of our people are poor, it is of paramount importance that we come close to them in our life style and to show love and concern for them.

Our solidarity with the universal Church has prompted us to take up missionary work in St. Lucia, West Indies, at the request of the local bishop. Our two missionaries set out for this new mission field in June 1998, on the feast day of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The words of Jesus, "the harvest is plenty, but the labourers are few” (Lk. 10:2) are truly applicable to our Province too. 

Fr. Many Panthalany msfs