To conclude our series of Lenten reflections on the theme of Salesian Missions, in Holy Week, we move from the Americas to West Africa, and look at the British Salesians mission in Liberia, and our continuing partnership with the Anglophone West Africa Province. Three of the first SDBs to serve in Liberia, Fr Joe Brown, Fr Harry O’Brien and Br Donald MacDonald, talk about their experiences during a period of tremendous instability, hardship and danger.

(Pictured: Fr Joe, Br Donald and Fr Harry)

On 11th April 1980, following a fact-finding visit by Fr George Williams SDB, the UK Salesians voted at their Provincial Chapter to adopt the mission in Liberia. The following day, a coup brought down the Liberian government.

Fr Joe had been asked to take on the running of the Arthur Barclay Institute, a post-secondary school in Monrovia, as the Church was keen to develop it into a Catholic university to complement their existing primary and secondary education provision.

"Liberia was the most peaceful county in West Africa", said Fr Harry, so it seemed to offer the stability needed to establish a new higher education institution in its capital.

"It was the most stable state in Africa at the time. We decide to take it on and the next morning it was upside down," added Br Donald. "But Joe was a brave man, he was going anyway!"

In Monrovia, Fr Joe joined a small group of Salesians from the USA and Malta, and the community grew, as Br Donald arrived, and Fr Austin Molloy became the first Rector. Fr Harry and Fr Michael O'Meara became the first Irish Salesians in Liberia.

The Salesians worked with the difficulties they met, including a curfew and outbreaks of violence . "It would get bad and then it would ease off, but there was a lot of killing going on. It was upsetting and there were more attempted coups," said Br Donald. The turmoil had a terrible impact on the people, and it was difficult for young people to get to school and for families to get on with their daily lives. The parish, where Fr Harry became Parish Priest, was important in reaching the people and meeting as many of their needs as possible.

"There was a large displacement of people in the war area," said Fr Harry. "People were moving into the city. They went to their extended families, but that meant all the family members were struggling in the end. We organised food distributions for the displaced people, and that helped a lot."

"We had some excellent volunteers," recalled Fr Harry, "but it was difficult because war could break out again at any time and you'd have to get them out to safety. When they were with us it was a great help." Those volunteers included Sean Devereux, a former Salesian student who was later killed in Somali while he was working for UNICEF.

"The people over here (the UK) were terrific. They kept us going," said Br Donald, "and those famous containers! We used to get containers from over here, with food and clothing and we could give them out to people."

Fr Joe was Secretary to the Papal Nuncio, and therefore had additional responsibilities and some diplomatic protection. At one point, the United Nations team, including Sean, had been forced to leave as they were accused of harbouring and feeding rebels and their compound was attacked. "The UN team gave me access to the food to distribute, so I was going up towards Tappita, where Donald was then, with my nephew, and at the rebel checkpoints, they said you can't go any further, but I said the people in Tappita need food, and they eventually said ok," he recalled. That single journey included over 50 checkpoints.

One of the most tragic aspects of the war was the recruitment of child soldiers, "Some were very young, twelve or fourteen," said Fr Harry, and Fr Joe added that most of these young men were killed.

The Salesians began to work with the boy soldiers, and Sean, who was by then heading the UN food distribution programme, encouraged them to support their rehabilitation.

"Joe Glackin and Chris Heaps did a lot with the boy soldiers, they started the youth centre at Matadi with Sean," said Fr Harry. "The child soldiers weren't always fighting, so they would come and attend there and learn some skills. It was really important to offer that, otherwise they only knew war, they needed something other than guns."

From 1980 to 2001, Salesians from Britain and Ireland created a polytechnic in Monrovia, set up skills and training programmes and youth centres. The first Liberian Salesian, Fr Blamoh Harris, was ordained. They witnessed war and massacres, lost friends, including five American Sisters who were killed in 1991, and provided education, material and spiritual nourishment , and support to the people of Liberia.

The Salesian foundation they built continues to thrive, with men in formation with the Anglophone West Africa Province, and a new church and growing school in Monrovia which has just celebrated its 25th anniversary.

The Anglophone West Africa (AFW) Province and the British Salesians

The three Salesian missionaries who shared their memories of Liberia agree the mission could not have continued without the support of the people back home. The British Province is committed to supporting the Anglophone West Africa (AFW) Province, which includes Liberia, along with Sierra Leone, Nigeria and Ghana.

A sum of £90,000 is sent each year to support the formation of Salesians of Don Bosco in the AFW Province, who work directly with the people of these four countries, especially the youth, helping them to recover from the impact of conflict and the aftermath of Ebola, as well as providing ongoing education, skills training and spiritual development.
Your prayers for the work of the Salesians and the people of the AFW Province are vital.

The Missions Office is grateful for the generosity of people in our Province who o already offer financial support and arrange fundraising events. If you would you would like to donate to the Missions Office to support this work, please email the Missions Director, Fr Kieran Anderson or write to him at Provincial Office.

We hope you have enjoyed learning more about Salesian Missions and reflecting on this aspect of ministry during Lent. We will bring you more news from our Missions Office at the end of June.

Finally, Salesian Link and the Missions Office wish you a blessed Holy Week.

Prayer for Salesian Missions in Africa

Father Creator, we praise you,
For the seeds of sanctity and beauty,
sown among the people of Africa.
Grant us to contemplate, appreciate and defend
your wisdom in their cultures.
Help us to proclaim with the light of the Spirit
the unfathomable riches of your Son, Jesus Christ
that transfigures and fully fills every culture.
Lord Jesus, we praise and thank you
because you have made each one of us,
really sharing our lives,
loving us until the end,
so that we may have Life in all its fullness.
Help us to welcome and give life
on behalf of all our brothers and sisters.
Send us your sanctifying Spirit,
raise up in the continent of Africa missionaries,
witnesses of your love and of your resurrection,
proclaimers of your fraternity and truth,
prophets of your justice and unity.
Lord, you who are One in diversity
with the Father and the Holy Spirit,
help our peoples to live
with respect for diversity,
united in the same charity.
Amen