{"id":3682,"date":"2025-06-27T15:36:00","date_gmt":"2025-06-27T15:36:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/consolataafrica.org\/en\/?p=3682"},"modified":"2025-07-15T20:20:58","modified_gmt":"2025-07-15T20:20:58","slug":"consolata-missionaries-celebrate-100-years-of-mission-in-mozambique","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/consolataafrica.org\/en\/consolata-missionaries-celebrate-100-years-of-mission-in-mozambique\/","title":{"rendered":"Consolata Missionaries Celebrate 100 Years of Mission in Mozambique"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Consolata missionaries in Monte Cruz during the centen\u00e1rio celebration of the IMC in Mozambique. Photos and video: Ricardo Santos<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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On June 21 and 22, the Consolata Missionaries celebrated the centenary of their presence and mission in Mozambique at the Shrine of Our Lady of Consolata in Massangulo, in the Niassa Province, northern Mozambique. This was the fourth country where the Institute established a mission during the lifetime of its founder, Saint Joseph Allamano.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

By Ricardo Santos *<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

These hundred years have been marked by the joy of initiating evangelization efforts, sharing projects with Christian communities, having the courage to begin anew in difficult times, and showing trust in continuing the work\u2014even during challenging periods such as the colonial war (1964\u20131974) and the civil war between FRELIMO and RENAMO (1976\u20131992), which made living one’s faith particularly difficult.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Regional Superior, Father Cassiano Kalima welcomes the missionaries and all the pilgrims<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Over the past century, the Consolata Missionaries have carried out evangelization across several dioceses, starting in Niassa and later expanding to Inhambane, Maputo, Nampula, and more recently, Tete. They have provided pastoral, educational, social, and humanitarian services, always aligned with their ad gentes charism and the needs of the people. Their work has included forming diocesan priests and sisters and, above all, significant efforts to improve living conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Centennial Celebrations<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The image of the Consolata, located in Massangulo, has been taken on pilgrimage during the past year to the places where the missionaries work<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Around 2,000 pilgrims took part in the centenary celebration, including bishops from various Mozambican dioceses, missionaries from different congregations, religious brothers and sisters from multiple institutes, lay members of the Consolata Family, and diocesan priests from parishes in Lichinga, Mecanhelas, Cuamba, Etatara, Ma\u00faa, Niassa, Mandimba, Mitande, Nipepe, Majune, Marrupa, Nzinge, Lichinga, and Mecula.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Shrine of the Consolata at Massangulo, Niassa, inaugurated in 1964<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Many friends of the Consolata, animators, catechists, and other missionary families also attended, some traveling over 2,000 kilometers by car or public transport from the capital Maputo to mark this momentous event\u2014the arrival of Father Pedro Calandri and his fellow Consolata missionaries in Niassa back in 1925.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The celebration took place at the Shrine of Massangulo on June 20, the Feast of Our Lady of Consolata, patroness of the first Catholic mission in the territory of the Ayao people. These were days of gratitude to God for the missionary work and solidarity with the Institute that began the evangelizing and human development mission in one of Mozambique’s most remote and forgotten provinces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Consolata missionaries planted a seed that has grown with grace and perseverance among the Ayao, Anyanja, and Macua peoples. These works have endured thanks to the dedication of many priests, brothers, animators, and catechists\u2014some of whom shed their blood, especially during the 16 years of war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The centennial celebrations began on the afternoon of Saturday, June 21, with a welcoming address from the new regional council and missionaries to the pilgrims gathered at the recently restored Consolata Shrine of Massangulo, originally completed and inaugurated in 1964.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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