Practicing the Rule of Life

In 58 years of religious profession and golden jubilee of priesthood (celebrated this summer), Fr. Arialdo scj worked in four continents: After he left Europe he spent 12 years in Chiang Mai, 2 years in Belo Horizonte, 6 years in Katiola, before being entrusted with the new Betharramite project in Central Africa in 1985.

In the midst of the bush, the Rule of Life soon raised a question: article 118 is fine, yes, but how do I live it here? Not to worry! Fr. Arialdo set himself to first listen... to the village headmen and their needs. Then he rolled up his sleeves... and lo and behold... article 118 of our Rule became incarnate in the village schools of Central Africa.

Article 118 : Ever since our foundation, education has been part of the mission of our congregation. This mission is always desired and encouraged by the Church: it is always a necessity, a priority. Realised in educational institutions, and in other forms of teaching or social development; it happens too in innovative pastoral approaches.
We have a vision of humanity to share, illuminated by our faith in the Son of God made man. In order that our educational mission can really touch children and young people, our pastoral outreach should also involve all our partners in education, especially parents, teachers and educators and all those close to the young.

Our mission in the service of education is an important part in our Rule of Life. The first push in this sense was given by our Founder himself, St Michael.

When I arrived here thirty years ago in this new mission in the Central African Republic I was confronted with this problem: how to evangelise an illiterate population lacking in education? From this was born the school’s project.

I had no intention whatsoever of setting up important structures, simply the foundation so that the people could have a minimum of instruction. I was greatly helped in my project by the existence of a very rough and ready system: the “village schools”. When the village chieftains wanted to educate their children they would look for an educated individual on the spot, who was paid a tiny salary in money or in kind and who would then be available for their children. They would build a little school often quite simply a shed in straw and bamboo where the pupils could gather.
When I arrived I found two such sheds which more or less did the job; they managed to make do for three or four months of the year, then when the work in the fields began in February or March, school was over. I then came to the conclusion that we needed something stronger and long lasting. It was at this point that I began to meet the village chiefs to organise a different kind of school.

Today the mission supports fifteen schools with 2500 pupils. I looked for young people who had been to school to a satisfactory level – the Bac or at least Primary or Secondary level. By offering them training sessions we were able to have competent teachers able to run the schools with results appreciated by the Inspectors and even by the Minister of Education of the Central African Republic. There are now 55 teachers receiving a correct salary according to the regulations of the National Education. The salaries are funded by a small contribution from the parents together with adoptions by many benefactors who each contribute about €60 per pupil. We also supply school material such as slates, copy books and pens at prices acceptable by the pupils. The schools belong to the villages and not the diocese nor the Congregation. I hope that in the not too distant future they will become Primary Schools of the Central African Republic and will be financed by the Minister of Education.

I am happy that during those 25 years I have contributed to the education of thousands of children who have made their way to the Universities at home and abroad. The results are good! There are many adults holding diplomas in telecommunications, law, business studies, languages and nursing. It is perhaps only a drop in the ocean but there is the satisfaction of knowing that there are people trained and capable of helping the country to believe in a better future.

I think that what we read in Article 118 in our Rule of Life finds its realisation in the parishes lost in the bush of the Central African Republic where the state school is completely forgotten and below standard.

I want to thank all those who generously helped by supporting this project.

Arialdo Urbani, scj