"He who preaches with love, preaches effectively.”

St. Francis de Sales

West Africa
Benin, Ivory Coast, &
Ghana (Coming soon)

Oblates in West Africa: On October 5, 2025, the Oblates celebrated the closing Mass of the 150th anniversary celebration in Troyes, France. At the celebration, three priestly ordinations from our France-West Africa Province and two diaconal ordinations took place! A festive champagne dinner followed!

Congratulations to Frs. Antoine, Michel, and Laurent, OSFS! And deacons, Sneider and Yerson!

Benin

Across the globe, the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales are transforming lives by nurturing the mind, body, and spirit through holistic ministries.

Salesian Marathon of Parakou

In Benin-French West Africa, Oblates recognized a gap in well-being where physical health was often overlooked. In response, they founded the Salesian Marathon of Parakou, promoting the importance of movement as spiritual care. 

Started in 2007, the marathon draws participants from around the world. embodying the Salesian spirit with the guiding motto: “We must do all by love, and nothing by force.” By pairing physical activity with prayer and reflection, the initiative fosters community, joy, and holistic healing. It brings together around 1,000 runners from 10 to 16 nationalities—including local participants and students from Salesian schools in the US. 

As the first event of its kind in Benin, the marathon emphasizes inclusivity and spiritual connection, with every participant receiving a medal engraved with, “We must do all by love, and nothing by force” (St. Francis de Sales).

Reaching over 2 million people through media, it continues to be a powerful expression of unity, health, and the Salesian spirit. Visit its Facebook page to learn more.

Mission Spotlight Articles
Oblates On The Run! Salesian Marathon of Parakou
Oblates On The Run! Salesian Marathon of Parakou

In Benin, Oblate ministries nurture the whole person, focusing on the importance of movement and faith for well-being. What happens when Salesian gentleness and humility blend with a competitive running spirit?.

Read more →

Other Key Missions

  • Oblate Formation Ministry - Serves to form young men for religious life and future Oblate ministries. From youth aspirants, postulants, novices, and scholastics, men have the opportunity to follow their calling.

  • Student Chaplaincy - At the University of Parakou, the second-largest public university in Benin, Oblates provide faith-based education and spiritual formation to university students ages 18-30.

  • School Pastoral Care (Parakou) - Implements Salesian Spirituality and educational support for children and adolescents

  • Boarding House for Boys - Offers safe, quality education and protection for rural school age boys from violence and extremism

  • Parish Ministries (Parakou & Djougou) - Why It Exists: To provide pastoral care, sacraments, and faith formation in growing communities. The ministries serve over 5,000 people in Parakou; 2,000 people in Alfa-kpara (Djougou), who are in both urban and rural communities.

  • Salesianum Project - Serves young university students by being a major student center for youth formation in Benin’s first university city.

Donate to the Chablais Mission Fund
Group of marathon runners and participants at the starting line of the Saint François de Sales Marathon in Parakou, with signage above indicating the marathon's name and distance
Group of children and a man in a blue Superman shirt, wearing a hat, gathered outside a school building in an outdoor setting.
Group of ten people, including men and women of different ages and ethnicities, posing for a photo inside a store or market. They are smiling, and some are holding colorful fabric items.