Miquel Armengol i Barniol.

On February 24th, the Temple of Tibidabo welcomed Archbishop Emeritus Miguel Ángel Olaverri Arroniz, SDB, of Pointe-Noire (Congo-Brazzaville). Born in Pamplona and currently 77 years of age, Archbishop Olaverri has resided in the Salesian community of Nice, France, since January 2025, where he retired after fifty years of dedicated service in Africa.

A member of the former Salesian Province of Valencia, he completed his theological studies at Martí-Codolar in Barcelona, where he was ordained in 1976 by Bishop Ramon Daumal. His missionary path began in Gabon (one year) and continued in Congo-Brazzaville (18 years). He subsequently served two terms as Provincial Superior of Equatorial Africa, residing in Cameroon. Later, he served as Rector of St. John Bosco Parish in the Diocese of Pointe-Noire for seven years. He was then appointed Bishop of Pointe-Noire, a role he held for seven years until the see was elevated to an Archdiocese; he then served as its first Archbishop for an additional seven years.

Archbishop Olaverri shared a joyful reunion with Lluís Maria Oliveres, with whom he served as Provincial in Africa, and Javier Urtasun, a former community companion from Cuenca. He also reconnected with Txemi Marzo, a classmate from his theological studies at Martí-Codolar. All three are currently members of the Salesian community at Tibidabo.

At the conclusion of the fraternal meal, the Archbishop presented an image of Mary Help of Christians to Francesc Riu, in recognition of his 75th anniversary of religious profession as a Salesian. It was a truly significant celebration of faith and brotherhood.