Three African Comboni Missionaries share their missionary life My name is Brother Ghislain Dagbeto from Togo. I remember that in my formative years I initially resisted invitations to go to church, shedding tears at the mere mention of it. But a crucial encounter at the age of twelve, just outside our home, changed the course…

At last year’s World Youth Day in Lisbon, more than a million young people shared among themselves social friendship. Pope Francis calls this universal fraternity, proving a new fraternal order and world social experience possible. Universal fraternity refers to the unity and solidarity amongst all human beings, regardless of their differences. It is a vision…

While the country is in the grip of a serious economic crisis, in the oasis city of Tozeur, the OxyJeunes youth Centre focuses on schooling and civic education: “Today our children are agents of change”, the director Moufida Hachef tells us. Sugar, canned goods and some typical sweets are the products collected thanks to the…

They come from three different continents: Asia, Africa and Latin America. They study theology in Granada Spain. The reason why they chose the mission. Here’s what they told us. My name is Tran Minh Thong, although my baptismal name is Peter. I was born in Vietnam on All Saints’ Day 1993. I was the youngest…

As the 2024 European elections approach, COMECE (Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union) has released the ‘Catholic Toolkit for Young Europeans’. This comprehensive toolkit aims to empower young people across Europe to actively engage in the democratic process, guided by the principles of Catholic Social Teaching. Developed by the COMECE Youth Platform,…

Leaving the Church does not mean abandoning the faith; moving away from the faith does not mean giving up one’s spirituality. Even though they are leaving the Christian community, many young people continue to feel like believers. Robert, a young university student, says: “On a personal level I don’t feel that I have lost my…

God of Comfort, send your Spirit to encompass all those whose lives are torn apart by violence and death in Israel and Palestine. You are the Advocate of the oppressed and the One whose eye is on the sparrow. Let arms reach out in healing, rather than aggression. Let hearts mourn rather than militarize. God…

Three young Comboni missionaries talk about their vocation and their pastoral journeys. My name is David Costa Domingues, a Comboni missionary from Portugal.  I have just celebrated my priestly silver jubilee. I grew up in the simple but profound religiosity of my family and with a certain curiosity for the mission world, which at that…

A Church… free, open, welcoming, inclusive, simple, poor, uncomplicated, closer, up-to-date, innovative, comprehensive, authentic, apolitical, humble, respectful, joyful… Behind the generic name of Church there are actually many different experiences and young people distinguish one from another: the Church is their own parish, their own group, their own association, their own priest, their own ecclesial…

Three young Comboni Missionaries from different countries speak about their vocation and missionary experience. My name is Lwanga Kakule Silusawa a Comboni missionary brother working in our missionary magazine Afriquespoir in Kinshasa, DR Congo. I was born in Butembo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, in a Catholic family.  In 2009, I joined the postulancy in…

More than one and a half million young people, the highest number ever, flew to Lisbon and filled its narrow and cobbled streets with its numerous climbs, on the occasion of the World Youth Day 2023. An unexpected encounter. The cry of pain of thousands of young Ukrainians. But evil will never have the last…

In Lisbon, during WYD23, Pope Francis indicated seven important steps that enable the youth to continue their journey. Step 1: Called by name This is how the Pope began his message at the welcoming celebration: “Called because we are loved [by] Him who calls us every day to embrace and encourage; to make each of…