Bishops Urge West African Catholic Youth to Turn Faith Into Action for Peace and Unity

In brief

Bishops at the first West African Youth Day in Accra, Ghana, challenged Catholic youth to transform their faith into practical actions for peace, justice, and unity. During catechetical sessions on September 9, leaders addressed the social, economic, and political difficulties currently affecting the West African region.

The event follows the theme of young people acting as builders of peace and hope. To accommodate different languages, organizers divided English-speaking pilgrims into seven groups led by bishops or formators, while French-speaking participants gathered in the main hall for presentations.

Bishop Alexis Youlo Touabli, president of the Regional Episcopal Conference of West Africa, taught one group that Christ serves as the source of hope and courage needed to face societal challenges. Bishop François Xavier Ghanbodè Gnonhossou of the Catholic Diocese of Dassa-Zoumé in Benin also spoke to participants, describing young people as pilgrims of hope and builders of peace.