Participants at Spiritan Workshop in Nairobi Want More Young Priests Involved in Interreligious Dialogue

In brief

Participants at a Spiritan interfaith dialogue workshop in Nairobi, Kenya, called for greater involvement of young priests in religious engagement to strengthen the Church's connection with people of other faiths. The workshop, organized by the Spiritan Conference of Circumscriptions of Africa and the Islands, took place from September 6 to 10.

Fr. Remmy Banda from Zambia told ACI Africa that interreligious engagement should be a core part of Church life rather than a task that begins only after priests start new assignments. He argued that young priests should not be excluded from these discussions based on the idea that they represent the future, noting that they are already active members of the Church.

Fr. Banda also suggested that training for those preparing for mission should include interfaith dialogue. He urged a shift from a reactive approach to conflict toward proactive engagement, stating that young people need practical tools to prevent tensions arising from religious differences.