[Opinion] Catholic youth on mission – YES: from Sunyani to the world

Last weekend’s events in the Catholic Diocese of Sunyani, specifically at the Queen of Peace Grotto in Nsoatre-Amanfoso, I was deeply impressed. While Marian processions of a similar nature took place in various dioceses and archdioceses in Ghana to celebrate the Solemnity of the Assumption, I was privileged to witness Sunyani’s celebrations, specifically on Saturday, August 15, and Sunday, August 16, 2026; the latter being the climax of the celebration.

As I remarked to a fellow participant, judging by the throngs that swelled the Nsoatre grotto grounds and turned the location into a veritable village complete with its own market, the data depicting the Catholic Church’s diminishing population may require revision.

While events like the Greater Works Conference by the International Central Gospel Church and the Alpha Hour Convocation by Pastor Elvis Agyemang may draw huge crowds, they are typically single-location events.

Yet, if one considers the accumulated population that attends the various Marian grotto celebrations for the Assumption feast day in Ghana, these multitudes grossly outnumber those at these Pentecostal celebrations. What the Catholic Church in Ghana may need to learn is how to better emphasise its widespread numbers and tremendous organisational strength.

However, it was not just the numbers that overwhelmed me through my participation in Sunyani Diocese’s activities. Indeed, the most outstanding takeaway for me was the diocesan theme for the year 2026: “Catholic Youth in Mission: Youthful, Empowered and Sent.” Intelligently, the theme’s second part had been rendered as an acronym, such that when the diocesan bishop, Most Reverend Matthew Gyamfi, proclaimed, “Catholic Youth on Mission”, the gathered assembly vigorously responded, “YES” for “Youthful, Empowered, Sent.” That was clever, I thought.

Moreover, this rousing and fitting response evoked the words of the Holy Father at the concluding Mass of the 34^th World Youth Day in Panama in 2019. Pope Francis said to the youth: “You are not the tomorrow, you are not the ‘meantime’, you are the now of God.”

The response of the congregation at Nsoatre, “YES”, standing for “Youthful, Empowered, Sent”, re-echoed the Pope’s sentiment of the immediacy of the mission of Catholic youth. Indeed, as a priest marking his 12^th presbyteral ordination anniversary that day, I could not help but recall the “Adsum,” or “Present,” by which candidates respond to their call during the celebration of holy orders. YES. NOW. PRESENT.

The height of my delight in participating with the people of God in Sunyani was Bishop Gyamfi’s announcement to extend the focus on young people beyond 2026 to 2027. The appropriateness of this cannot be overemphasised if the Catholic Church in Ghana is to stride confidently into its sesquicentennial celebration in four years.

As the Catholic mission anticipates celebrating the 150^th anniversary of its beginnings, it is only appropriate that we focus on the youth. I hope the inspiration that guided Bishop Gyamfi, who currently serves as President of the Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference, will motivate his brother bishops throughout the country so that 2027 will be dedicated nationally to Catholic youth. Furthermore, the rousing slogan, “Catholic Youth on Mission: YES!” may now resound throughout Ghana. Thus, from Sunyani through Ghana, the world will appreciate that Catholic Youth on Mission are Youthful, Empowered and Sent.

Very wisely and helpfully, Bishop Gyamfi communicated various supports, including a deepened reliance on YouthCat, the Catholic Catechism designed for and targeted at the youth, through which families, parishes, youth groups, and pastors could marshal the efforts being championed by his diocese to nurture and sustain youth faith formation and church leadership.

He even proposed the diocese’s readiness to support youth entrepreneurial schemes for SMEs through BACCSOD, the diocesan financial institution. As far as best practices go, it may be worthwhile for the good bishop to share his observations with his episcopal colleagues, since there was much wisdom in the measures he proposed.

For my part, I would wish that next year’s focus on youth, which hopefully Bishop Gyamfi will champion for the entire church in Ghana, also target an audience that is critically significant and equally youthful, namely seminarians.

In a recent meeting with young Jesuits in formation, the Jesuit superior general, Very Rev. Fr. Arturo Sosa, expressed sentiments that resonate with the views stated earlier, noting: “Some have told you that you are the future of the Society of Jesus. I will not. You are not the future of the Society.

You are the present, called to serve in friendship with, freedom of, and frontiers, for the Lord”. His words apply and extend to the young men in Ghana’s Catholic seminaries, youthful as they are, who are the present of the Catholic Church whose mission traces its origins to the efforts of the equally youthful SMA Fathers Auguste-Joseph Moreau (33 years) and Eugène Murat (31 years). By happy coincidence, 2027 equally marks the 70^th anniversary of the establishment of Ghana’s first major seminary, St Peter’s Regional Seminary, Pedu. How appropriate it will be that, in dedicating the coming year to young people, the Catholic Church in Ghana devotes special attention to the young men whose formation for ministerial priesthood will ensure the continuity of the Catholic Mission, peopled by its younger members, who are youthful, empowered, and sent.