From sisters Elyse and Olive of the community in Nouakchott, Mauritania
From January 26 to 28, 2024, World Youth Days in Senegal were held around the theme
Those who hope in the Lord walk without tiring.” Isaiah 40.31.
Thousands of young Catholics from the various dioceses of Senegal and other countries in the sub-region participated in this event. Our diocese of Nouakchott was officially invited to participate in this very important event. Thirty people from our diocese responded to this invitation.
Our sisters Elyse and Olive left with the parishioners. They share with us their joys experienced during this meeting:
What a joy to participate in this meeting of young people in Senegal! Meeting others is one of the values of our congregation. Openness, interculturality, dialogue are values that we experienced, first with the group of people coming from Nouakchott and then with the young people coming from the sub-region in particular from Gambia, Cape Verde, Guinea Bissau, and the different dioceses of Senegal. We were able to chat with some young people to introduce them to our congregation. Some young people asked us questions, especially about who we are. It was a good time talking with some young people who didn’t know us at all.
Teachings
This meeting of the WYD was marked by the catechesis of young people, the welcoming of the cross, a carnival, a prayer vigil and a solemn mass. We were touched by the exchange between the Bishop of Dakar and the young people through the daily experiences that today’s youth go through. The bishop challenged young people about the vocation to marriage because many engage in this life without knowing themselves, but allowing themselves to be attracted by beauty, wealth or other things. It is the same thing in the vocation to consecrated life. He invited all young people to discern before committing to any type of life. Regarding young people who go to Europe to seek a better life, young people have been strongly urged to be vigilant and to use their small means to build a dignified life in their own country.
Celebrations
We welcomed the pilgrim cross at an arm of the Senegal River. It was a time to contemplate Christ. Everyone looked up to see the cross slowly descending. We had the carnival evening where the opportunity was offered to all the delegations to show their different cultures. It was a very rich time to see the dances of different cultures. A prayer vigil was offered to pray and confess in preparation for the solemn mass which closed this event. Youth is the future of the world, let us pray and support young people so that they discover their vocation and lead a dignified life by building today’s world.
We closed this meeting with a solemn mass which brought together thousands of young people to give thanks to God for this occasion of the national WYD in Saint Louis in Senegal.
We thank God for having participated in this important event.
