The Works of Mercy: Dynamic Pillar in Parish Youth Ministry.
Abbé Éric Nguilo and young people from Notre Dame de Sangha Parish (Diocese of Berberati, Central African Republic) talk about the reEvolution of Works of Mercy at the end of the International Day of the African Child
In the context of parish youth ministry, works of mercy play a central and transformative role. Inspired by Abbé Éric’s teachings on the Day of the African Child, young people were encouraged to integrate works of mercy into their daily lives and make it their way of life, in light of the reEvolution proposed by Spazio Spadoni with OPERA M.
At the conclusion of the International Day of the African Child, Abbé Éric Nguilo met with the youth of Notre Dame de Sangha Parish on the morning of June 15.
These activities were mainly attended by young people from the “Aita kwe” group in the Sango language, which means ACE: Action Catholique de l’Enfance, and the Gaza Yombo group. Abbé Éric’s words resonated deeply: he emphasized the importance of mercy in Christian life, calling on young people to live mercy in an active and tangible way.
He emphasized the role of works of mercy on young people and the reEvolution of works of mercy that Spazio Spadoni is initiating to make works of mercy a way of life. As baptized children of God, we are all protagonists of mercy. In the words of Pope Francis, “God’s mercy is never lacking, and we are called to witness to it, to make it flow through the veins of the Church.”
Through OPERA M, Spazio Spadoni teaches us that works of mercy are a human and spiritual emergency, because in the Gospel of John 14:12 it says that those who believe in God will do the same works that He does. The great invitation is, “Let us be merciful as our heavenly Father is merciful” (Luke 6:36). This urges us to go to the school of Jesus, who has a merciful heart.
Youth testimony
At the end of the day, two young people, Nanou and Elie from the Yombo group in Gaza, presented an experience on works of mercy. On behalf of the parish youth, they thanked the parish priest, Abbé Éric, for opening their eyes to the works of mercy, and Spazio Spadoni, who traces a path to holiness through the life of works of mercy.
“To give concrete expression to this teaching on works of mercy, we young people carried out two mercy activities: the first was to visit the sick in the hospital, bringing them food and soap. The second activity was to visit prisoners with our small means but full of love.”
Works of mercy unite us
The actions taken by the youth and their pastor, Abbé Éric, have had an impact on several levels: first, they have strengthened their personal commitment to the Christian faith by inviting them to take action, putting love for their neighbor into practice. Second, these initiatives have strengthened cohesion within the parish youth community. Working together for noble causes and sharing meaningful experiences such as visiting the sick and prisoners, they developed stronger bonds and a camaraderie based on common spiritual values, while strengthening the Church’s witness in society.
We want to make our lives a style to help other young people live the works of mercy and implore God’s help to act mercifully toward all those in need. We invite the youth of the parish to allow themselves to be spiritually and actively nourished by engaging in service to others.
We believe that the works of mercy will continue to serve as the foundation for building our parish community to invest in love for other
It is essential to maintain this positive momentum by implementing further educational programs on the works of mercy and ongoing training for youth in this area, to achieve a true reEvolution of the works of mercy within parish youth ministry. For young people, integrating works of mercy into their daily lives is a source of profound personal and community transformation. By following Christ’s example, they continue to make a difference in the world around them, spreading the light of mercy where it is most needed.
Images
- Photo by Rodrigue Bidubula