Angolan youth hold a preparatory assembly for WYD Lisbon 2023.

Anastácio Sasembele - Luanda, Angola.

For four days, the young Catholics analysed challenges in youth pastoral work. They reflected on the Synod, the Pastoral Letter on elections issued recently by the Bishops of the Episcopal Conference of Angola and São Tomé (CEAST).

The head of the national secretariat for CEAST’s youth pastoral ministry, Vilma Gaspar Neto, positively assessed the plenary assembly. She was happy about the outcomes of the meeting.

“We can feel in the youth a hunger to do more and better. They all want to develop their personal skills. It was touching to know that they also want to grow youth ministry in their respective dioceses,” she added.  

Angolan World Youth Day 2022

Concerning the CEAST Bishops’ Pastoral Letter, Gaspar Neto said young Angolans needed to participate in the forthcoming national electoral process. She stressed the importance of the Bishops’ document, which gives clear guidelines to the Catholic laity on sustaining democracy in Angola.

The young people further discussed how best to participate in the World Youth Day - Lisbon 2023. It was agreed that this international event be preceded by an Angolan World Youth Day now scheduled for November 2022. The event will be in the Diocese of Benguela. 

Vilma Gaspar Neto has appealed to young Catholic Angolans to participate in the forthcoming major events.