Pope urges African youths to not lose hope in the face of crises

As nearly four thousand Catholic youths from 16 West African countries gathered over the past few days in Accra, Ghana, for the first West African Youth Days, Pope Leo XIV has urged them not to lose hope in the face of crises that “seem to darken [their] horizon.”

The youths are meeting under the theme: “Take courage: young Catholics, agents and promoters of peace and hope in West Africa.”

Pope Leo encourages the youth amid serious crises 

Organized by the Regional Episcopal Conference of West Africa (RECOWA/CERAO), the Accra event is modeled after World Youth Day. It ran from September 7th to 11th.

According to the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, the initiative “stems from the desire of the region’s bishops to offer young Catholics a shared space for faith, fellowship, and formation.”

“At a time when so many crises seem to darken your horizon, I wish to encourage you to move forward without losing hope,” the Pontiff said in a video message.

Pope Leo XIV called on them not to “sacrifice your precious youth on the altar of illusory pleasures and superficiality.”

“You are not a sacrificed generation,” Pope Leo said. He urged them to be “God’s today” and the “Church’s today” by becoming artisans of peace and change, building bridges and living up to their full potential.

“Walking together means ensuring that no one is marginalized, isolated, excluded, or rejected,” he said.

“Be builders of bridges between peoples, cultures, and religions. Through your words and actions, send a strong message to our world, riven by wars and conflicts of all kinds.”

Pope Leo’s message is timely for a region where millions of young people face political uncertainty, violent extremism, communal tensions, economic hardship, climate change, and migration pressures.

From Nigeria to Mali and from Burkina Faso to Niger, violent extremism is tearing society apart, and the Church has been paying a heavy price. In Nigeria alone, over 3000 Christians have been killed in the first eight months of 2026, according to the Catholic-inspired NGO, the International Society for Civil Liberties and the Rule of Law, Intersociety.

Ryan Brown, the CEO of Open Doors US, told CWR that jihadist groups have created a ‘corridor of violence’ targeting Christians in Sahel.

‘In Niger specifically, we’re seeing increased extremist influence from neighboring Burkina Faso and Mali, creating a regional corridor of violence that particularly targets religious minorities,” Brown said.

In a similar breath, Jennifer Overton, regional director for Catholic Relief Services (CRS) in West Africa, says climate change is worsening what she calls a “vicious cycle of hardship and despair” in the Sahel.

She said “inequality, poverty, and a growing mistrust of government,” had conspired to drive what increasingly looks like a political crisis in the region.”

Despite these challenges, Catholic leaders are re-echoing the Pope’s message of hope for the region.

“Do not lose hope. You are not a sacrificed generation. You are not a lost generation. You are not a generation without a future,” said the Apostolic Nuncio to Ghana, Archbishop Julien Kaboré.

He emphasized that the energy, dreams, and innovativeness of the youth are not merely resources for the future, but assets that the Church and society need today.

“Life needs you today. The Church needs you today. Your countries need you today,” he told the participants.

Archbishop Kaboré challenged the young people not to view the gathering merely as a meeting for photographs to be taken, but as a blueprint for their participation in building a better West Africa.

“My hope, my dream, is that, by the grace of God, what we are witnessing today will one day be remembered as the beginning of a moment when a generation of young West African Catholics rediscovered the courage of faith,” he said.

“Every great tree begins with a seed. And therefore, I hope that this gathering today is also a seed.”

He urged the youths to build friendships that would enable them to grow in their faith and strengthen their communities.

Addressing the effect of digital technology

The issue of digital technology is a key theme at the Accra conference, which concludes on Saturday, September 12. In an age of digital noise where young people are exposed to large volumes of messages, opinions, and entertainment, Ghanaian priest Fr. Anthony Amponsah Afriyie called on young Catholics to cut through the noise and make social media a platform for evangelization.

“We are in a very noisy world, a world of Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram. Even in the depths of your sleep, people are talking to you, and they can reach you in your room,” Fr. Afriyie said, before challenging the youths to use social media for the purpose of evangelization.

“Did Jesus say we should go and make disciples, or did he say we should go and make only followers? Did he tell us to become popular? Did he tell us to go and trend? Did he tell us to go and get likes?” the priest asked, before offering a response: ‘No!”

He challenged the youths to use social media to build their own faith and the faith of others, and to make Christ trend online.

“What are you posting today? Can you tell others, be the rabbi, so that people will learn from you and know Christ?” he posed.

The Chaplain of St. Gregory the Great Catholic Chaplaincy at the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA), also challenged young Catholics to confidently proclaim the beauty of their faith. He emphasized that the Catholic Church possesses a rich spiritual heritage that stands equal to any Christian tradition. Citing treasures such as the Mass, the Rosary, Eucharistic adoration, and sacred music, he urged the youth to embrace these practices and communicate their profound value effectively.

Building bridges across borders

A notable speaker at the start of the five-day event was Ghana’s Vice President, Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, who represented President John Dramani Mahama.

She told the young people that the choices and actions they take today will determine the shape of West Africa in the years to come.

“…never forget the difference you can make,” Prof. Opoku-Agyemang told the young Catholics.

She said the bonds the young people would build in Accra could determine how interconnected West Africa would become in the future.

“You have also come here to build friendships across borders. That is very important because, ultimately, West African integration will depend on this also,” she said.

“It is required that as Africans we know one another. For the dignity we claim for ourselves cannot be denied to someone because of nationality, ethnicity, language, religion, political opinions, or social standing,” she explained.

Reflecting on the theme of the gathering, the Ghanaian politician said it was a call for personal responsibility as the region seeks to define its future direction, especially amid the myriad challenges of security, migration, unemployment, and poverty.

“These challenges cross borders; they affect governments and communities alike, and no one country can address them alone,” she said.

“Those in government have their responsibilities, the Church has its responsibilities, civil societies, families, and all other institutions have a responsibility to make our region and the world a better place for ourselves,” she said.