Help for the training of 12 Spiritan seminarians
The Holy Ghost Fathers (Congregation of the Holy Spirit, CSSp.) – also known as the Spiritans – were founded in 1703 in France. Today, its members are present in over 60 countries, evangelizing and ministering to the poor and to those on the margins of society, especially in remote and difficult regions where the Church faces serious challenges.
The congregation has been present in Zambia since 1971 and today, there are 19 priests working in three dioceses of this country in Southern Africa. It is blessed with a number of local African vocations and has already ordained 16 young Zambian men to the priesthood, while another 12 are currently in training. Last year, you supported their formation with a total of $10,080 – support for which they are most grateful!
The many holiday camps hosted in various regions afflicted by war and conflict offer young people temporary relief from their suffering as well as the opportunity to engage in carefree activities while growing in faith. Aid to the Church in Need (ACN)’s project partners report that attending one of these camps is the most eagerly anticipated event of the year for many children and youth.
This year, more than 1,600 summer camps for young people are taking place in 18 countries—from Egypt and Jordan to Iraq, Georgia, and Kazakhstan—thanks to funding by ACN of almost $2.8 million. In many war and conflict-torn regions as well, including the Holy Land, Lebanon, Syria, Ukraine, Armenia, Mozambique, and Venezuela, youth are being welcomed into a peaceful and healthy environment to share their lives with peers and to deepen their faith.S
Summer camps in times of war
Some of the camps have a long history of benefiting from the support of ACN. Among these are those taking place in the Holy Land again this year, even as the armed conflict there continues. Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, has thanked the charity for its “ongoing collaboration” and insists that the summer camps of the St. James Vicariate for Hebrew-speaking Catholics in Israel would not exist without the funding provided by ACN. Outlining the importance of the camps, he says, “the majority of the participants are children of migrants. This group of people is particularly affected by the ongoing war.”
Father Piotr Zelazko, patriarchal vicar for the Hebrew-speaking Catholics in Israel, explains that, for the migrants’ children, these camps are not just another summer activity, “but also a beacon of hope, a chance to experience a sense of belonging and community that is often absent in their tumultuous world. Our camps provide a safe haven where they can reinforce their identities, build friendships, and engage in educational activities that are otherwise inaccessible to them. It is here that they can also connect with their faith and cultural heritage.”
This summer’s camps in the West Bank, for around 500 children and young adults ranging from 9 to 35 years old, have been inspired by Pope Francis’s call for this year to be dedicated to prayer.
Many of the summer holiday camps offering spiritual and psychological support to orphaned children, those with disabilities, internally displaced children, and the offspring of war victims are being hosted in Ukraine. Auxiliary Bishop Maksym Ryabukha, of the Greek Catholic Exarchate of Donetsk, which is overseeing summer rehabilitation camps for the children of internally displaced families, insisted during a visit to ACN’s international head office that the holiday camps give young people the opportunity “to enjoy a normal life,” a valuable opportunity not only to gather strength, but also to “recognize that life cannot be put on hold. Every one of us is called upon to grow day by day, to take responsibility, and to become builders of the world and of peace.”
Keeping the youth rooted in their homeland
In recent years, many of the summer camps organized by the church in Lebanon have had to be cancelled because of the severe economic crisis there. In view of the financial situation, many families find it difficult to prioritize their children’s participation in pastoral activities. This context makes the support provided by the charity all the more important. This year, ACN is enabling around 60,000 young people to attend summer camps in the country. In addition, day camps for Lebanese orphans and young refugees from Syria and Iraq are being facilitated in the Chaldean Catholic Eparchy of Beirut, which is one of the smaller dioceses—with probably the highest proportion of refugees—in Lebanon.
The experience of a summer camp can have a huge influence on the lives of children and young people and help them put down stronger roots in their home country. This factor is of major significance for both Lebanon and neighbouring Syria, where the exodus of people shows no sign of abating and is jeopardizing the very existence of Christianity in the countries. This is where the largest number of summer camps are taking place this year and the 44 events will be attended by more than 75,000 young people. A scout group leader in the Syrian city of Jaramana comments that “by way of these summer camps, we are seeking to give our children the hope of overcoming life’s difficulties, which is a worthwhile endeavour. Unless we change the mentality of this generation, it will be one that lacks both ideals and dreams. In consequence, they will be destined to turn their backs on the country.”
Making the world a better place through love
In Armenia, which UNICEF estimates has taken in more than 100,000 refugees, including 30,000 children, since Azerbaijan’s occupation of the Nagorno-Karabakh enclave in September 2023, the Our Lady of Armenia summer camp, overseen by the Armenian Sisters of the Immaculate Conception, is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. Among the more than 800 beneficiaries this year are orphans and children of the families forcibly displaced from Nagorno-Karabakh, the families of seriously wounded and deceased soldiers, minors from the villages bordering Azerbaijan, as well as children and adults with disabilities. “We are hoping to relieve the visitors’ traumas, brighten up their days in a safe and warm environment, and expand their knowledge and skills,” explains Arousiag Sajonian, superior general of the Armenian Sisters of the Immaculate Conception.
Every year, around 200 children receive the sacraments of initiation while attending these holiday camps. Arousiag Sajonian is very grateful for the many years of support given by ACN: “The camp is the most eagerly awaited event of the year for our children. Thanks to the help provided, every summer, hundreds of disadvantaged children can disconnect from their habitual routine and improve their physical, spiritual, and emotional wellbeing in the beautiful surroundings of Tsaghkadzor. We firmly believe that we can make the world a better place to live through education and by fostering solidarity, empathy, unconditional love, and passion.”
One of these seminarians is Brother Brian Chilando, who was recently ordained a deacon and will shortly be ordained to the priesthood. He writes:
“We will always pray for you, that God may bless you with everything you need in your lives. Your support for us is like a warm, bright ray of light, representing the kind and caring people you are and your concern for the needs of others. I believe that the reason I have come this far on the path of my vocation is because there are people like you, generously willing to support us students in our training for the priesthood and religious life. I thank you with all my heart for this. I believe that the dreams of so many young men who want to become priests or religious can only be fulfilled thanks to gestures such as yours. Indeed, your help benefits not only the congregations concerned but also the entire Church, since you are contributing to the formation of the future servants of the universal Church. Once again, my heartfelt thanks!”
Brother Remmy Banda is in his fourth year of Theology and also wishes to express his warmest thanks to all our benefactors.
“I was overjoyed and grateful to learn of your loyal financial support for my training,” he says. “As always, I want to thank God in my prayers for you and your families and for your charity ACN. I pray to the Lord, whom you so zealously serve, to continue to bless and protect you and reward you for your generosity.
Again and again, I feel encouraged by your overwhelming and selfless support, and today I can say in all confidence that ‘by the grace of God I am what I am’ (cf 1 Cor 15:10). This grace is beautifully evident in your generosity and love for me. I pray that the Holy Spirit may continue to make his fruits grow within you.”
