It is a small group of young people who meet every Sunday after mass with Fr Ramon,

to reflect and produce a text on issues of justice and peace. The group began as a response to Ivoirian bishops’ call to Christians to reflect on areas where justice and peace have been flouted.

In a country where violence is still present, the Ivorian bishops, by a joint letter, invited Christians to denounce situations of violence in any form whatsoever. “Following this letter, we took the initiative with Father Ramon to continue the reflection begun by our bishops. So we decided to reflect on all these sources of violence that undermine people’s tranquillity. We do this so as to provide a response and help members of the public to change their mentality.” Said one of the youth.

Another member explaining how they work said: “We take for example the theme of violence, we give ourselves a month to investigate the issue. Every Sunday we come together, share our ideas and reflect upon them. At the end of the month when the theme has been worked on, we come to Mass to educate parishioners. For example, as regards violence, we urged them not to respond to violence with violence. Currently, we are working on the topic of mercy since it is the year of mercy. “

A third one, explaining how they began said: “We started with the theme that the bishops gave: Who are the small demons of the society? They, the bishops (ndlr), showed us the way, and we began from there developing several sub-themes including: “microbes”; “brouteurs”, pregnancies in schools etc. We did research on this subject, people appreciated.” He continued saying: “We develop themes that are current affaire related. Recently, we talked about the elections knowing that in Africa, they do not always happen as they should.”

Giving more details, Father Ramon added: “In the course of a month, we launch a theme, each one of us individually does his own research at home, either on Internet, in books, at Sunday school or in our respective Small Christian Communities (SCC). Then the following Sunday we report our findings so as to help one another pursuit the research for 3 or 4 more Sundays. Finally, we come together to write a text that is a consensus on the theme and we read that text at Mass. According to our organisation, we do not meet at the Sunday that follows our theme presentation at Mass.

For example, our research on “microbes” revealed that parents of these children are aware of their children’s involvement in these groups, but they can’t talk because they are afraid of their own children. So parents are encouraged, to talk to their own offspring.

“Teenage pregnancy is as rampant as violence is in school and they have been subjected to our reflection. Now we are preparing the theme on mercy.

“We have noticed that member of the group are not many because the aim of the group is to think. Unfortunately, a considerable amount of young people do not want to sit and think.

“A young man, member of the group observed that in the group, all do talk and express their views on the topic been discussed. Young people came from various neighbouring parishes to constitute this small and modest group. Though small, the group is filled with potentials to grow and be a place where justice and peace radiate as Pope Francis recommends.”

 

Some Ivorian vocabs : Here is called “Microbes” a gangs of children who, under the leadership of some adults, attack, steal from people and armed rob. The cook of the regional house of Abobo-Doumé has been a one of their victims. They surrounded him, snatched his phone and one of them stabbed him in the shoulder from behind. “Brouteurs” are people who practice internet scam, they live in Côte d’Ivoire but swindle people around the world and thus make easy money. They, for instance, hijack an email account and send emails to people in the address book pretending to need urgent help because they are stranded in a foreign country after been robbed. You might have once received such a scam and maybe some have fallen in the trap.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gérard Sagnol, sma