Information reaching the office of RECOWACERAO NEWS AGENCY, RECONA signaled that the Catholic Church in Nigeria is set to Launch “SOUL” and “SHINE” Initiatives to Foster Compassion, Hope in Youth Evangelization. Our Correspondent in Abuja, the political capital of Nigeria picked up this news when he fathomed that this initiative which kicked off in Nigeria will spell development for our continent if it can be translated into other African countries.

Our media executive in Nigeria reported that in response to the growing moral crisis among young people in Nigeria, the National Youth Office of the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN) is launching two initiatives, the Serving Others Under Love (SOUL) and the Sharing Hope in New Evangelization (SHINE) programs, to foster the formation of the conscience, compassion, and other ingredients of Catholic evangelization among youth in the West African nation.

The initiatives that are part of the “Love Revolution Program” seek to equip Nigeria’s youths with ethical values to navigate socio-economic challenges in the country without resorting to unethical means.

In an interview with the media on March 1 on the sidelines of a strategic meeting between the Youth National Office and the Focolare Movement in Nigeria, the National Catholic Youth Animator, Fr. Boniface Idoko, highlighted the contemporary challenges bedeviling youths in Africa’s most populous nation and emphasized the value of forming the youths’ conscience inappropriate values.

“Today, Nigerian youths face numerous socio-economic challenges that destabilize their mental reasoning. The pressure to survive often drives them to engage in unethical acts, including violence and even murder, just to make money. The desperation for financial gain has overridden moral consciousness in many cases,” Fr. Idoko said.

He explained, “When conscience is not formed, people commit heinous crimes without remorse. A person can take a life in the afternoon and sleep soundly at night, unbothered by their actions.”

To counter this trend, the Catholic Church in Nigeria is set to launch the Love Revolution Program, known as Serving Others Under Love (SOUL), which aims to reorient young people towards compassion and selflessness.

Scheduled to take place from March 27-30, the three-day SOUL training program is to bring together 50 participants from across Nigeria.

“This program is designed to address the increasing inhumanity among young people. The race for wealth and material possessions has made many of them lose their sense of kindness. Through SOUL, we aim to train and reorient young people to prioritize love, service to humanity, and a humane approach to life,” Fr. Idoko told our Correspondent.

He added, “We are working hard to raise funds locally to cover their accommodation, feeding, and training materials.”

The program’s long-term vision is to create a ripple effect by training “SOUL ambassadors”, who will return to their communities to establish SOUL groups and mentor their peers, the National Catholic Youth Animator in Nigeria told the Catholic Media during the March 1 interview.

He explained, “Each participant will be inducted as a SOUL ambassador and expected to form a SOUL community in their locality. This will create a network of young people dedicated to promoting kindness and moral integrity. We will also hold follow-up training sessions to sustain the momentum and deepen their understanding.”

Fr. Idoko highlighted the role of the media in realizing the initiative as important, saying, “Through media engagement, we will also encourage SOUL ambassadors to document and report acts of kindness, thereby fostering a culture of moral accountability and inspiration.”

In the March 1 interview, the National Catholic Youth Animator in Nigeria who doubles as the Secretary of the Youth Committee of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) explained the SHINE program, which is to benefit members of the Catholic youth corps under the umbrella of the National Association of Catholic Corps Members (NACC).

Scheduled for April 2025, the initiative is to train 100 corps members to become evangelizers of hope, with a focus on uplifting those experiencing despair and social alienation, Fr. Idoko told ACI Africa.

He explained, “Many young people are struggling with depression and hopelessness. We want to equip our corps members with the right mindset to reach out to them, offering encouragement and a renewed sense of purpose through evangelization.”

Looking beyond immediate programs, the member of the Clergy of Nigeria’s Catholic Diocese of Otukpo revealed the “dream” plan to establish a Catholic Youth Hub, a center dedicated to providing young people with access to technology, skills training, and development opportunities.

“One of our bigger dreams is to have a youth hub where young people can access the Internet for learning and technology-driven projects, possibly even robotics and Artificial Intelligence,” he said, and added about Nigeria’s youths, “We want them to develop skills that not only make them self-sufficient but also contribute to national development.”

Fr. Idoko said that the envisioned media hub “will also serve as a skills training center for those who are not formally educated, equipping them with vocational skills and, where possible, providing them with start-up kits to support their entrepreneurial journey.”

“The realization of this vision depends on securing financial backing,” he told the media in Africa, adding, “We are praying for sponsorship or funding. We do not know where it will come from yet, but we remain hopeful that support will emerge.”

In the March 1 interview, the National Catholic Youth Animator in Nigeria said that the success of SOUL and SHINE initiatives depends on the collaboration of various stakeholders in the Catholic Church, including Parish Priests, Diocesan Chaplains, and the Laity.

“The Church must work in solidarity to support young people. They should not be left to face these societal challenges alone. We need structures at the Parish and Diocesan levels to keep these initiatives alive,” the Catholic Youth animator in Nigeria said.

Fr. Idoko also underscored the importance of forming support groups to encourage and foster accountability for Nigeria’s youths.

“A strong support network will help youth resist negative societal pressures. When they meet regularly to share experiences and challenges, they remain steadfast in their commitment to live differently,” the Nigerian Catholic Priest said.

He expressed optimism that the envisioned plans for youth evangelization will bring about lasting change among Catholic youths in Nigeria.

“Our message is simple: Be humane, be kind, show love, pursue peace, and live in unity. We are not merely interested in numbers; we seek genuine transformation. If we can change even a small group, the impact will naturally spread,” Fr. Idoko told the media on March 1.

He added referring to SOUL, SHINE, and the envisioned media Hub, “With these ongoing initiatives, the Catholic Church in Nigeria is taking significant strides toward rebuilding moral values among young people, ensuring they grow into responsible, compassionate, and purpose-driven individuals.”

Jour : 4 mars 2025

CATHOLIC CHURCH IN NIGERIA TO LAUNCH “SOUL” AND “SHINE” INITIATIVES

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