You can be like an angel this Christmas. Just as shepherds once proclaimed the birth of Christ, today’s catechists carry the Gospel into villages where Priests can rarely visit. They pray with families, prepare children for the Sacraments, and offer comfort in places marked by hardship and danger. Your gift can make their mission lighter and their witness stronger.
In Burkina Faso, where Islamist fundamentalist terrorism has devastated communities, catechists are often the ones most at risk. “The catechists are the pillars of the Church and often risk their lives,” explains Fr Edgard Ouedraogo. “There are more martyrs among the catechists here than among us Priests.” In 2023, the parish of Rollo was overrun by terrorists. As families slowly return, 16 catechists continue to serve faithfully, despite exhaustion and fear.
Many are elderly or sick, like André, who still drags heavy stones to build a grotto for Our Lady. Each day they travel long distances on battered bicycles, over mud and potholes, returning home utterly worn out. Fr Étienne Sawadogo longs to ease their burden. With motorcycles, these catechists could reach the faithful more quickly and safely. Each motorcycle costs €1,170, and 16 are needed – €18,720 in total, an impossible sum for this poor parish.
Fr. Etienne Sawadogo with a group of displaced people
Your generous contribution towards this motorcycle fund can provide this surprise gift at Christmas. By helping, you affirm your identity as a bearer of hope, enabling catechists to continue proclaiming Christ’s love in the remotest villages. Across Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Eastern Europe, countless catechists serve without pay, sustained only by Faith. This Advent, you can bring joy to them and to the families they serve.
