Include Disaster Management in Formation of Priests, Caritas Africa Official Says

"Gone are the years when it was none of our business. Now, we have to go beyond having retreats and understand the things that happen within our communities and within our countries,” Fr. Nah said, and added that Priests do not need to wait for episcopal statements before acting. 

The member of the Clergy of Liberia’s Monrovia Archdiocese also urged Catholic Priest colleagues across Africa to be proactive in community issues. 

"We need to be part of everything within a community. When communities are having meetings, you have to go there to ask questions and give advice," Fr. Nah said, and insisted on the need for Priests to understand policies before criticizing people's actions. 

In the November 18 interview, the Caritas Africa official also called on Priests to pay particular attention to the youth. 

“The young people are looking up to us. In the past, we told them to go to school, study hard and get good jobs but they are done with school and there are no jobs,” he said, adding that Priests need to reflect on how to communicate with the youth and understand the policies and politics that affect them. 

More in Africa

Apostolic Nuncio Lauds Religious Institutes as “an invaluable component” of Church in South Sudan

Read the article

Fr. Nah was speaking to ACI Africa after a meeting for Caritas members in the Inter-Regional Meeting of Bishops of Southern Africa (IMBISA). 

He explained why Caritas in particular and the Catholic Church in general need to embrace the media in activities.  

The Catholic Priest noted that contrary to previous generations, which did not need to see what the Church is doing, the current one needs proof of projects before participating in development activities. 

"The generation we have wants to see to believe. This time around it is not the generation that used to come without asking. This one wants you to go to depths. They want to sit in a hall and you come and present what you have done. We have to give them the platform and they will contribute," Fr. Nah said.