Life often calls us to dismantle old structures to build something more enduring. Reflecting on the youth and young adults of Saint John Paul II Quasi Parish in Freetown from July 2019 to the present a vibrant period marked as the parish’s “Jesuit epoch” offers a compelling look at this transformation. Young people have always been a beacon of hope and vitality in the Church, bringing fresh perspectives to spiritual, social, and cultural life. Yet, their energy also brings crucial pastoral questions to light: How do we walk alongside young people while honouring their dignity and freedom? How can we meet them where they are without judgment, and how do we ensure their voices shape the journey?

These questions call for an approach grounded in Ignatian spirituality, one rooted in intentional discernment and driven by the spirit of the Magis, the dynamic search for the greater good and the greater glory of God. Guided by the Society of Jesus’s four Universal Apostolic Preferences (UAPs), we explore how youth and young adult ministry has evolved at Saint John Paul II Quasi Parish, Freetown since the arrival of the Jesuits on July 25, 1605. Central to this journey is the African Jesuit AIDS Network (AJAN), which empowers our young people locally while connecting them to a broader network across Africa and beyond through shared formation, mentorship, and mission.

Like many Catholic parishes in Freetown, Saint John Paul II Quasi Parish is blessed with energetic, talented, and dynamic young people who, when guided through Ignatian pedagogy, will not only grow spiritually but will also positively influence the wider Church in the country. However, recognising their potential requires more than maintaining existing structures. The first Universal Apostolic Preference (UAP), walking with the Poor and the Excluded, challenges us to move beyond passive presence toward genuine accompaniment, where beliefs, values, and lived realities are critically engaged rather than merely accepted or dismissed.

Such accompaniment requires pastoral ministers who walk alongside the people entrusted to their care, especially the younger generation. Rather than remaining distant or inaccessible, priests and ministers must engage young people in their own spaces, listening attentively to their hopes, fears, dreams, frustrations, and aspirations with the assurance that they are journeying together.

It was this understanding of shared mission that laid the foundation for a fruitful partnership between the African Jesuit AIDS Network (AJAN) and Saint John Paul II Quasi Parish. Through AJAN’s engagement, the pastoral team deepened its understanding of young people’s needs and challenges, extending accompaniment beyond active parish members to those living on society’s margins. In doing so, the parish embraced the wisdom of the saying, “It takes a village to raise a child.” This collaboration affirmed that nurturing young people requires a community united in commitment and responsibility.

Building on this partnership, the pastoral team continued the journey in the spirit of the Ignatian Magis. AJAN’s initial visit in April 2023 created momentum for further engagement, allowing the seeds planted during that encounter to be nurtured. Looking back, we do so with profound gratitude for the relationships and opportunities that have contributed to this growth.

AJAN’s involvement brought renewed hope to our youth and young adults. It provided a platform upon which local initiatives could flourish and through which young people could become active participants in their own development while strengthening their entrepreneurial and leadership skills and capacities. Young people must understand that authentic development requires commitment, accountability, and responsibility toward both present and future generations.

At Saint John Paul II Quasi Parish, this spirit of responsible stewardship has become central to youth ministry, as young people increasingly recognise that the Church is not merely a place they attend but a family to which they belong and in which they have a meaningful role. This growing sense of ownership and co-responsibility has inspired their active participation in spiritual and social activities, while nurturing their commitment to building a Church and a community that will continue to flourish for generations to come.

This conviction leads us to the second Universal Apostolic Preference: Accompanying Young People in the Creation of a Hope-Filled Future. Genuine accompaniment requires more than organizing activities and programs. It demands attentive listening and meaningful presence. In this regard, the pastoral team has consistently sought to create spaces where young people can express their aspirations, fears, frustrations, and dreams. Through meetings, formation programs, faith-sharing sessions, liturgical celebrations, and outreach initiatives, young people have become active protagonists rather than passive spectators in the life of the Church.  

Journeying with the youth and young adults of Saint John Paul II Quasi Parish, together with men and women living on the margins, demonstrates that meaningful pastoral engagement demands the courage to reassess existing structures, the humility to listen attentively, and the creativity to develop new ways of accompanying people in their faith journey. It also requires a willingness to challenge our own assumptions, values, and approaches. As T. S. Eliot suggested in Four Quartets (1943), growth often involves the difficult task of unlearning and relearning. Change remains a constant feature of human life, requiring communities to continually discern how best to respond to emerging realities.

This willingness to rethink established approaches becomes particularly meaningful when pastoral accompaniment translates into practical opportunities for transformation. The experience of Mohamed Kamara Peter, a parishioner of Saint John Paul II Parish in Freetown, Sierra Leone, and founder of Crest Tech Innovation, a technology hub committed to expanding access to digital skills and learning opportunities, illustrates how youth empowerment and social entrepreneurship can respond to the challenges facing young people. As a beneficiary of AJAN’s Jesuit Youth Social Entrepreneurship Action (JYSEA) Programme, Mohamed who has empowered more than 70 beneficiaries demonstrates how formation, mentorship, and targeted support can empower young people to develop innovative solutions that address community needs and create opportunities for others.

This shared stewardship leads us to the third Universal Apostolic Preference: Collaborating in the Care of Our Common Home. Within the parish community, young people have increasingly come to grasp that faith and responsibility for creation are inseparable. Care for our common home forms an essential dimension of Christian discipleship. Ecological awareness provides another avenue through which young people exercise leadership, service, and stewardship. Young people are continually reminded that responsibility extends beyond personal development to the care of the environment in which future generations will live and flourish. If we desire a sustainable future, our common home must be protected.

Fr. Cornelius O. Apili, SJ, Parish Priest of Saint John Paul II Quasi-Parish, Freetown, Sierra Leone, and Mohammed Kamara (the man in the photo on the right) during the certification ceremony of youths trained at Crest-Tech Innovation SL Ltd., one of the social enterprises run by Mohamed Kamara, a beneficiary of AJAN’s Jesuit Youth Social Entrepreneurship Action (JYSEA) Programme.

Previous generations may not always have succeeded in this mission. Our responsibility is not to repeat those failures but to adopt attitudes and practices that preserve and protect our shared space. Creation care belongs to all of us and must be carried out with generosity, responsibility, and commitment.

Our reflection culminates in the fourth Universal Apostolic Preference: Showing the Way to God through Discernment and the Spiritual Exercises. This preference provides the spiritual foundation upon which all the others rest. Ignatian spirituality calls us to seek and find God in all things. Throughout the journey with the youth and young adults of Saint John Paul II Quasi Parish, particular emphasis has been placed on helping young people recognize God’s presence in their daily experiences and make choices that promote authentic flourishing and the greater glory of God.

As AJAN celebrates its Silver Jubilee, this experience invites us to recognise that the true measure of our mission lies not only in programmes undertaken but also in lives touched, relationships nurtured, and hope renewed. The journey of Saint John Paul II Quasi Parish demonstrates how collaboration, youth empowerment, and Ignatian accompaniment can foster a more inclusive and participatory Church.

Ultimately, the journey with the youth and young adults of Saint John Paul II Quasi Parish reminds us that accompaniment is not a project but a vocation. Though demanding and often exhausting, remains profoundly life-giving and grace filled. It is a ministry of presence, listening, discernment, and hope. Guided by the Universal Apostolic Preferences and sustained by the grace of God, the parish community continues to discover that young people are not merely the future of the Church; they are active protagonists of its present mission and an indispensable part of its ongoing renewal.

By, Cornelius O. Apili, S.J.,

Parish Priest Saint John Paul II Quasi Parish, Freetown, Sierra Leone.