Elias, a priestly vocation for Tanzania

Elias Emmanuel Mniko is 22 years old. and a look that conveys peace and conviction. Born in the region of Mwanza, northern Tanzaniaon the shores of Lake Victoria. She grew up in a home full of harmony and faith, where her father Emmanuel and her mother Miluga lovingly raised their four children.

A vocation that the Lord put in his heart

Since high school, he began to feel a deep desire: to be a priest. He could not fully explain it, but something inside him would light up every time he saw the priests at school: dedicated, serene and close. He was fascinated by the seminarians in their white cassocks, elegant and discreet. "It was a desire that the Lord put in my heart," he says now with simplicity.

Although he did not enter the minor seminary, Elias was not discouraged. He spent a year of formation at the vocation house. St. John Paul IIin his native diocese. There, in the silence of prayer and the joy of service, he matured his vocation. He understood that, in Tanzania, being a priest is not just a life choice: it is an urgent necessity..

The community is growing and there are few presbyters

The diocese of Mwanza, to which Elias belongs, faces great challenges. Although Catholics represent about 30 % of the population - some 1.2 million people - priests are scarce and communities are growing rapidly. In many villages, Mass is celebrated only once a month, and there are faithful who walk more than 10 kilometers to attend. Priestly vocations are a blessing desired with hope and faith by all the people.

In spite of everything, the Church in Mwanza is alive. The faithful are enthusiastic, the young people are proud of their faith, and the diocese is working hard to promote educational and health projects. Many schools and hospitals are run by the Church. There, in the midst of simplicity and sometimes precariousness, hope is sown every day.

"I am living a wonderful experience."

Currently, Elias resides in the Bidasoa international seminarin Pamplona. He has completed his first year of Philosophy and his face reflects amazement and gratitude. "I am living a wonderful and fraternal experience," he says. He is excited about sharing daily life with seminarians from all continents, learning from the formators and getting to know other cultures.

Elías Mniko vestido con sotana de sacertoda en un pueblo de Tanzania durante su formación

Europe is teaching me many things," he says. Europeans are very loving. But I also believe that you Europeans can learn from us Africans about the importance of family life.

The priest's life demands sacrifices

Elijah speaks calmly, but his every word is charged with inner fire. He knows that priestly life demands sacrifices. He knows that, when he returns to Tanzania, a demanding mission awaits him: to care for many souls, to accompany scattered communities, to console the suffering and to be the living presence of Christ in the midst of his people.

Sometimes he thinks of his family, his land, the joyful songs at Mass and the ground corn that accompanies almost every meal. He also remembers his friends, his parish catechists and the bishop who encouraged him not to be afraid to say yes to God.

Life at the Bidasoa International Seminary seems to him to be a gift. There are times for prayer, study, sports, service and also parties. "Here we learn to be brothers," he explains. Although at first it was difficult for him to adapt - the cold of Navarre, the language, the food - today he feels at home. His Spanish improves day by day and, when he smiles, he does it with that African warmth.

"The young people of Tanzania have a lot of hope."

Elias is not naive. He knows the problems of the Church, both in Europe and in Africa. In his country, in addition to the shortage of priests, there are social challenges: poverty, lack of access to education in rural areas and the risk of religious syncretism. But he also knows that there is a fire that will not go out. "Young people in Tanzania have a lot of hope. They know they are the future of the Church. That's why they want to train well, serve with joy and give their lives if necessary.

Mwanza, his diocese, has seen the birth of vocations like his. The local major seminary is unable to train all the candidates, so the diocese sends some, like Elias, to formation centers outside the country. It is a brave investment, in the hope that these young men will return to bear fruit.

Return to your country to serve

Elias looks to the future without fear. "I want to go back to my country and serve my people. I want to be a good pastor, like Jesus. And, if I can, I also want to help other young people hear the voice of God". He says this with a peace that moves, because there is nothing stronger than a heart that is surrendered.

His story, like that of many African seminarians, is a song of hope for the whole Church. In a world where faith sometimes seems to be dying out, voices like his remind us that the Gospel is still alive, sowing in fertile lands like Tanzania.

Marta SantínJournalist specializing in religious information.

A vocation to return to the heart of South Africa

Today we tell you about the vocation as a priest in South Africa of seminarian Sthabiso Zibani, who struggles to renew the faith in his diocese despite the wounds of the past.

He is the fourth of five siblings and the son of two high school economics teachers. His parents formed a family where the Catholic faith first took hold through his mother's side, and was later embraced by his father, years after their marriage.

Seminarian Sthabiso's vocation as a future priest grew in a home with roots well supported by the Gospel and Zulu culture, where life revolved around three pillars: home, school and church.

"Our father was a late convert, but his witness left a deep impression on me. We grew up in a typical Catholic and Zulu family: love and respect for God, for each other and for strangers, whom we considered our neighbors."

Between dreams and renunciations: the awakening of a priestly vocation

His parents encouraged both him and his siblings to explore their talents, and he soon became a restless and curious child: he tried soccer, cricket, debating clubs, choir... And, like any youngster his age, he also experienced a secret love. "A girlfriend my parents never knew about," he confesses with a shy smile. But inside him, from a very young age, there burned a question that he could not silence: the call to become a priest.

"I knew I would not marry the girl I loved deeply. So I released my girlfriend and answered the call. I entrusted myself to Christ to give me the strength to love radically, beyond romantic interests and professional ambitions," he recounts.

vocación sacerdote Sthabiso Sudáfrica seminarista
A memento of Sthabiso's parents on their wedding day.

His decision was not an easy one: to respond to his vocation, he left his engineering studies, his comforts and everything he knew, to embrace a path that no one in his family had traveled before.

Vocation: a path guided by love and faith

When speaking about his priestly vocation, Sthabiso lowers his voice a little. He acknowledges that his discernment has been inspired by many people, but primarily by his family, and especially by his father: "In my family I learned and observed the paternal love we received. Many would be surprised to learn that my own father is an inspiration for priestly life. Although he is not a priest, I see in him the priestly virtue of self-sacrifice, even now, at the dawn of old age".

Svocación sacerdote Sthabiso Sudáfrica seminarista
Sthabiso visiting the house of the little shepherds in Fatima.

After his father, it was his parish priests who helped him discover God's will in his life. But, above all, Christ: "The Good Shepherd sees the lame sheep that I am and comes for me. He picks me up and carries me on his shoulders. It is because of him that I want to be a priest: so that more lame sheep may find refuge on those same shoulders".

The Diocese of Eshowe accepted his application and has accompanied him ever since. He spent a year at St. Ambrose House of Formation for aspirants in the Archdiocese of Durban and another year at St. Francis Xavier Orientation Seminary.

After this period of training in South Africa, Sthabiso was admitted to the Bidasoa international seminar (Pamplona), where today he continues his adventure towards the priesthood, walking with a serene and constant step.

The cultural contrast has been enormous, and the Spanish language is still hard for him: "during classes and homilies, sometimes I get lost. But I owe it to God that I made it this far," he says, without a hint of complaint.

vocación sacerdote Sthabiso Sudáfrica seminarista
In his homeland, Sthabiso is happy.

Open wounds and hope: the reality of the Church in South Africa

The Diocese of Eshowe is home to approximately 2.8 % of the region's population. Founded in 1921, it experienced a steady growth in Catholic faithful until the 1980s, when the numbers began to decline.

"There are many factors that contribute to this. The most important, I suppose, being the political instability of that time, the stench of which still lingers in today's society."

With the serenity with which he observes his country from a distance, Sthabiso does not hide the pain he feels about the current situation of the Church in South Africa. Today, Christianity is going through a profound identity crisis: colonialism left open wounds, and the Catholic Church is perceived by some as part of that past.

vocación sacerdote Sthabiso Sudáfrica seminarista
A selfie with a group of colleagues.

"Most people feel that colonialism robbed them of their identity and, as a result, they blame the Catholic Church and other Christian denominations. This has given rise to a strong presence of identity and cultural politics that intentionally exclude God and the Church," he recounts with regret, but without losing hope.

Between mysticism and crisis

Added to this is the influence of Western mysticism, mixed with ancestral African religions, and a deep economic crisis caused, in part, by political corruption. All this pushes many to work even on Sundays, leaving community life behind.

"A good lesson we could learn from Europe is respect for historic religious sites... Our old churches are deteriorating. Alas, if people no longer go to church, the temples will fall into oblivion... little by little," he laments.

vocación sacerdote Sthabiso Sudáfrica seminarista
Sthabiso, in his cassock, poses smiling with his sister.

Faith, modesty and authenticity: the future in the hands of young people

However, there is one spark of hope that burns brightly: the youth. "The most lively part of the Church in South Africa is undoubtedly the youth," he says with conviction.

Far from being swept along by the ideologies of the world, many young people are looking for deep reasons to believe, to live and to hope.

"It is precisely because of the identity crisis that young people are investigating thoroughly. And even though many are barely making ends meet, they still have hope that God will give them a solution."

Most of the Catholic faithful in his country, especially the young, live modestly, both in the way they present themselves to the world and in their liturgies. For this young South African seminarian, the future of the Church is based on authenticity: simplicity, truth and fidelity.

Today, in a language he is still learning and in a culture very different from his own, Sthabiso is taking silent but firm steps towards ordination. He has been in Spain for barely a year and will soon begin his second year of the Bachelor of Theology.

Svocación sacerdote Sthabiso Sudáfrica seminarista
Sthabiso participates in the pastoral work of the Church.

The dream of returning to heal with the love of Christ

His longing is to return one day, as a priest, to the wounded heart of his native land. That is why every class, every prayer, every effort has a clear addressee: the men and women of his beloved Eshowe, thirsty for an authentic faith. "I thank God for my vocation and I desire with all my heart to respond with all my love to this call."

For, in the end, the shepherd's heart is measured by the wounded sheep he hopes to meet and embrace with the very love of Christ.

Marta Santín, journalist specializing in religion.

What does pastoral ministry mean to a seminarian?

During the path to the priesthood, seminarians are not only formed in the study of theology or in the spiritual life. They also prepare themselves to exercise a key and profoundly human task: accompanying, serving and caring for people in their life of faith. This is called pastoral ministry: an experience that not only enriches their formation, but also allows them to experience what their future ministry as priests will be like.

At the CARF Foundation, we accompany hundreds of seminarians from all over the world who, thanks to the help of our benefactors, receive an integral formation. An essential part of this formation is precisely to leave the classroom and the oratory or chapel of the seminary to meet people where they are. But what does this task really mean, what is its function in the seminary, is it just another practice or something essential?

Part of the heart of the priest's ministry

The word comes from the Latin term pastorwhich means shepherd of the sheep. In the Church, this evangelical image refers to the care of God's people, just as Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd, did. To live pastoral care, therefore, is nothing other than to to go out to meet people, guide them, listen to them, accompany them and offer them the nourishment of faith..

For a seminarian, this aspect of formation is as important as the study of Philosophy, Theology or Liturgy. Through it, the future priest learns to:

Grupo de sacerdotes y seminaristas mostrando alegría en un contexto pastoral dentro de un edificio religioso.
A moment of encounter and joy in the path of formation and service.

It is not an academic exercise: it is a meeting

Serving others in these non-academic periods (Easter or summer) is not part of an academic exercise, nor of a professional rehearsal. It is a real encounter with the other. For this reason, from the first years of the seminary, the formators propose to the seminarians various activities in parishes, schools, hospitals, residences, prisons or in the university environment. There, always accompanied by experienced priests, the young men learn to live what will later become their daily tasks.

Many seminarians residing in international houses such as the Bidasoa International Seminary (Pamplona) or Sedes Sapientiae (Rome) do their internships on weekends and vacations. In spite of the academic requirements of the ecclesiastical faculties of the University of Navarra or of the Pontifical University of the Holy CrossThey dedicate this time to serve wherever they are needed: giving catechesis, visiting the sick, organizing activities for young people or collaborating in the Sunday liturgy.

Jóvenes seminaristas y sacerdotes católicos asisten a clase en un aula universitaria, vestidos con la sotana negra o camisa clerical con alzacuellos. Están atentos, tomando notas o usando portátiles, como parte de su formación intelectual y espiritual para vivir plenamente su vocación y el compromiso del celibato sacerdotal.

Learning to be a shepherd, from the beginning

A seminarian does not wait to be ordained to learn to be a pastor. Training starts now. In these real experiences he discovers the multiple dimensions of the priest: consolation for those who suffer, patience with those who doubt, the joy of hidden service, attentive listening to those who seek meaning in their lives.

It is also a key moment of personal and spiritual maturation. Service "tests" vocational motivations, purifies the seminarian's heart and helps him grow in humility and generosity. As he himself cannot yet administer sacraments, its role is focused on accompanying, listening and servingwithout pretensions, from the simplicity of testimony.

Testimonials that speak of life

Many seminarians who receive training grants thanks to the benefactors of the CARF Foundation share their experiences and knowledge. moving testimonies of his life experience. An African seminarian recently recounted how, during his visits to a hospital, he learned to "see Christ in every bed, in every face, in every wound". Another, from America, explained that in catechesis with children he had discovered "the pure joy of transmitting the faith with simple words, but full of truth."

These experiences leave a deep impression. They not only confirm the vocation, but also open the heart to love. A love that will be the basis of future priestly ministry: close, available, cheerful and dedicated.

Stages in the seminar

Training is developed progressively. In the first years, the activities are simpler and are always carried out with accompaniment. As the seminarian advances in his formation, he is entrusted with more responsibilities and is invited to become more directly involved in the life of the community.

In the last years of formation, many seminaries live this custom for a year or for a more intense stage of parish insertion. When the seminarian is ordained deacon, he can now preach, baptize, celebrate weddings and accompany the faithful with greater freedom. This stage is crucial to prepare him for the total dedication that priestly ordination entails.

Diacono vestido con el alba blanca con las manos en posición de rezar

Thank you for making this possible

This service role is part of the deep and realistic apprenticeship that prepares seminarians to become priests after the heart of Christ. Thanks to the generosity of the benefactors of the CARF Foundation, hundreds of young men from all over the world not only receive a first-rate academic formation, but are also able to live these experiences that transform their vocation into a concrete and joyful dedication.

Accompanying them on this path is an investment of hope and future for the universal Church. Because where there is a seminarian who learns and gives himself without measure, there will be a faithful community that one day will have a well-formed, close and generous priest.

Samuel Pitcaithly, 9th seminarian from New Zealand

Samuel Pitcaithly joins the list of New Zealand student seminarians who have been trained in the 40 years of the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross (PUSC), in Rome. With this seminarian, there are now nine boys who have passed through the classrooms, libraries and programs of integral formation and personalized assistance of the university.

Samuel, joven neozelandés, posa en la cima de una montaña rodeado de naturaleza, con sudadera y gafas de sol.
Before responding to the vocation, Samuel lived in his homeland, New Zealand.

Known for being Tolkien's Middle Earth and a highly secularized country

New Zealand is a country best known for the filming of the book written by J. R. R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, and made into a film by director Peter Jackson, and by his hakathe traditional ceremonial dance of the Maori people, the indigenous people of the country, which is nowadays very famous all over the world thanks to the New Zealand national rugby team, the All Blacks. However, no one knows Tolkien's religious New Zealand Middle Earth for its religiosity.

In fact, New Zealand society is highly secularized: a significant part of the population declares itself to have no religious affiliation. Samuel Pitcaithly is the only student from his country in the PUSC.

The story of Samuel, who was born in Christchurch, New Zealand, on November 22, 1995, and who is currently studying philosophy at the University of New Zealand. Pontifical University of the Holy Crossthanks to a study grant from the CARF Foundation, is precisely the story of many young people in his country, who sometimes grew up far from the faith.

But even in that more distant life a spark can be lit that little by little becomes a fire. In fact, today this young student is a religious seminarian belonging to the Spanish community Siervos del Hogar de la Madre and he tells us his story illuminated by the vocational call to become a priest.

An inherited but dormant faith

"My name is Samuel Pitcaithly, and I come from New Zealand, the country of The Lord of the Rings. I grew up in a Catholic family, but as with many young people today, faith was just another aspect of my life, without much importance.

By the grace of God, there was a youth group in our parish that I attended mainly to have fun with my friends. We received good training, and I found valuable companions who helped me a lot," Samuel tells us.

Samuel, seminarista neozelandés, sonríe junto a su padre y sus dos hermanos, todos vestidos de manera formal.
Samuel with his father and brothers in New Zealand, the place where he began his journey as a religious priest.

A life-changing confession

At the age of 17, during a camp for young Catholic leaders, Samuel had a very strong experience with God. On the last night there was a liturgy of reconciliation. They were given a pen and paper and asked to write down all their sins before going to confession.

"At first I wrote the usual: arguments, complaints... but soon the Lord began to remind me of things I had forgotten, hidden or minimized. I filled the whole paper and was surprised by the quantity. When I went to confession, when I received absolution, I felt an enormous weight fall from my shoulders and I experienced the love of Jesus with force. I truly understood that he had died for me. And I felt that I had to do something for Him in response."

The search for meaning

Since then, he started praying and going to Mass on his own initiative. He helped with the youth group and continued his formation while studying engineering at the university. However, that initial fire was extinguished over time.

In his senior year, he decided to participate in a retreat. There, in adoration before the Blessed Sacrament, he asked Jesus what he should do with his life. While all his friends were looking for work, Samuel felt an emptiness.

"I asked Jesus to help me find a job. And then, in my heart, I felt his clear voice: 'I want you to give me two years.

I was surprised. I didn't expect that. But I felt the same deep peace I had felt years before. In that confession; I knew that Jesus was guiding me," he recounts with emotion.

A providential path: NET and Nightfever

Some friends had told him about NET (National Evangelisation TeamsSamuel was a member of the National Evangelization Teams, a group of missionaries who work with young people in various countries. It seemed perfect to Samuel: he could serve the Lord, work with young people and see the world. He signed up and was sent to a parish in Dublin, Ireland.

"There we organized youth groups, catechesis, Confirmation preparation and collaborated in events such as. NightfeverThe event took place in the center of Dublin: an exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, praise music, candles, and volunteers inviting passersby to come in and spend a moment with Jesus.

Many, even those far from the faith, had very strong experiences there," he tells us.

Samuel de adolescente, sonrie junto a tres amigos un coche durante el NET en Irlanda.
Samuel, with three friends during his time in Ireland as NET.

Meeting with the Servants of the Mother's Home

"During one of those nights of NightfeverI saw a young priest in a cassock, juggling with fire surrounded by joyful young people. They were the Servants of the Home of the Mother. I was impressed by their joy, their youth, their passion for the faith." He got to know them and fell in love with their three missions:

  1. Defense of the Eucharist;
  2. Defense of the honor of Our Mother, especially her Virginity;
  3. Conquest of young people for Jesus Christ.

At the end of that night he told a companion, "If God calls me to the priesthood, it will be with them."

The call to the priesthood is confirmed

That same year she went on a pilgrimage with them to Spain. When she was in the chapel of the Motherhouse, she felt she was at home. A year later, in 2020, he joined the community.

"Today, as I look back, I see clearly how God has guided me step by step. Today I have just finished my first year of studies for the priesthood at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross. It is a blessing to be able to form myself in the heart of the Church, surrounded by seminarians and professors from all over the world, all seeking holiness," he says.

Thank you to the benefactors of the CARF Foundation.

Samuel would like to thank the benefactors of the CARF Foundation for their prayers and support: "I am deeply grateful for all that you do to make this journey, mine and that of so many fellow seminarians and priests from all over the world, possible. I keep you very much in my prayers and, God willing, one day I will be able to offer Holy Mass for you and your intentions.

May God and Our Blessed Mother bless you abundantly!".

Gerardo FerraraDegree in History and Political Science, specializing in the Middle East. Head of the student body at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome.

Seminarian Xudong impressed by Spain

Xudong FengHe came from Taiyuan, an ancient diocese in northern China; he arrived with his eyes wide open, his heart full of faith and his soul trembling. It was the first time he had left his country, and although he was overwhelmed by the uncertainty and the difficulty of the language, Something inside him told him that he was not coming just to study: he was coming to grow.

Together with Xudong Pedro Mari, two other seminarians from China, residents of the Bidasoa International Seminary and studying in the Ecclesiastical Faculties of the University of Navarra, will carry out their pastoral work in Madrid this summer, collaborating with the parish priests in liturgical and catechetical tasks.

Xudong Pedro Mari's compatriots are Pengfei Wang (José Pedro), who belongs to the Archdiocese of Taiyuan and has just completed the bridging course of the Bachelor of Theology, and Zhinqinag Duan, (Paul) from the Archdiocese of Beijing, who is studying the fourth year of the Bachelor's Degree in Theology.

Xudong Feng seminarista chino bidasoa

A universal Church

Together with Xudong Pedro Mari, Pengfei José Pedro and Zhinqinag Pablo, 28 other seminarians from different countries will travel during these summer months to parishes in Madrid. This group of young people will collaborate with the parish priests in the preparation of the sacramentsThe program includes catechesis, catechesis and other pastoral and liturgical work as part of their integral formation process.

At the Bidasoa International Seminary, Xudong Pedro Mari has found something he did not expect. In that corner of Pamplona, he not only made friends from almost every continent - Africa, Latin America, Europe, Asia - but also discovered "the beauty of a truly universal Church," he says. Every conversation, every shared celebration, every dish he tasted or custom he learned, was for him a lesson in communion.

"At first I had a hard time speaking. I didn't understand the language well, but little by little I began to understand. Today I can say that I understand more than words; I understand hearts," says Xudong Pedro Mari with a friendly smile.

Xudong Feng seminarista bidasoa

The spiritual environment of Spain

Xudong Pedro Mari studies in the University of Navarra thanks to the support of the CARF Foundation. Every day he walks through the corridors of the Ecclesiastical Faculties with his notebook in his hand and with a deep conviction: that his vocation is a gift to others.

Xudong Pedro Mari has been particularly impressed, the spiritual environment he has found in Spain. "There are many churches here. Even in the universities, in the hospitals... One breathes faith. It's something that nourishes me inside. It reminds me that the Church is alive!" he exclaims.

From Navarra, he shares every discovery with his family. "I tell them everything: the culture, the customs, the food, the way of living the faith. They are very happy. They are glad I am here learning, because they know it is to go back home better."

Xudong Feng seminarista bidasoa

The difficulties of the Church in China

And his home is Taiyuan, a diocese with more than 100,000 Catholics, where the sacrifice of centuries of persecution is still in the air. "The Church in China has been through a lot. From the Tang dynasty, in the 7th century, with the Nestorian Church, to the arrival of the Jesuits in the 16th century. There has been much difficulty, but the faith is still there, like a flame protected by old hands.".

Xudong Pedro Mari recalls with emotion how his vocation was born in this land of faithfulness: "My grandfather and my parents taught me to go to Mass every day since I was a child. It was not an obligation, it was an inheritance. That's how I began to feel that I wanted to be a priest".

Today, as he completes his training, knows that China needs a lot of priests and missionaries. The Church is growing, but still faces challenges: social tensions, little freedom in some places and, above all, the need for hope.

"I am here thanks to many people who believe in our vocation. Thanks to the CARF Foundation, I can train well to serve better. I know that my journey does not end in Navarra: it is just beginning. I want to return to my people, to my diocese, and give back what I have received."

Xudong Pedro Mari, the seminarian with oriental eyes and a universal heart, walks slowly, without haste, but firmly. His story is the story of thousands of Christians in China who, amidst silence and fidelity, continue to keep the faith alive. And it is also the story of a Church without borders, where a young man from Taiyuan can find, in Spain, a home for his vocation.

Xudong Feng seminarista bidasoa

Marta Santín, journalist specializing in religion.

"God continues to call and does not forget Venezuela".

Leonardo was born in El Tigre (Venezuela), but grew up in Pariaguán, "a town to which God has given beautiful sunsets that can be appreciated on the great flat horizon when the sun goes down," says Leo.

In that town he keeps his best memories with his family and friends, a village to which he always returned for vacations during his time in the seminary in Venezuela to be with his family and help in the parish.

He spent his childhood there, accompanied by his mother and grandmother, the two women who sowed in him the seed of faith. "My family is a gift from God for me," he confesses tenderly. He is the youngest of four siblings, and although his father was absent, the warmth of his home, Sunday catechesis and the example of his elders gave him a deep sense of community.

Now, her nieces and nephews are the joy of them all. "For me, the family is an essential part of my life in all aspects. Leo is saddened to recall that some of his family members have had no choice but to leave Venezuela due to the political situation.

Saying yes to the Lord and receiving a good education

It was in his adolescence, while helping as an altar boy, singing at Mass or participating in the Legion of Mary, that he began to wonder about his future. At the age of 17, he decided to say yes to the Lord, encouraged by the close witness of his parish priest. "The Lord called me in the most ordinary of times: as a young man who wanted to do something with his life."he says. And so, Leonardo decided to take this beautiful adventure that captivates him more and more every day.

It now resides in the Bidasoa international seminarHe is a student of the Ecclesiastical Faculties of the University of Navarra. He was sent by his bishop, Mons. José Manuel Romero Barrios, to serve the young diocese of El Tigre, which has just turned seven years old.

"As my bishop says, we are sowing what others will reap. There is a great need for priests and it is fundamental that we are well trained, not for us, but for the people, who have the right to good pastors."

Leonardo posa subido a una motocicleta en su pueblo nata, en Venezuela, mientra piensa en Dios.

Venezuela, an opportunity to evangelize

In Venezuela, where shortages and social tensions have marked generations, Leonardo does not see discouragement, but mission. "It is a great opportunity to console a humble people who suffer. To evangelize today is to be close, to listen, to present to God the wounds of all. And to trust.".

Leonardo recalls that difficulties have always been present in the life of the Church, both in Venezuela and in other countries.. "It is in these difficulties that we can find opportunities to bring the Lord Jesus to all those people who are suffering and thirsting for Him," he says.

This requires a lot of dialogue, respect and, above all, the ability to listen to and accompany people who live in anguish, with difficulties, but also with joy and longing for God. "This is the way to bring about a change in my country, sustaining the faith of all these people and trusting in God's mercy," he says hopefully.

The priest of the 21st century

Well-trained priests are needed to promote this change. When we asked Leonardo what a priest should be like in the 21st centuryHe does not hesitate: "He must be someone who listens, who consoles, who does not judge. An instrument of God for forgiveness. A man of prayer, able to see the person face to face, not only from a screen or through social networks. A poor, free, humble witness who trusts in God's plans".

This young seminarian has it clear and this is his commitment: to form himself as a priest who is attentive, respectful, informed of world events, but also capable of deepening his knowledge of the particular context in which he finds himself.

Un grupo de jóvenes durante una peregrinación mariana posan felizes en la cima de una montaña.

"Let the people who see a priest see someone they can trust and find support in. A priest of our time must be obedient and willing to suffer any calamity to proclaim the Word of God, to bring Jesus to all.", remarks.

Secularization in young people

In an increasingly secularized world, he does not lose hope and optimism, mainly because he sees every day that many young people feel the call of God.

"To attract young people to the faith requires understanding and closeness, but above all prayer.Because all evangelization strategies would be sterile if we do not trust and place ourselves in God's hands. Christ continues to captivate, but we must know how to present him in a way that speaks to them."he says enthusiastically.

The young Leonardo understands today's youth perfectly, because he himself is part of the so-called Zeta generation. For this reason, he recalls that in order to evangelize young people it is necessary to understand how they think today.

"That is a very complex reality. However, a priest can approach and listen to the concerns of young people, make them see that there are much deeper things and that in God is our happiness."

Humberto Salas, sacerdote de Venezuela junto a algunos monaguillos de su parroquia.

Ties between Spain and Venezuela

Leonardo also tells us about the ties between Spain and Venezuela and leaves us a message for reflection: "Europe brought the faith to America, but Europe is losing the faith and America is preserving and sustaining it".

For him, Venezuela and Spain can complement each other in every way: "Spain has welcomed us and we can only offer them the best of ourselves. The human and Christian values of Venezuelans are a glass of fresh water for all of Spain and Europe.The history and tradition of Europe helps to broaden the horizons of all those who come here.

For this reason, he is very happy to be in Spain and to reside in the Bidasoa International Seminary where he has found a home: "It is impressive to see seminarians from so many countries with the same yearning. Here I have made friends, I have prayed, I have studied. It is an environment conducive to growth. You can feel the universal Church.

Leonardo knows that his path is demanding, but he does not hesitate. Because there is a certainty that sustains him: God never stops calling. And he, with serenity and joy, has already answered.

Marta Santín, journalist specializing in religion.