On Saturday, September 6, 2025, the sessions on ongoing formation for the confreres with less than five years of priestly ordination was held at Saint Gerard house in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. Organized by Fr. Olivier Sawadogo, C.Ss.R., Vice-Provincial Superior of West Africa, the program was conducted on the theme: “Formation on the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation.”
Over three days, the confrères experienced moments of learning, sharing, and fraternity. The first day was dedicated to a fraternal exchange on community life and pastoral experiences. On the second day, they studied the introduction of the 1614 Ritual and the 1952 Roman Ritual translation on the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation, reflecting on the essential stages of reconciling a penitent: welcoming one another, listening to the Word of God, confessing both God’s love and one’s sin, and receiving God’s forgiveness. The third day concluded with a sharing of pastoral experiences in the confessional, followed by a general evaluation of the formation.
The session was marked by joy and fraternity, strengthening the communion among the confrères and renewing their commitment to the priestly ministry. It ended in a spirit of friendliness with a beautiful evening of fraternal sharing around a common meal, a sign of unity and missionary joy.
We give thanks to God for this time of growth and entrusted the fruits of the encounter to Our Mother of Perpetual Help, that she may continue to accompany each confrère in his apostolic mission.
Fr. Denis OPOKU, C.Ss.R.
Communication Office, Afrique de l’Ouest
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