Catholic youth in Liberia have been called to embrace moral responsibility and safeguard the dignity of the human body, described by Church leaders as a sacred gift and the temple of the Holy Spirit.
The appeal was made during the 2025 Archdiocesan Youth Festival, which concluded on December 31 at Stella Maris Polytechnic University (SMPU) in Monrovia. The six day gathering drew 271 young Catholics from across the Archdiocese for prayer, faith formation, recreation, and fellowship under the theme Corpus Templum Spiritus Sancti – The Body, the Temple of the Holy Spirit.
Rev. Fr. Johnny Clement Kombo, Director of the Archdiocesan Youth Secretariat and Priest Secretary to the Archbishop of Monrovia, urged participants to reject lifestyles that undermine human dignity. “Your body is not an object, it is a gift and a temple of the Holy Spirit,” he said, stressing the need to resist drugs, pornography, violence, and self harm while embracing prayer, the sacraments, and healthy living.
Fr. Kombo encouraged practical habits such as nutritious eating, regular exercise, adequate rest, and avoidance of harmful substances, alongside active participation in sacramental life, as concrete ways of honoring the human body.
The festival opened with registration, orientation, and a vocation evening, followed by daily activities blending spiritual formation with practical guidance. Morning prayers, Holy Mass, confessions, Eucharistic adoration, and interactive faith sessions were complemented by structured recreation.
A central feature was the Archdiocesan Youth Assembly (AYA) Convention, where delegates discussed leadership, youth engagement, and pastoral priorities. Cultural and sporting activities—including dance, rap, debates, and doctrinal quizzes—promoted teamwork, creativity, and leadership skills.
Faith formation sessions featured national and international speakers. Madam Sonia Enciso and Madam Patricia N. Doe addressed purity, relationships, and the role of the Holy Spirit. Rev. Fr. Peter Kwaku Kpen Ana, SDB, Rector of the Salesian Mission in Liberia, spoke on sacraments, the Eucharist, and Christian social responsibility, while Rev. Sr. Audrey Taire, SHF, focused on health, body image, chastity, and self worth.
Quoting St. John Bosco, Fr. Kpen Ana urged youth to entrust their lives to Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary: “Entrust everything to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament and to Mary Help of Christians, and you will see what miracles are.”
A special session on cyberbullying examined its effects and the Church’s response through Scripture and Catholic Social Teaching. Youth volunteers Ann Maria Williams, Margaret Calice Mulbah, and Mariama Amie Gebeh facilitated the discussion, supported by Rev. Fr. Omerly Y. Kollie, Jr., Associate Pastor of Sacred Heart Cathedral, and Rev. Fr. Edward S. Tiepoh of St. Kizito Parish.
Participants also joined a Rosary walk from Our Lady of Lebanon Parish to the Marian Shrine at Don Bosco School, and excursions to St. Francis Xavier Outstation, St. Michael the Archangel Chapel, and Wulki’s Farm in Careysburg, fostering reflection and community bonding.
The festival concluded with a final Holy Mass, evaluation sessions, and participant departures. Organizers said the event achieved its objectives of promoting spiritual growth, moral formation, and unity among young Catholics.
Several priests, religious, seminarians, and animators contributed throughout, including Rev. Fr. Charles N. S. Makara, Rev. Fr. Florent Londji, SMA, Rev. Fr. Thomas Tran, SDB, and volunteers from the Salesian Family led by Rev. Bro. Omobayode Olukanni, SDB.
