From North Africa to WYD | Missionarie dell'Immacolata

Sr. Sénia is a missionary in North Africa and she will have the opportunity to participate in the WYD together with about thirty pilgrims from four dioceses.

My name is Sénia Alfredo Musdna Malú, I come from Guinea Bissau and I have been a Missionary Sister of the Immaculate in North Africa for just one year and nine months.

Like every missionary fits into reality with the methodology of seeing – judging – acting, I too am experiencing a new reality, a new way of thinking, behaving and even building relationships. I have gladly accepted to work with those who are now a part of my life. However, learning the Arabic language remains not only a challenge but also a priority. I live in a guest house. I coordinate and at the same time give catechetical courses to expatriate children. I also collaborate with the team of men and women religious who are committed to ecology and to protect the Earth, our common home.

I will go to WYD 2023 in Lisbon with a group of young people and, thanks to my knowledge of Portuguese, I will also be able to help the group. I participate as a young guide of the archdiocese and as deputy leader for the organization of WYD 2023.

I am delighted with this opportunity and I believe it is also fundamental for all young people, first because it brings them together and shows them the uniqueness of being children of God. It is an opportunity to let them know that the Church is one and universal and that everyone must embrace their brother or sister without barriers of skin or language, of nationality.

From a spiritual point of view, for young people it is also an opportunity to meet and share the experience of faith and life. The strength of the Church is the ability to get close to young people and to bring them together from all over the world.

Young people need to be encouraged and educated to assume their faith with conviction and responsibility in society, in the face of the strong headwind that is affecting our contemporary world. With courage, they can give a credible testimony of faith and a new vision of life, which leaves an imprint on the future of our society.

I see that the expectations of our young people who are preparing to go to WYD are different. First to make a personal experience of the Lord, then certainly to be able to experience a meeting with young people from all over the world together with the Pope, to recharge their spiritual and moral strength so that, on their return, they can give an authentic and relevant testimony in their living environment.

The preparations have started well, the young people are excited and eager to be able to participate in this great event, to discover a new culture, a new reality and above all, they feel the profound joy of being able to celebrate all this with the Pope.

Several preparatory meetings were organized. The WYD interdiocesan organizing team held two meetings to contact all pilgrims to WYD and to provide a presentation of the WYD program and give practical indications.

Various initiatives were undertaken to amortize the financing of the trip, given the strong involvement and interest of young people in the preparation process for WYD. In total, our group is made up of 27 pilgrims, together with our Bishop, boys and girls of fourteen nationalities and four different dioceses.

Participating as a young missionary Sister of the Immaculate and youth guide at WYD, is a great opportunity to feed my curiosity and desire to discover, but also to strengthen my faith. I imagine that every WYD experience is unique and personal, that no participant wants to forget. We need to let ourselves be touched by the Holy Spirit individually, to arouse in those who listen to us the desire to follow Christ more closely and … why not? Also the desire to prepare to participate in the next WYDs.

Sr. Sénia Alfredo Musdna Malú, North Africa