Burkina Faso: Rise in vocations despite terror threat

Ordination of priests in Burkina Faso (© ACN).

Vocations at one of Burkina Faso's main seminaries increased by more than 10 percent in the past five years - in spite of frequent attacks by jihadists who have seized control of more than half of the country's territory.

There are 281 students at Saints Peter and Paul Kossoghen Major Seminary in Ouagadougou Archdiocese in the 2024-2025 academic year, up from 254 in 2019-2020.

Seminary rector Father Guy Moukassa Sanon said that about 40 percent of the seminarians are from the so-called "red zone" - parts of the country worst affected by terrorism.

He added that some areas where seminarians come from are so dangerous that many of them did not take the risk of returning to their families for the Christmas break.

This unprecedented number of seminarians meant that some community rooms had to be converted into accommodation, according to Father Sanon.

He told Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN): "The conditions are far from ideal for their studies…

"We've had to accommodate 22 seminarians outside and send another 11 to a seminary in Mali."

Father Sanon explained that extremists abducted a seminarian in 2022 while he attempted to visit relatives. The man's body was never found, making his family believe he was killed.

The priest said that there have been other cases of terrorists targeting seminarians over the years.

ACN has supported the formation of seminarians in six dioceses in Burkina Faso, as well as providing Mass stipends for priests and emergency aid, food, medicine and psychological help for displaced people.

Father Sanon said: "I want to express my deep gratitude to ACN and all its generous benefactors who give sacrificially so that we can form Burkina Faso's future priests."

He added: "Some of our seminarians are in a precarious situation. They don't receive any help from their families, because these are in a sorry condition - displaced or prevented by the terrorists from bringing in the harvest. Thanks to ACN's support we can finance their formation and that of their teachers."

Father Sanon underlined: "Often, you can only appreciate things you have lost. Here, if you ask someone what he wants, he replies: peace."

He concluded: "May the grace of the Infant Jesus reach all our hearts. I also pray for peace for all our benefactors: a peace which only the Infant Jesus can bring, a deep peace which the world cannot give."

With thanks to Sina Hartert

LINK

Aid to the Church in Need: www.acnuk.org