Inspired by Pope’s Catechesis on Vatican II, Ibadan Bishops in Nigeria Recommend Youth Catechism to Strengthen Faith

“As Bishops of Ibadan Ecclesiastical Province, we recommend as a basic catechetical text for all our faithful, adult men and women, the YOUCAT, a very well prepared, analytical and colorful catechism presented in very accessible language for this age and time,” they said.

The Local Ordinaries of Ibadan Catholic Archdiocese and the Dioceses of Ekiti, Ilorin, Ondo, Osogbo, and Oyo underscored that the YOUCAT’s clarity, structure, and contemporary presentation make it well suited to transmit the Church’s doctrinal and moral teachings faithfully, while remaining intelligible to younger generations and adults alike, in continuity with the spirit and teachings of Vatican II.

YOUCAT is a contemporary, youth-oriented catechism developed with and for young people, presenting the core teachings of the Catholic Church in question-and-answer format. Its structure makes it easier for young Catholics to understand doctrine, sacraments, moral life, and prayer in everyday language and format.

YOUCAT (and related materials, such as the YOUCAT Prayer Book or youth editions) are designed to help young people live and share their faith with joy, not just study it.

The initiative comes through the YOUCAT Foundation, which supports youth catechesis and formation worldwide using books, digital media, and interactive materials

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In their January 19-20 meeting held at the Jubilee Conference Centre of the Nigerian Metropolitan See, the Catholic Bishops in IEP express their desire that the YOUCAT “be put to good, profitable use by youths and adults, including teachers and families, as a spiritual resource.”

Reflecting on Pope Leo XIV’s ongoing catechesis on the Second Vatican Council—convened by Pope Saint John XXIII and concluded under Pope Saint Paul VI after the death of Pope John XXIII in 1963—the Bishops in IEP underscored the importance of catechesis.

“Catechesis stands at the centre of the pastoral enlightenment of the faithful. It helps the faithful enrich and expand their understanding of the Scriptures and the Sacred Tradition and their application to life today,” the Bishops said.

They further explained that Catechism helps the faithful “to live more faithfully as disciples of Jesus Christ in their daily lives, especially through a life of prayer, justice, and loving service.”

“It is incumbent that pastors of the Church continually teach and instruct the faithful in the tenets of the faith so that they can apply the faith to the vicissitudes of their daily life experience and encounter,” the Catholic Bishops in IEP said.

Given the complexities of contemporary life and modern ideologies, the Bishops emphasize that the “ongoing catechetical formation is obligatory for all segments of the faithful, especially the young people who are the main target of the new ideologies.”

In the communique following the meeting held under the theme “Sustaining Hope and Strengthening Our Good Efforts,” the Catholic Bishops in IEP also reflected on the salvific mission of Jesus Christ in light of the just concluded Catholic Church’s Jubilee year.

“The Church exists to advance the mission of Jesus Christ. That mission expressed by the Saviour in the gospel of St. Luke offers liberty to captives, good news to the poor, and hope for the oppressed,” the Bishops said.

They added, “We thank God for the activities and events of the Jubilee Year of Hope, which were recently concluded and which reassured our faithful and people that with God, hope does not disappoint us.”

They urged the people of God in the Ecclesiastical Province “to continue to expand the frontiers of hope in our society by promoting at every opportunity the Social Teachings of the Church, also known as Catholic Social Teachings (CST).”

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They explained that the four cardinal principles of CST, namely: the Sanctity and Dignity of Human Life, the principle of Solidarity, the principle of Subsidiarity, and the Common Good, have proven to be very effective and reliable principles for social engineering and the advancement of society in many parts of the world.”

“We call on our experts, Priests and Religious to study, dissect and disseminate this treasure of the Church’s solicitude so that it becomes a veritable tool for the formation of our citizens and the development of our nation,” the Bishops said.

Silas Mwale Isenjia is a Kenyan journalist with a great zeal and interest for Catholic Church related communication. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Linguistics, Media and Communication from Moi University in Kenya. Silas has vast experience in the Media production industry. He currently works as a Journalist for ACI Africa.