Support the Studies of 48 Seminarians in Chad

Chad is one of the largest countries in the world, at roughly three times the size of Texas. But with only 16.3 million inhabitants, it is sparsely populated, and since Chad lies partly in the Sahara, it is underdeveloped. Another challenge facing this overwhelmingly Muslim country is the spread of radical Islam and extremist threats.

The Diocese of Sarh is in southern Chad, in a region with 220,000 Catholics and a total population of about 1.6 million. There are 58 priests here and many more vocations to the priesthood. 48 men from the diocese are currently training in various stages of priestly formation, and ACN has regularly supported their studies.

Thanks to our benefactors’ generosity, Thomas, 30, has already achieved his goal and been ordained to the priesthood. He first came into contact with priests and religious sisters in primary school, and he remembers them with affection. “They were always joyful,” he says. “For us children, it was astonishing to see adults behaving that way with us.” But he was not baptized until the age of 17, as he also took religious instruction with the Comboni Fathers in Begou. Little by little, the feeling that God was calling him to the priesthood grew ever stronger.

“Every vocation is the call of God,” says Thomas. “It is He who calls every individual and prepares him to respond to his call. But God does not speak to us directly, but rather through other people who He places in our path.” In his case, it was his friends in the parish, and one particular priest, who he could discuss his burgeoning vocation with. And as a result, Thomas decided to become a priest, since the need for priests in his home diocese was, and is, so great. But he was hesitant to speak to his family about his vocation. “I thought that if I spoke to them about it, my parents would no longer support me in my studies, because my father was still not a Christian. When I finally found the courage to talk to him, he was very happy with my decision and supported me up until his death, just a few months after I became a deacon. The rest of my family was divided in opinion, both for and against, because some of them thought that I should marry, like my father, and have children. But I wasn‘t going to be deterred. I wanted only to become a priest, and this conviction was my strength. And God accompanied me, with the help of various people, to stick to my formation in the seminary right till the end. I became a deacon on June 5, 2021, and on June 4, 2022, I was ordained to the priesthood.”

Today, there are 48 young men from the Diocese of Sarh undergoing formation for the priesthood. They need our help on this path; they need our prayers. And in this desperately poor country, the Church needs financial aid, so their studies can continue.

We are supporting the seminarians for another year. Will you join us?

Aid to the Church in Need commits to invest your funds where they will have the greatest impact for the Church we serve. Funds donated to Aid to the Church in Need’s projects will be used towards the greatest need in our programs to help keep the Faith alive.

Code: 155-02-79