The Parish of Our Lady of Lourdes, Tiébissou, Côte d’Ivoire, hosted the 2nd West Africa Redemptorist Lay Partners Conference from 5–10 August 2026, bringing together Redemptorist lay partners from across the West African region for a time of prayer, formation, fellowship, and missionary reflection.
Highlights of Day One
The first day of the conference was dedicated to the arrival and registration of participants from the countries of the West Africa Vice Province: Burkina Faso, Togo, Benin, Ghana, Niger, and Côte d’Ivoire, the host nation of this second edition of the West Africa Redemptorist Lay Partners Conference. Participants were warmly welcomed in a spirit of fraternity and missionary joy.
Highlights of Day Two – 6 August 2026
On the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord, the conference was officially opened by Fr. Olivier Nobila Sawadogo, C.Ss.R., Vice Provincial Superior of the West Africa Vice Province.
Before the official opening ceremony, the Parish Priest, Fr. Biaou Chabi Siméon, C.Ss.R., welcomed all the participants on behalf of the Redemptorist community and the Parish of Our Lady of Lourdes, Tiébissou. He expressed his joy at hosting the conference and wished everyone a fruitful and grace-filled gathering.
Fr. Noël Sottima, C.Ss.R., Coordinator of COREAM, also addressed the participants, offering words of welcome and conveying the message of the Superior General to all those present.
The conference then continued with a presentation highlighting the activities and achievements of the Redemptorist Lay Partners over the past two years, followed by various conferences, discussions, and interactive sessions. A group photograph was taken to commemorate the occasion.
The participants later gathered for the celebration of the Holy Eucharist of the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord, presided over by the Vice Provincial Superior and concelebrated by the confreres present at the conference. During the Mass, two participants celebrating their birthdays received a special blessing from the Parish Priest.
The evening session resumed with an online presentation by Mrs. Anne Walsh (Canada) on the Directory for Redemptorist Lay Partners. Her presentation provided valuable insights into the identity, vocation, mission, and commitment of Lay Partners within the Redemptorist Family.
The conference provided a valuable opportunity to deepen the participants’ understanding of the Redemptorist charism, strengthen collaboration between lay partners and Redemptorists, and renew their commitment to the Church’s mission of proclaiming the Gospel, especially among the most abandoned and those in need of hope. Through conferences, liturgical celebrations, group discussions, and cultural exchanges, the gathering fostered unity, shared experiences, and a renewed zeal for evangelization in the spirit of St. Alphonsus.
May Our Mother of Perpetual Help continue to accompany all the participants throughout this conference, so that it may strengthen our communion and renew our commitment to the mission of proclaiming the Good News to the most abandoned.
Fr. Denis OPOKU, C.Ss.R.
