Bertrand Wadi Kiasolwa, consecrated in the Community of Life, took on the role of Young Advisor of the Catholic Shalom Community in October 2019. This sector of the Catholic Community Shalom is responsible for actions aimed at evangelizing the youth. The extraordinary appointment was made by Moysés Azevedo, Founder and General Moderator of the Community, during a General Ordinary Assembly (GOA).
Moysés Azevedo explained that the choice aims to consolidate the internationalization of the Community. Although the Young Advisor is not part of the General Council, the Founder explains that the Statutes provide for the possibility of inviting members to some meetings.
Bertrand Wadi is a native of the Democratic Republic of Congo and came to study in Fortaleza, capital city of Brazilian State of Ceará, around mid-2014. He received an invitation to the Seminar on Life in the Holy Spirit from a friend while working at the 2014 FIFA World Cup games. He joined the prayer group, went through a vocational discernment process, became a member of the Community of Life, and this year made his first promises in the Shalom Charism.
Understanding What the Young Advisory Is
The Young Advisory in the Catholic Community Shalom is responsible for actions of evangelization with the youth, the primary focus of the Charism. It aims to promote unity among those responsible for Shalom youth worldwide.
As for the Youth for Jesus Project, it is a pastoral organization of the Shalom Community guided by the Young Advisory, with the mission to evangelize the youth with boldness and creativity, in the light of the Shalom Charism, through the realization of formative and kerygmatic events, prayer groups, and leisure activities. The youth assume, therefore, the protagonism of the New Evangelization, having as a model and intercessor St. Therese of Lisieux. The Project was officially launched in Fortaleza on May 17, 1989, seven years after the founding milestone of the Catholic Community Shalom.
In the early years of its activities, the Project counted on the missionary commitment of Ronaldo Pereira, a member of the Community of Life, who was passionate about Saint Paul and St. Therese, and who died at the age of 24 in a traffic accident. “My greatest desire is to give my life for the youth!”, Ronaldo said shortly before dying on a mission, also on a 17th (February 17, 1995), while returning from a visit to the Shalom community in the city of Natal.