English 
“The truth will set you free” is the motto chosen to celebrate the Day of fasting and prayer for peace and stability in Guinea Bissau”.
The Diocese of Bissau and Bafata’, in Guinea Bissau, has declared November 4, 2024, a day of fasting and prayer for peace and stability in the country. It was a propitious day and a great opportunity to listen to God. A moment to pause, reflect and convert the heart, recognizing the need for spiritual purification and true fraternal reconciliation at a time when nation faces significant challenges, such as the difficulty of mutual dialogue between the various political parties, the lack of good relationships, the difficulty in having good management of public goods and the many challenges in the educational and health fields.
In the homily of the Holy Mass celebrated in the Cathedral for the occasion, Fr. Davide Sciocco, Vicar General of the Diocese of Bissau, underlined the delicate situation in which the nation finds itself, characterized by the difficulty of guaranteeing good management of common goods and of ensuring education and health for the people, remembering that the only true resource that has the power to liberate the country is truth.
The words of Vicar resound in the Cathedral as an invitation to seek true freedom, which has to do with the motto chosen for the day: “The truth will set you free”. This is a Truth that does not deceive and that traces the true path of conversion for the search for true independence.
We report the words resounding in the Cathedral: “Let us stop today, the situation is difficult, we are called to pray for this, fast and remember the life of our first Bishop Dom Settimio A. Ferrazzetta, whose centenary we are celebrating”. The truth will set you free, this motto was auspiciously chosen as the motto of the day of prayer and fasting called for the land of Guinea Bissau. It is the truth that has the power to liberate our land, especially in a delicate moment like the current one”- the Vicar General underlined.
In the current social context of the country, Father Davide recalls, a climate of divisions, threats and brutality perpetuates, without forgetting the spread of domestic violence against children and women.
This is how his voice resounds: “the people of Guinea Bissau are tired of divisions, violence, threats, brutality, but at the same time each of us, thinking about it, it can be the cause of divisions, hatred, revenge and violence, for example, we remember episodes of war between families and neighbours and of domestic violence. Each of us is responsible for this situation, let’s not always blame others! I, first and foremost, am called to change, to convert myself! Let us all ask ourselves: how can we emerge from this division to be collaborators of communion, reconciliation and peace?”
Faced with these complaints, the Vicar General of the Diocese of Bissau underlined a central problem, which is the worrying exodus of young people abroad; young people emigrate without knowing the danger they face and without any guarantees. The voice of Vicar invites young people to prayer, reminding them that the truth is the only path to a positive change in life: “God’s truth is the only path to positive change in one’s life, in order not to chase apparently easy paths inorder not to chase the flight of many young people abroad, without guarantees and going through dangers, suffering and great problems”.
With a heart full of gratitude, for the participation of the Catholic faithful in all the prayer and adoration initiatives throughout the country, we continue to ask God to bless Guinea Bissau, to bless its politicians and government officials, may he bless all Guinean people who are stil today seeking peace and goodness for their land.
Sr. Anna Marini, Delegazione Guinea Bissau
