The Soroti Deanery Youth Annual Conference opened on 2nd September with a strong spiritual message from Rev. Fr. Marcel Ajoket, Parish Priest of the Most Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Parish, Dakabela and Director of Social Communications for Soroti Catholic Diocese.
Presiding over the opening Mass at Dakabela Parish, Fr. Ajoket emphasized the importance of prayer, reflection and friendship during the gathering, reminding the young faithful that such conferences are meant to shape their lives both spiritually and socially.
“Conference is where you go for prayer, emulate from others as you build friendship and a time to reflect to yourself,” Fr. Ajoket told the hundreds of youth who had traveled from across the deanery to take part in the annual event.
He urged participants to approach the conference with openness, not simply as a formality but as a time of learning, growth and renewal.
According to him, youth gatherings are opportunities to deepen faith, learn discipline and build connections that help young Catholics face the challenges of the modern world.
In his homily, Fr. Ajoket warned the youth against blindly following whatever is presented to them in society.
He encouraged them to question ideas critically instead of accepting everything as truth.
“Keep awake and be sober all the time,” he stressed, echoing St. Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians.
“There is no way you can be awake with drugs. God should come back when you are awake.”
The priest cautioned that alcohol and drug abuse have destroyed many young lives, leaving them vulnerable to manipulation and exploitation.
He pointed out that sobriety is not just a physical condition but also a spiritual state that allows one to make wise choices, avoid sin and remain ready for the coming of Christ.
“If you are not sober in life, people will use you,” he warned, urging the youth to strengthen their minds and hearts to resist negative influences.
Beyond warnings against drugs and carelessness, Fr. Ajoket also reminded the youth of their responsibility as Christians to actively resist evil in their lives.
He challenged them to stand firm against satanic influences, peer pressure and temptations that draw them away from God.
“Youth must learn to rebuke satanic plans on them and live in the society of Christ,” he said, adding that Christian identity should be visible in their decisions, friendships and lifestyles.
He reminded the participants that discipleship comes with responsibility, urging them to take their faith seriously and not compromise their values for temporary pleasures.
The Soroti Deanery Youth Conference, which gathers annually with the theme hope doesn’t disappoint, has become a vital platform for young Catholics to share experiences and learn from one another.
This year’s meeting, hosted at Dakabela Parish, has drawn large numbers of participants, united under the Catholic spirit of fellowship and hope.
.“Being sober,” he concluded, “means having a mind that can make clear decisions in life. It means living with purpose, rejecting evil, and preparing for the time when God shall call us.”
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