In the villages of West Africa, these brave Sisters need you…

Sep 23

2 min read

GUINEA

Father Gronotte and his team walk door to door, praying with the poor bring them spiritual and material nourishment

If St. Paul were alive today, I wouldn’t be surprised to find him working alongside Sister Marta Cardona in Guinea, a primarily Muslim nation in West Africa.

Sister Marta knows the high price of missionary life all too well. In Guinea, Catholics are a tiny, marginalized minority. Sister Marta and her small community barely have enough to live on. They certainly cannot afford a security fence, which is a grave safety concern.

The Sisters teach children who sit in the dirt as they learn. Local seminarians have no books to support their studies. Most members of the community don’t even have access to Bibles!

Catechumens gather with Sister Marta under the open sky because they have no proper meeting space. Still, these brave, faithful come to learn about Jesus and the Catholic Church. Their families don’t understand their choices … their neighbors don’t respect their beliefs … and their culture doesn’t support their conversion.

*A half-finished Marian grotto is the most formal symbol of the Catholic faith in the community Sister Marta serves. You can help complete the grotto and protect it from damaging weather.*

PROJECT UPDATE

A Catholic Mission in Guinea Finds Room to Grow

August 2026

Thanks to the generosity of Catholic World Mission donors, a small but vibrant Catholic community now has renewed support to grow in faith and perseverance. What began the year with a half-finished Marian grotto, limited religious resources, and catechumens gathering under the open sky has become a powerful testament to God's providence. Donor support made it possible to complete and protect the Marian grotto, build a protective wall, purchase Bibles, install lighting, and provide furniture for the Sisters who faithfully serve the community.

These improvements are already strengthening the spiritual life of the community. The completed Marian grotto now stands as a visible symbol of the Catholic faith, offering a sacred space for catechesis, prayer, Marian devotion, and ongoing formation. Access to Bibles and liturgical resources will soon support newly baptized Catholics and committed faithful as they deepen their relationship with Christ. The Sisters can now carry out their ministry with greater peace of mind, while children, catechumens, and local seminarians benefit from a more supportive environment for faith formation and religious education.

The impact is especially significant because many converts face social and cultural challenges in choosing to follow Christ. Despite misunderstanding from family members and a lack of support from their surrounding culture, these faithful continue their journey of discipleship.

As Sister Marta shared, “You have been an effective means that God has sent us to help us increase our faith in God and in His Divine Providence, which never abandons us.”

Together, we are helping create a lasting foundation for evangelization, ensuring that the light of Christ continues to shine brightly for generations to come.

Support Catholic missions so religious sisters and the communities they serve can receive the resources they need to keep sharing the faith.