If you’re a young adult looking to foster community, experience the richness of other cultures, discover your deeper purpose and share your faith in an impactful and engaging way, Bishop John Dolan’s newly developed “Engage Your Equal” (E.Y.E.) program in the Diocese of Phoenix may be a great fit for you.
Based on three major components – a service immersion experience in a foreign country, intentional community support among participants and implementing shared experiences into ministries throughout the diocese – E.Y.E. was created to foster a deeper understanding of the universal Church and to facilitate global solidarity, or unity, among young adults around the world.
“The idea is connecting with people outside of our present experiences,” shared Bishop Dolan, a member of the USCCB Subcommittee on the Church in Africa. “This program has an outward focus, getting beyond the parochialism and even beyond our diocesan way of thinking and encountering the Church on a global level.
“Inspired by the heart and teachings of Pope Francis, we’ve got to look others in the eye – which is a play on the name of this program – because they are our brothers and sisters, our equals. We are all in this together and we have so much to learn from one another.”
In June 2025, an inaugural group of 10-15 young adults (ages 18-30), accompanied by four mentors, will travel to Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, to engage young adults across the globe and personally experience the universal Church.
Applications to participate are currently open here, through January 6, 2025.
This is the first cohort of the E.Y.E. pilot program and the hope is that this program will become a model for other dioceses that are looking to engage young adults in the areas of service, solidarity and immersion experiences.
Program facilitators are exploring the possibility of visiting and engaging with cultures from additional continents in the future.
“I can’t wait for participants to experience the beauty of the universal Church,” shared Abigail Standish, coordinator of Catholic Social Teaching for the Diocese of Phoenix, and lead facilitator of E.Y.E.
“Something unique to the Catholic Church is that the same Mass is said in Kenya, Rome, Phoenix and across the whole globe today. And yet, while we all share the same Scripture readings, prayers, and the Eucharist, we also put our unique cultures into worship, which is so beautiful! I’m really looking forward to our young adults experiencing that.”
Standish is also excited for participants to encounter other young adults, one-on-one.
“This program is all about coming together and being with one another on a human level. Asking questions like, what is your experience as a young adult like in your culture? What are our similar struggles, even across cultures and oceans? And ultimately, how can we move forward together in Christian unity, upholding one another?”
The two-and-a-half-week trip to Nairobi in 2025 will foster such moments of encounter through intentional conversations, learning about Nairobi culture and tradition, hands-on service projects and connecting with established organizations in Africa such as Catholic Relief Services and the Focolare Movement.
“I believe this trip will also foster a deep appreciation in the hearts of our young adults for the priests who have given their lives to serve us here in our diocese,” said Standish.
Currently, around 140 foreign-born priests minister to the 94 parishes and 24 missions in the Diocese of Phoenix.
Fr. Teilo Lwande, AJ, pastor of St. Andrew the Apostle Parish in Chandler, Ariz., is one of 40 priests from Africa who currently serve in the Phoenix Diocese. He was born in Nairobi and will be one of the mentors accompanying participants to Kenya next summer.
“I’m happy to say that Kenya is my birthplace and that the young adults from our diocese will be launching the E.Y.E. program there.” shared Fr. Lwande.
“This initiative will deepen their understanding of missionary priests and their culture, promote interaction between young adults in the U.S. and Kenya, promote collaboration within a diverse Church, broaden perspectives and foster partnership while exploring alternative strategies to sustaining faith through formation and evangelization,” he added.
Fr. Lwande also looks forward to sharing his favorite cuisines like chapati, ugali and kachumbari, and other traditional aspects of Kenyan culture.
E.Y.E., while providing a rich and formative cultural experience of personal growth, is so much more than a typical mission trip.
“Traveling to Kenya is only of of the three pillars of the program,” shared Standish.
Before traveling to Africa in June, the cohort will meet every other week for several months.
“We will be discussing international travel logistics in preparations for our trip, but we will also be building community,” Standish continued.
“We’re not going to Nairobi as strangers. We’re going to Nairobi as a community. Whether you knew the others before this program or not, you will form friendships. And then we’ll continue fostering that community throughout the entire program when we return.”
The third pillar of E.Y.E. begins when participants return from their immersion trip.
After young adults have had a profound experience of the universal Church and the call to solidarity with all cultures, they will take what they have learned and share it with others.
“We are asking the young adults to take what they have learned, and bring it into a ministry in the diocese,” said Standish.
“It could be something they are already part of, like a young adult ministry. Maybe they really like public speaking and feel moved to share their experience at schools and Newman Centers. Or maybe they gain a deeper understanding of how fair-trade impacts people across the world and want to help their parish grow in that area.
“We as facilitators and mentors are here to help the participants discover their unique gifts and skillsets, and to help them discern how they are being called to share what they have learned with the local Church.”
Group meetings will continue monthly for six months after travel to Kenya, continually fostering community and providing check-ins for each participant.
“We are a communal people,” said Standish. “We will continue to meet and grow together. You’re not expected to come back from Kenya and do anything alone. As we build solidarity with the universal Church through this experience, we are also building solidarity with one another.”
If you are on the fence about applying but are feeling a stirring from the Holy Spirit, Standish encourages you to take the leap.
“This is a beautiful chance to make new friends, experience the rich and enlivened spirit of African culture and grow in ways you may have never even considered before. I think it could really change your life, and we’d love to have you as part of the community.”
Applications for the E.Y.E. June 2025 cohort are currently open here, until January 6, 2025.
Questions? Contact Abigail Standish at astandish@dphx.org
