Motto: "You chose me from my mother's womb;
you will be my praise forever" (Ps 70:6)

The last five months have been a decisive stage in the spiritual journey of Father Pierre Malick Sène. Following these powerful moments, he kindly agreed to an interview with us, during which he opened up about his personal journey, shared his feelings and extended a message of hope to all young people who wish to respond to the Lord's call.

Who is Father Pierre Malick Sène?

Father Pierre Malick Sène is a young religious of the Blessed Sacrament, or rather, to date the youngest of the SSS religious with perpetual vows in the Province of Our Lady of Africa in Senegal. Originally from the parish of Saint Esprit de Diohine, he was born in Khassous, a village located about 6 km from the centre of Diohine in the Fatick region.

Inspired from an early age by the desire to become a priest, a calling that was long held back by various circumstances, he finally began his vocational journey at the Sainte-Anne de Thiès diocesan minor seminary. It was during this period that he discovered the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament through a decisive encounter that enabled him to realise his primary aspiration: to become a religious priest.

After completing his formation at the minor seminary, which culminated in obtaining his baccalaureate at Collège Saint-Gabriel, he joined the Eymard foyer (SSS postulancy) in 2016 to pursue philosophical studies at the Centre Saint-Augustin in Dakar, and then followed the normal course of formation within the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament.

On Friday, 4 July 2025, he pronounced his perpetual vows within the Congregation, sealing his definitive commitment to follow Christ, in the presence of the Provincial Superior, Father Yves M. Sagna, his council and his SSS confreres. The following day, Saturday 5 July, he was ordained a deacon, before receiving priestly ordination on 6 December 2025, through the laying on of hands by Monsignor André Gueye, Metropolitan Archbishop of Dakar, at the Marian shrine of Popenguine.

What feelings did you have the day after your perpetual vows, which consecrated you a full member of the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament, as well as after your ordination as a deacon and your ordination as a priest?

The day after these gracious events, I was filled with three profound feelings: genuine joy, sincere gratitude to God, and a slight feeling of fear related to the demands of my commitments.

First, genuine joy, because not only was I officially and definitively integrated into the Eymardian family through perpetual profession, but I was also ordained a priest. These events dispose me to live my Eucharistic vocation better and to serve Christ within this Family, as I have long desired. Indeed, for me, there is no greater cause for joy than to see one's dream come true, especially after so many years of perseverance, self-denial, pain and hope.

Then there is a deep gratitude to God for the gift of the Eucharistic vocation. He guided me as I blindly searched for the path and/or religious family in which to serve Him. I can only thank him for His constant assistance and support, especially in the midst of the storms that shook my vocation. May His name be blessed forever!

Finally, a much more serious awareness of the responsibilities that now fall upon me. I felt that my life had just taken an even more decisive turn, commensurate with the commitments I had made and the ministry I had received. And it cannot be otherwise when one measures the demands of religious and priestly life, while being lucid about one's own limitations. However, the Lord does not choose according to merit or aptitude, but out of pure love, and His grace is always at work in those He calls. The priesthood is above all a grace.

Based on your personal experience, what message would you like to give to young people who are discerning their vocation?

I encourage them to take the first step and to persevere, because with Christ we never lose. Certainly, the path can be long, strewn with pitfalls of all kinds, but tenacity and self-denial enable us to reach our goal, following the example of our holy founder, Peter Julian Eymard.

However, nothing can be achieved without prayer, because our efforts are in vain without divine grace. It is therefore essential to have faith and hope in the One who calls us, to know how to fix our gaze on the person of Christ, especially in difficult times, and to take Him as our model. The Lord remains always benevolent towards these children, especially those whom He calls to His mission.

On behalf of the Province of Our Lady of Africa
Senegal / Guinea-Bissau