Through my job at St Malachy Church as Director of Religious Education, I was introduced to the Martin de Porres Foundation in 2004. Since then, half of my salary has been paid by Foundation. I take this opportunity to express my gratitude to Mrs. Ann Reimel, and Mrs. Catherine Hamilton for their kindness and support to our parish and myself.

Since 2004, the support from Martin de Porres Foundation has a huge impact on my work and my parish. The goal of the Foundation is to prepare young African American to the leadership responsibilities in the Catholic Church in Philadelphia. Through the support of the Foundation, I have been able to attend Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary to prepare my MAAC Certificate. I’m on the edge of my training with two remaining classes and the final project. This is a blessing for me to attend the Seminary as a lay person. Thing I wouldn’t be able to realize if I was in my home country. In my personal life, I have been able to take care of my family and send my children to the Catholic schools.

The support of the Foundation has allowed me to carry out various programs at my Parish. On of the goals of my work at the Parish is to empower the young and youth African Americans. By creating St Malachy Youth Group, I have been able to attract more African Americans youth the last three years. Every single Sunday, our programs receive at the Parish around 40 youths mostly African Americans. I have been able to set up other programs in my Parish with the support of the Foundation like: the Children Liturgy of the Word, the Children Community of Faith, the Drama & Play Group, etc. These programs allow us to keep the youth in the Church, to empower them and strengthen their faith. Our Parish has now one young African American in the Diocesan Leadership Youth Advisory Board.

- Valentin Bakibili