Pictured above are five of the six fathers from the 2026–2027 API cohort, alongside Fathers Joseph Nikiema, Jean-Yves Leborgne and Diego Martín Peñas.
Thursday 1 October 2026, the father Diego Martín Peñas, Director-General of the Prado, met with the participants of the’International Pradosian Year (API) 2026–2027, at the Maison Saint-Joseph in Limonest. The day was marked in particular by the celebration of the Eucharist, presided over by Father Diego.
As a reminder, every two years, the Prado Général organises this year-long training programme for Prado priests from various countries. For around ten months, they live at the Maison Saint-Joseph in Limonest, where they undergo an intense experience of formation, community life, prayer, sharing and renewal, in order to reflect on their life of faith, their ministry and their commitment to the Prado movement, and to deepen their understanding of the charism of Father Antoine Chevrier.
This training programme represents an important milestone in the development of the priests of the Prado. In particular, it aims to help them become ever more truly «disciples and apostles of Jesus Christ», as Father Chevrier put it, to renew their missionary zeal amongst the poorest of the poor.
As a reminder, the’API 2026–2027 brings together six priests from five countries: Girgis Bushra Barsoum Henein (Egypt), Raphaël Ouendeno (Guinea), Gianbattista Inzoli (Italy), Alain Violet Nambiniba (Madagascar), Pascal Rakotondrina (Madagascar) and Miguel Domínguez García (Mexico).
«What will the Holy Spirit do with me over the coming months?»
In his homily, Father Diego invited the participants to begin this year of formation by reflecting on the following question: «What will the Holy Spirit do with me over the coming months?»
Drawing on the readings from the Word of God proclaimed that day, he suggested four paths to experience this special time.
The first is that of the faith. Through Job’s words – « I know that my Saviour lives »”, Father Diego emphasised how essential it is for a priest to continually renew and reaffirm his faith. The year of formation can thus become a time to allow oneself to be loved by Christ and to nurture within oneself faith in Jesus, the living Redeemer.
The second path is that of the’the identity of a disciple and an apostle. Reflecting on the sending out of the seventy-two disciples, Father Diego reminded us that priests are called to remain disciples who listen to and follow their Master, whilst being sent out to proclaim the Gospel to the poor. This dual dimension was particularly dear to Father Antoine Chevrier.
The third path is that of the priestly fraternity. « He sent them out two by two »: these words from the Gospel echo Father Chevrier’s insight into the communion amongst priests. The months spent in community at Limonest will thus provide an opportunity to share daily life, prayer, experiences of faith and moments of fellowship, as well as the simpler tasks of everyday life. A wonderful opportunity to rediscover the richness of the gift of brotherhood.
Finally, Father Diego invited the participants to follow the path of poverty and solidarity with the poor. « Do not carry a purse, a bag or sandals »: for the founder of the Prado, poverty is not a secondary consideration, but lies at the heart of the journey of following Christ. This year of formation should enable us to gain a fresh perspective on the forms of poverty today and to better recognise the poor to whom the Lord calls us to proclaim the Gospel and from whom he also invites us to learn.
Father Diego invited the participants to give thanks for the Word of God, which « through his poverty and simplicity, he continues to enrich us », and to ask the Lord to open their hearts to the work of the Holy Spirit throughout this year.
This meeting is therefore fully in line with the ethos of the API, one of the key principles of the Pradosian approach to education: a time to allow ourselves to be shaped by the Holy Spirit, to deepen our knowledge of Jesus Christ, to live in fellowship and to renew our missionary zeal amongst the poorest.
To download the full text of Father Diego Martín Peñas’s homily, click here.