The Ten Talents Initiative is a non-profit organization founded in 2025 by Rev. Fr. Eze Emmanuel OSA, a Catholic Priest of the Order of St. Augustine, Province of Nigeria alongside a group of well-meaning Catholics. The organization was initially known as the Association of Catholic Artists. Its primary purpose is to empower and encourage talented Catholic youths who dedicate their time to the sake of the Gospel. This mission aligns with the Church’s recognition that “the Church looks to the apostolic vivacity of these same young people and sees in them a ray of that light which helps her to hope” (Christus Vivit, 139).
The core aim of the initiative is to bring together gifted youths and encourage them to use their artistic talents properly for the service of the faith. By recognizing these talents and helping youths achieve their dreams, the initiative fosters a deeper youthful commitment and dedication to the Church. This reflects the teaching in Apostolicam Actuositatem, which states that “young people should become the first to carry out the apostolate to other young people” (AA, 12). The initiative specifically seeks to help those with gifts but no resources or platforms to establish them.
Central to the initiative’s mission is reaching out to Catholic youths in Nigeria, Africa, and potentially the world to ensure they feel loved, cherished, encouraged, and valued. The organization intends to extend care to their personal life goals, dreams, and passions. As Christus Vivit reminds us, “the love of the Lord is more about raising up than knocking down, about reconciling than forbidding” (CV, 116). By providing recognition through awards and empowerment programs, the initiative validates the efforts of those using their gifts in service of the faith.
The first pillar of the initiative focuses on Digital Media and Creative Arts, transforming traditional practices into modern experiences. Programs like the “Passion Play” Cinema Awards and the Catholic Content Creator Challenge encourage “digital missionaries” to create viral, faith-based content. This responds to the call in Inter Mirifica that the laity “strive to instill a Christian spirit into the norms of society” through media (IM, 3). Workshops further bridge the gap between “having a gift” and “having the skill”.
The second pillar addresses Music, Liturgy, and Instrumental Excellence, aiming to elevate the standard of liturgical music. Through the “Solomon’s Porch” and “David’s Harp” competitions, the initiative celebrates voices and instrumentalists who lead hearts to heaven. The Church has long held that “the musical tradition of the universal Church is a treasure of inestimable value” (Sacrosanctum Concilium, 112). These programs ensure that the next generation plays with both technical mastery and spiritual devotion.
Vocational Skills and Economic Empowerment form the third pillar, ensuring that no dream is buried due to poverty. The “Talent-to-Trade” program provides grants for small-scale businesses and school fee assistance for indigent students. This embodies the social teaching that “work is a necessity, part of the meaning of life on this earth, a path to growth, human development and personal fulfillment” (Laudato Si’, 128). Additionally, the “St. Anne & St. Dominic” competitions promote the dignity of manual labor through the craft of making vestments and rosaries.
The fourth pillar focuses on Community, Sports, and Faith-Based Entertainment, providing avenues for “Holy Leisure”. The “Catholic Reality” (Cenacle Project) offers a faith-based experience rooted in Catholic social teaching, showing that living the faith is a joyful adventure. Similarly, the “St. Sebastian” Football Cup fosters brotherhood and discipline on the pitch. These activities protect the interests of the youth, offering community without requiring them to sacrifice their faith for social engagement.
Intellectual and spiritual engagement is furthered through the Augustinian “Tolle Lege” Contest. Inspired by the conversion of St. Augustine, this program challenges participants to move from passive faith to an active encounter with the Word of God and Church teachings. This echoes the exhortation that “all the faithful should soon reach the knowledge of the Lord” through the reading of divine Scriptures (Dei Verbum, 22). It encourages a rhythmic voice for Catholic values where literature meets youthful testimony.
The initiative also includes the Catholic Singles Formation Group, an international platform to help single Catholics find partners while discerning their vocation. This is not merely a social matchmaking platform but a place of prayer and guidance in the marital teachings of the Church. As stated in Amoris Laetitia, “the complexity of today’s society… makes it necessary to provide a more adequate preparation for the life of the family” (AL, 205). The platform is strictly for those ready to be guided by the Holy Spirit.
Activities within this formation group include Couples Mentorship Days, where experienced couples share insights on marriage as a sacrament. This practical mentorship helps singles understand the realities of Catholic marital life. This reflects the Church’s view that “it is the couples themselves… who are often best placed to offer this help” (Familiaris Consortio, 71). The program uses games and Q&A sessions to engage participants in a live show format.
The initiative provides significant emotional and spiritual support for those experiencing heartbreaks or marital separation. Through marriage counselors and pastoral counseling from priests, the community offers prayers and healing rooted in Church teaching. This ministry of accompaniment is vital, as “the Church must accompany with attention and care the weakest of her children” (Amoris Laetitia, 291). Spouses in difficulty can even solicit public opinions anonymously to gain perspective on their situations.
Guided Matchmaking is offered to create an atmosphere where singles can form bonds of friendship that may lead to the sacrament of matrimony. This process is centered on the help of God and can be conducted publicly on live programs or in private. The goal is to initiate attraction that is holy and aligned with the faith. This recognizes that “the desire to marry and form a family remains vibrant, especially among young people” (Amoris Laetitia, 1).
Every meeting within the initiative begins with prayer and devotion, specifically to the Holy Family and St. Raphael, the patron of those in search of spouses. This spiritual foundation ensures that all endeavors are placed under the guidance of the Divine. By hosting talks from experts on health, psychology, and catechesis, the initiative equips singles with appropriate knowledge before marriage. This holistic preparation covers the biological, psychological, and spiritual dimensions of human love.
Beyond marriage preparation, the organization also guides those who have decided to remain single for life. It offers the official teachings of the Catholic Church on this state of life and the proper way to proceed. This ensures that every vocation is honored and supported within the community. It fulfills the objective of making every Catholic youth feel cherished, loved, and accepted regardless of their specific calling.
In summary, the Ten Talents Initiative serves as a means of evangelization and preservation of the sanctity of the faith. By utilizing modern platforms like WhatsApp and TikTok, it meets youths where they are. The grand “Stella Maris Award” Award Night serves as a finale to honor those who have used their talents to light up the world. Through this comprehensive approach, the initiative ensures that the “ten talents” of the youth are never buried but traded for the glory of God.
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